Part 45 (1/2)
”One of my friends cheated him out of it, and he won't pay me till it's paid back.”
”May be he won't pay it back.”
”Yes, he will. Will you lend me the money?”
”No, I won't. You'd ought to have saved money like I have.”
”I'd have had two dollars, if Jim hadn't stolen money.”
”That aint my fault. I aint goin' to lose my money for you. You can save like I do.”
Bill was right, no doubt. He was a bee, and Sam was a drone, and the drones are always ready to avail themselves of the acc.u.mulations of their more industrious brothers.
Sam began to feel hungry. However irregular he might be in other ways, his appet.i.te was surprisingly regular. He paused in front of a restaurant, and looked wistfully in at the windows.
”I wish I was a waiter,” he thought. ”They have all they want to eat every day.”
It will be seen that Sam's ambition was not a lofty one. But then he was practical enough to see that three square meals a day are more to be desired than empty fame.
As he was standing at the window a man from within came to the door.
Being without a hat, Sam supposed him to be connected with the restaurant, as, indeed, he was. Sam drew back, supposing that he was to be sent off. But here he was mistaken.
”Come here, Johnny,” said the proprietor, for it was the owner of the restaurant who addressed our hero.
Sam approached wondering.
”Have you had dinner?”
”No,” said Sam, promptly.
”Would you like some?”
Sam's answer, in the affirmative, was equally prompt.
”But you haven't any money, eh?”
”That's so,” said Sam. ”Wonder how he found out?” he thought.
”We don't give away dinners, but you can earn one,” said Mr. Pipkin, for it was Pipkin's restaurant.
”Do you want me for a waiter?” asked Sam, hopefully.
”No; you wouldn't do. You haven't had experience. I want a boy to distribute handbills in front of the saloon. Can you do that?”
”Yes, I can,” said Sam, eagerly. ”I've done that before.”
”All right. Come in.”
Sam entered. He hoped that a preliminary dinner would be offered him, but Mr. Pipkin was not in the habit of paying in advance, and, perhaps, he was right. He brought forward a pile of circulars about the same size as Dr. Graham's, and handed them to Sam.