“I will be on hand, sir.”
“Very well, meet me here to-morrow at the same hour.”
Mr. Burnett rose, and shaking hands with Tom, left the room.
Tom reflected with great satisfaction on the engagement he had made. To be sure he had his own traveling expenses to pay, but these would be largely diminished by the weekly salary he was to receive. How long it would take to go across the plains he had no idea, but whether long or short, it appeared as if he had made an excellent arrangement.
The next day the two started together from St. Louis. Mr. Burnett had a small satchel with him, which he handed to Tom to carry.
“This will be the first of your duties,” he said, with a smile.
Tom took the satchel cheerfully.
“I must ask you to be very careful of it,” said Mr. Burnett. “It contains articles of considerable value.”
“I will be very careful, sir.”
“It is chiefly jewelry and watches,” explained his employer. “I am carrying them to San Francisco, as I expect to realize large profits on them. I should think there might be five thousand dollar’s worth in that satchel. You wouldn’t suppose it, would you?”