"Well, Mr. Gordon," said Baldwin, suavely, "we'll show you that we can be more liberal. Though the letters rightfully belong to Mr. Camp, if you'll deliver them to us we'll see that you don't lose your place, and we'll give you five thousand dollars."
I glanced at Fred, whom I found looking at me anxiously, and asked him—
"Can't you do better than that?"
"We could with any one but you," said Fred.
I should have liked to shake hands over this compliment, but I only nodded, and turning to Mr. Camp, said—
"You see how mean they are."
"You'll find we are not built that way," said Baldwin. "Five thousand isn't a bad day's work, eh?"
"No," I said, laughing; "but you just told me I ought to get ten thousand if I got a cent."
"It's worth ten to Mr. Cullen, but—"
I interrupted by saying, "If it's worth ten to him, it's worth a hundred to me."