How's your wife, an' that boy o' yourn?"
"Both well, I'm happy to say. 'Zeke tells me you want to sell out."
"Yes. Now Jonas has gone there's nobody to take care of the chickens,
an' a hotel 'thout chickens an' fresh eggs is no home for a hungry
man."
"What will you take for the place just as it stands?"
"Well, I've figured up an' I should lose money ef I took less'n four
thousand dollars, an' I ought to have five."
"I'll take the refusal of it for forty-eight hours at five thousand.
Is it agreed?"
"I'd hold it a month for you, Mister Sawyer, but I want to go and
help Mandy soon's I can now that Hiram's laid up for nobody knows how
long."
"We'll have Hiram on his feet again very soon, Mrs. Hawkins. I'll be
down again in a few days."
"Give my love to Alice," she called after them as they were driving
away.
The next evening Quincy asked his son to come to the library with
him.
"Quincy, I want to borrow fifty thousand dollars. Can you spare it?"
"Twice as much if you need it. I'll give it to you. It's yours
anyway."
"No, I want to borrow it at six per cent."
"Are you going into business?"
"Yes." Then Quincy told him of his conversation with Mr. Strout.
"How are you going to beat him?" asked young Quincy.
"I'll tell you. I'm going to buy the Hawkins House. I shall have it
lifted up and another story put underneath.
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