"Are you going out to look for it?" asked William, in joke.
"I guess there wouldn't be much show for me. Probably somebody has picked it up already."
"No doubt."
"Shall I go to the post office?"
"Of course not till after you have swept the office. Did you expect me to do that?"
Sam probably never swept so quickly before. He was anxious to get out, and see what chance he had of earning the twenty-five dollars, for he was convinced that the ring advertised for was the one he had found. He was provoked to think he had been so quick in pawning it. If he only had it in his possession now he would have nothing to do but to call on Mr. Chester and receive twenty-five dollars. With that amount he would feel as rich as a millionaire. Now the problem was to get hold of the ring, and this, in Sam's circumstances, was not an easy problem to solve. Of the five dollars he had received from the pawnbroker he had but three left, and it was idle to expect to recover it unless he should pay the full price and the commission besides.
"What shall I do?" thought Sam, perplexed. "Here is a chance to make twenty dollars extra if I only had three dollars more."
A bright idea dawned upon him. If he would only get his week's wages in advance he would be able to manage. He would broach the subject.
"Do you think, Mr. Budd, Mr. Dalton would be willing to pay me my week's wages to-day instead of Saturday?" he inquired.
"I know he wouldn't. It's contrary to his rule."