t of all these years' experience. Not much, sir, and I'll just
keep 'hus'ling.' If I can't win, I can die in the cause."

"But the probabilities are, you will never get enough ahead to start a
business of your own, and will always keep in the same old rut."

"But I am not the 'rutty' kind, Mr. S. Besides, I dislike to work for
any one but Johnston."

"Well, let's see how much it will take to hire you for a year."

"Very well; you mark on a piece of paper how much you will give, and
I'll mark how much I'll take."

He agreed, and assured me he was going to make me an extra good offer
for a new-beginner. When we had both put down our figures we threw our
papers on the desk. He had marked six hundred dollars a year and
expenses, and I had put down thousand dollars and expenses.

I asked, with much astonishment, if he didn't mean thousands, and he,
with equal astonishment, asked if I didn't mean hundreds.

On my assuring him that I meant just what I had put down, he asked on
what basis I figured. I answered, on the basis of having cleared over
six hundred dollars the first month, on a capital of fifty dollars'
worth of goods and one million dollars' worth of experience.

"Great Heavens! have you cleared that much since you commenced?"

I convinced him by showing my stock and cash on hand. He said he knew,
of course, that I had been selling a great many goods, but he supposed I
had done so by cutting prices.

I at once made arrangements to start out again.

The firm offered me a limited credit of one hundred dollars, which I
accepted, realizing that some day I would find it convenient to have
some one to refer to in case I should get in shape to begin business for
myself.

My wife again accompanied me, and we returned to Northern Michigan and
began with excellent sales. I delivered all my goods on the spot, and
sold exclusively for cash.

We continued on in this manner till fall, visiting almost every town in
Northern Michigan and Wisconsin, when I had increased my stock to
several hundred dollars, and was making money fast.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXXI.

ROBBED OF A TRUNK OF JEWELRY--ONLY A SMALL STOCK LEFT--A TERRIBLE
CALAMITY--COLLAPSED--AN EMPTY SAMPLE-CASE MY SOLE POSSESSION--PEDDLING
POLISH AGAIN--MAKING A RAISE--UNINTENTIONAL GENEROSITY BREAKS ME
UP--MEETING AN OLD PARTNER--THE JOBBER SUPPLIES ME WITH
JEWELRY--HUS'LING AGAIN WITH GREAT SUCCESS--MAKING SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS
IN ONE DAY--MY HEALTH