"Good-morning," I said.
He returned it.
"There!" he cried--"Parnassus is really yours! All the world
lies before you! And I've got some more money for you. I
sold some books last night. I persuaded the hotel keeper to
buy several volumes of O. Henry for his smoking-room shelf,
and I sold the `Waldorf Cook Book' to the cook. My! wasn't
her coffee awful? I hope the cook book will better it."
He handed me two limp bills and a handful of small change. I
took it gravely and put it in my purse. This was really not
bad--more than ten dollars in less than twenty-four hours.
"Parnassus seems to be a gold mine," I said.
"Which way do you think you'll go?" he asked.
"Well, as I know you want to get to Port Vigor I might just as
well give you a lift that way," I answered.
"Good! I was hoping you'd say that. They tell me the stage
for Port Vigor doesn't leave till noon, and I think it would
kill me to hang around here all morning with no books to sell.
Once I get on the train I'll be all right."
Bock was tied up in a corner of the yard, under the side door
of the hotel. I went over to release him while the Professor
was putting Peg into harness. As I stooped to unfasten the
chain from his collar I heard some one talking through the
telephone.
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