"Come and help me select the meat, girls," said Miss Miller, as she ran to the cupboard for a platter. Assuring herself that she had her pocketbook, the Guide hurried down the slope, followed by the girls laughing at the idea of six people going to select one piece of meat!
The butcher was a good-natured man eager to please a good customer. He had heard with dismay, that the doctor's family was going to spend the summer at the seashore, for the doctor always bought plenty of meat and paid cash for it, too. As many of his customers bought meat in exchange for produce, or made the man wait until they could sell farm truck before paying him, he felt a great relief when Bill told him of the party coming to camp at the farm.
"Good morning, Mr. Balsh. Have you any good shin-meat for soup?" asked Miss Miller, having been introduced by Mrs. Sherwood.
"No shin, ma'am, to-day, but I've got a good piece of flank—or a chunk of round. How will that do?" he asked anxiously.
The girls tittered at the queer terms for meat, and Miss Miller examined the flank carefully. Then, turning to the round, she asked, "How much is this a pound?"
"Twenty-two, ma'as! Same as city markets without addin' cost of haulin' or express."
"Oh, but you ought to charge extra for any cost you have to bear. Your buyers would be willing to share any extra expense," said Miss Miller.
"Yah! I knows it, but, you see, it's just this way! A new butcher starts up in town and calls upon all my customers what I have served for years. He tells them what he kin sell meat for, an' they says to me, 'Mr. Balsh, eider you gives us the same price, or we don't buy!' What should I do, ma'am?"
"That's true!" sighed Miss Miller. "Unfair competition is the ruination of all business. Most likely his quality of meat was not to be compared to yours!"