think of me?"

"I've watched you ever since you came. I can judge of any one, boy or
man, if I have time enough to take stock of him. I saw that you were
just the man for me."

"Boy," suggested Ernest, smiling.

"Oh, well, I'll make a man of you. By the way, an idea has just
occurred to me. You'd better go to Sacramento with me to-morrow."

"I should like to do it," said Ernest, brightening up.

"Then you can notice where I buy my supplies. You may need to go alone
sometimes."

"At what time will we start?"

"The stage leaves at seven o'clock."

"I will be ready."

CHAPTER XXVIII.

AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE TURNS UP.

The journey to Sacramento was made, the goods selected, and in less
than a week the new store was stocked. In the arrangement of goods
Ernest took a zealous part. He had never served in a store, yet it
seemed to come natural to him, and he felt more interest in it than in
the work of mining.

After the store was in full working order Horace Ames left Ernest as
sole manager, coming in only in the evening to look at the books, for
Ernest, as far as possible, kept a record of every sale.

Storekeeping in those days and in that country was unusually
profitable. Ernest made a little comparison between the cost of goods
and the selling price, and arrived at the conclusion that the average
profits were a hundred per cent. And still the miners were able to buy
goods cheaper than when they sent to Sacramento for them.

At the end of the first week Ernest figured up the sales and found
they aggregated two hundred dollars. His share of the profits amounted
to a little over thirty dollars.

This was encouraging, being three times as much as he had ever
realized in the same length of time from mining.

There was one embarrassment. There was no bank in the place where
money could be deposited, and of course the chance of loss by robbery
was much increased. However, his partner purchased a small safe, and
this afforded some security.

One day a man entered the store, and purchased a pipe and tobacco. He
was a stranger to Ernest, but there was something familiar in his
look, yet he could not place him.

The newcomer looked about with considerable curiosity.

"You have quite a snug store here," he remarked.

"Yes."

"Does it belong to you?"

"I have an interest in it, but it belongs to Mr. Ames."

"Is he here much?"

"He usually comes in evenings, but he is interested in mining."

"You s