"How do you go?"
"There are three ways," answered Ben, who had made himself familiar with the subject. "The first is to go by land-across the plains. Then there is a line of steamers by way of Panama. The longest way is by a sailing-vessel round Cape Horn."
"What would you do when you got to California?" asked Tom.
"Go to work. I suppose I would go to the mines and dig gold."
"I wish it wasn't so far off. I'd like to go myself. Do you think a feller could work his passage?"
"By blacking boots?"
"Yes."
"I don't believe he could. Sailors don't care much about having their boots blacked."
"How much does it cost to go?"
"I don't know."