"Then I won"t take it," said Ferguson, decidedly. "I only want half of the profit. That will give me eight hundred dollars, and that ought to satisfy me."
"And I shall have seven hundred," said Tom, his eyes sparkling.
"Precisely."
"How kind you are, Mr. Ferguson!" exclaimed Tom, eagerly seizing the Scotchman"s hand.
"No, my lad; I am only just. I am glad to help a boy who is working for his father and family."
"I shouldn"t deserve to succeed if I didn"t," said Tom, earnestly.
"Always bear that in mind, my lad, and G.o.d will smile on your efforts, and raise you up friends."
In spite of the high price, Tom and his partner felt justified now in stopping over night at the hotel where they had met with such a piece of good luck, and the next day started down the river for San Francisco.
CHAPTER XXI.
TOM BUYS A BUSINESS.
It was an interesting moment for our two friends when they landed in San Francisco. The future Western metropolis was only a town of scattered wooden and adobe houses, with irregular streets and a general lack of uniformity in its buildings; but everybody seemed on the alert. The number of drones was wonderfully small; even the const.i.tutionally lazy could not resist the golden incentives to labor. Money was looked upon with very different eyes there and at the East. No one took the trouble to dispute prices; and a man who landed with an article rare or desirable could often obtain twenty times its value. Within ten minutes of his arrival Tom witnessed a case of this kind.
Just as he was entering Montgomery street he noticed a man--evidently a new-comer--with a fine bunch of pineapples in his hand. He had just arrived in the steamer Columbus, then anch.o.r.ed out in the stream.
"I shouldn"t mind having one of those pineapples," said Tom to Ferguson.
"Doubtless they are high-priced, being a rarity," said the Scotchman.
Just then a pa.s.ser-by, attracted like Tom, and feeling a similar longing, stepped up to the new-comer.
"Are those pineapples for sale?" he asked.
"Yes, if you"ll pay enough," was the half-jocular reply.
"Name your price."
"Ten dollars."
"Here is your money;" and he put a gold piece into the hand of the astounded pa.s.senger, which represented ten times the sum he had paid for the fruit at San Blas.
"That"s a pretty steep price," said Tom, "for six pineapples."
"It is very wasteful to spend such a sight of money to pamper the appet.i.te," said the canny Scot. "Truly, a fool and his money are soon parted."
He was destined to be still more surprised. The purchaser within five minutes transferred half his purchase to another for fifteen dollars.
"Gold seems to be plenty here," said Tom.
"I hope all provisions are not as high," said Ferguson, "or we shall soon have a chance to spend all we have."
"Where shall we go first?" asked Tom.
"We had better go to a public house, and secure a lodging," said Ferguson.
"I wish I knew some one here to direct me."
Scarcely had Tom uttered these words than he cried out in surprise, "Why, there"s John Miles!"
They were pa.s.sing a little, unpainted, wooden building, of one and a half stories, used as a grocery. A German name was on the sign; but behind the rough counter stood the familiar form of John Miles.
Tom dashed into the store, followed by his more dignified companion.
"How are you, John?" he exclaimed.
"Why, if it isn"t Tom," returned Miles, his face showing the joy he felt. "And here"s Mr. Ferguson, too."
Then there ensued a hearty shaking of hands, followed by the question, "When did you get here?"
"About twenty minutes ago."
"And you came straight to me. That"s good."
"So it is; but it"s an accident. We had no idea where you were. So you are a grocer, John. Is the place yours?"
"If it is, then I"ve changed my name," said Miles, pointing to the sign bearing the name:--
JOHN Sc.h.i.n.kELWITZ.
"The first name"s right, at any rate," said Tom, laughing. "I suppose you are the clerk, then."
"Yes."
"How long have you been here?"
"Four weeks."
"Is it a good business?"
"Very good. My Dutch friend pays me five dollars a day, and I sleep here."
"Among the groceries?"
"Yes; it saves me the expense of a bed outside, and that is a good deal.
I haven"t saved quite enough to pay you yet, Tom, but I can soon."
"No hurry, John. I have been lucky since I saw you."