“Very,” replied Gooding, with a serious face, and more serious tone of voice. “Nothing at all doing. I never saw business so flat in my life.”
“Flat enough.”
Another pause.
“Ahem! Mr. Jenkins,” began Gooding, after a few moments, “do you think you can do any thing for me to-day?”
“If there is any thing I can do for you, it shall be done with pleasure,” said Jenkins, in a cheerful way. “In what can I oblige you?”
“You remember, you said that in all probability you would be able to spare me as much as fifty dollars to-day?”
“I said so?” Jenkins asked this question with an appearance of real surprise.
“Yes. Don’t you remember that we were riding home one evening, about two months ago, and I called your attention to the old account standing between us, and you promised to pay it soon, and said you thought you could spare me fifty dollars about the time my quarter’s rent became due?”
“Upon my word, friend Gooding, I have no recollection of the circumstance whatever,” replied Jenkins, with a smile. “It must have been some one else with whom you were riding. I never said I owed you any thing, or promised to pay you fifty dollars about this time.”
“Oh yes! but I am sure you did.”