“I may smoke sometime,” said Tom, “but I don’t believe it does a boy any good.”
“You’re right there, most likely. What brought you out here?”
“I was going to the mines.”
“To make your fortune?”
“Partly, but it was partly the love of adventure.”
“You’ve had your adventure,” said Alonzo, smiling grimly.
“Yes,” said Tom, “and a pretty expensive one. I should have done better to stay in the city.”
“Were you long there?”
“Yes, I was a clerk in a store.”
“I’ll tell you what you’d better do, my lad,” said Alonzo, taking his pipe from his mouth.