“Where are you goin', Jerry?” he asked, with a grin, as he passed him. “Did ye buy that barrel to kape your shirt in?”
Jerry scowled but thought it best not to answer, lest his unlawful possession of the shirt might also be discovered, and lead to a longer sentence.
“He's goin' down to the island to show his new shirt,” thought Mike, with a grin. “Maybe he'll set the fashion there.”
Mike was right. Jerry was sent to the island for two months, there introducing Mr. Preston's shirt to company little dreamed of by its original proprietor.
CHAPTER XIII
OUT OF BUSINESS
The next day Mrs. Hoffman commenced work upon Mr. Preston's shirts. She worked with much more cheerfulness now that she was sure of obtaining a liberal price for her labor. As the shirts were of extra size, she found herself unable to finish one in a day, as she had formerly done, but had no difficulty in making four in a week. This, however, gave her five dollars weekly, instead of a dollar and a half as formerly. Now, five dollars may not seem a very large sum to some of my young readers, but to Mrs. Hoffman it seemed excellent compensation for a week's work.
“If I could only earn as much every week,” she said to Paul on Saturday evening, “I should feel quite rich.”
“Your work will last three weeks, mother, and perhaps at the end of that time some of Mr. Preston's friends may wish to employ you.”