“No, no, only fifty,” answered the old man.
There’s no use talking, I know better. If you don’t believe it, suppose I count the pieces.”
“No, no!”
“Just as you say. As it is, you’ve got plenty of money, and I know it, and if you ain’t willing to use some of it, I’ll go off and leave you alone.”
“Don’t go,” said Ben hastily. “You’re a good boy. You wouldn’t rob a poor old man, would you?”
“Nor a rich old man either, but I don’t mean to starve. So give me fifty cents and I’ll get some fresh bread and butter, and tea and sugar.”
“No matter about the butter. It costs too much.”
“I want butter myself. My constitution requires it,” said Tony. “You needn’t eat it if you don’t want to.”
Ben groaned again, but he produced the money required, and Tony soon returned from the grocery store with small supplies of the articles he had named.
“Now we’ll have some breakfast,” said Tony cheerfully. “Don’t you feel hungry?”