On the following day it rained early in the morning,so Joe had to wait until noon before he left the old cabin.He took with him all that remained of his possessions,including the precious pocketbook with the thirty dollars.When he thought of the blue box he sighed.
"Perhaps it will never come to light,"he told himself."Well,if it does not I'll have to make the best of it."Two o'clock found him on the streets of Riverside,which was a town of fair size.During the summer months many visitors were in the place and the hotels and boarding houses were crowded.
There was one very fine clothing store in Riverside,but Joe did not deem it best,with his limited capital,to go there for a suit.Instead he sought out a modest establishment on one of the side streets.
Just ahead of him was an Irish couple who had evidently not been in this country many years.The man entered the store awkwardly,as if he did not feel at home.Not so his wife,who walked a little in advance of her husband.
"Have you got any men's coats?"said she to the clerk who came forward to wait on the pair."If I can get one cheap for me husband here I'll buy one.""Oh,yes,madam,"was the ready reply."We have the best stock in town,by all odds.You can't fail to be suited."So saying,he led the way to a counter piled high with the articles called for,and hauled them over.
"There,"said he,pulling out one of a decidedly ugly pattern.
"There is one of first quality cloth.It was made for a gentleman of this town,but did not exactly fit him,and so we'll sell it cheap.""And what is the price?"
"Three dollars."
"Three dollars!"exclaimed the Irish lady,lifting up her hands in extreme astonishment.
"Three dollars!You'll be afther thinkin'we're made of money,sure!I'll give you a dollar and a half.""No,ma'am,we don't trade in that way.We don't very often take half what we ask for an article.""Mike,"said she,"pull off yer coat an'thry it on.Three dollars,and it looks as if it was all cotton.""Not a thread of cotton in that,"was the clerk's reply.
"Not wan,but a good many,I'm thinkin',"retorted the Irish lady,as she helped her husband draw on the coat.It fitted tolerably well and Mike seemed mightily pleased with his transformation.
"Come,"said the wife."What will ye take?"
"As it's you,I'll take off twenty-five cents,"replied the clerk.
"And sell it to me for two dollars?"inquired his customer,who had good cause for her inaccurate arithmetic.
"For two dollars and seventy-five cents."
"Two dollars and seventy-five cents!It's taking the bread out of the childer's mouths you'd have us,paying such a price as that!
I'll give you two twenty-five,an'I'll be coming again some time.""We couldn't take so low as two twenty-five,ma'am.You may have it for two dollars and a half."After another ineffectual attempt to get it for two dollars and a quarter,the Irish woman finally offered two dollars and forty-five cents,and this offer was accepted.
She pulled out a paper of change and counted out two dollars and forty cents,when she declared that she had not another cent.
But the clerk understood her game and coolly proceeded to put the coat back on the pile.Then the woman very opportunely found another five-cent piece stored away in the corner of her pocket.
"It's robbin'me,ye are,"said she as she paid it over.
"Oh,no,ma'am,you are getting a great bargain,"answered the clerk.
Joe had witnessed the bargaining with a good deal of quiet amusement.As soon as the Irish couple had gone the clerk came toward the boy.
"Well,young man,what can I do for you?"he asked,pleasantly.
