“Done,” said he; so we warped into the wharf, took the fish on board, and I paid him the money, and cleared fifteen pounds by the operation.
“Now,” says I, “where is the wood?”
“All this is mine,” said he, pointing to a pile, containing about fifty cords.
“Can I have it all,” said I, “if I want it?”
He took off his cap and scratched his head; scratching helps a man to think amazingly. He thought he had better ask a little more than ten dollars, as I appeared to be so ready to buy at any price. So he said,
“Yes, you may have it all at ten and a half dollars.”
“I thought you said I might have what I wanted at ten.”
“Well, I have changed my mind,” said he, “it is too low.”
“And so have I,” sais I, “I won’t trade with a man that acts that way,” and I went on board, and the men cast off and began to warp the vessel again up to her anchor.
Lewis took off his cap and began scratching his head again, he had over-reached himself. Expecting an immense profit on his wood, he had sold his fish very low; he saw I was in earnest, and jumped on board.