"Yes, sir, I would, indeed," Joe answered so promptly that the gentleman smiled.
He rose presently and went to a case.
"Here," he said, taking down two volumes; "here's a copy of Blackstone, and one of Kent's Commentaries. I'll lend them to you. Take them home with you, and after you have read and digested them come back to me, and if I find that you have understood what you have read I'll lend you some more."
Joe's face crimsoned with joy. He stammered his thanks, and after shaking hands with his new acquaintance and promising to call upon him the next time he came to Omaha, he left the office and joined Herbert, who was waiting for him at the store.
When he told him of his experience and showed him the books Herbert whistled. "Looks to me as if that was a lucky strike," he said. "Do you know who that man is? I saw that he had taken a notion to you and asked about him. He is Judge North, one of the leading men of the Territory and the most prominent lawyer in the West."
Joe was not surprised to hear that the man at whose office he had called and whose books he carried under his arm was one of the leading men of the Territory. There was that in his manner and appearance that proclaimed him a leader of men. Absently he opened one of the books. On the fly-leaf was written in a bold flowing hand, "John M. North, Attorney at Law."
Joe pointed to the last words. "I hope to write that after my name some day," he said musingly.
"I'll be your first client," laughed Herbert.
"There's no telling but that you might," grinned Joe; "I might have to get you out of jail some day."
As they hurried back to the place where they had left the wagon Joe was overjoyed to find Pashepaho standing beside it.