"Alger Jr, Horatio - The Young Explorer" - читать интересную книгу автора (Alger Horatio Jr)

Tom Cooper laughed derisively.
"I'll do better nor that," he said. "If you'll give me twenty dollars, I'll make
you my private secretary, payin' you ten dollars a week."
"How long will you keep me?" asked Ben, smiling.
"Six days," answered Tom. "Then I'll have to sack you without pay, 'cause you
don't understand your business."
"Is that the way they manage?" asked Ben.
The bootblack nodded.
Ben looked grave. The disappointment was a serious one, and he felt now how much
he had relied upon the promises of Fitch Ferguson. He had formed no other plans,
and it seemed likely that he must return to the country to resume his old life.
Yet that seemed impracticable. There was no opening there unless he accepted one
of the two offers already made him. But he was neither inclined to enter the
employ of Deacon Pitkin, nor to become the valet and servant of Sam Sturgis. He
was not quite sure whether he would not prefer to become a bootblack, like his
new acquaintance.
"What are you goin' to do?" asked Tom.
"I wish I knew," said Ben earnestly. "What can I do?"
"You might go into my business," suggested Tom.
Ben shook his head.
"I don't think I should like that."
"No more would I if I'd got fifty dollars in my pocket. If I was you I'd go into
business."
"What kind of business?"
"Well," said Tom reflectively, "you might buy out an apple or a peanut-stand,
and have lots of money left."
"Is there much money to be made that way?" inquired Ben.
"Well, I never knowed anybody get rich in that line. I guess you'd make a
livin'."
"That wouldn't satisfy me, Tom. What I want most of all is to go to California."

The bootblack whistled.
"That's off ever so far, isn't it?"
"Yes, it's a long way."
"How do you go?"
"There are three ways," answered Ben, who had made himself familiar with the
subject. "The first is to go by land-across the plains. Then there is a line of
steamers by way of Panama. The longest way is by a sailing-vessel round Cape
Horn."
"What would you do when you got to California?" asked Tom.
"Go to work. I suppose I would go to the mines and dig gold."
"I wish it wasn't so far off. I'd like to go myself. Do you think a feller could
work his passage?"
"By blacking boots?"
"Yes."
"I don't believe he could. Sailors don't care much about having their boots
blacked."
"How much does it cost to go?"
"I don't know."
"Why don't you go to the office and find out?"