CHAPTER II
AN UNACCEPTED OFFER
When Dave returned home that night he was eighty-four cents richer than when he started out, directly after dinner. Ben Basswood had helped him to pick huckleberries until sundown and insisted that Dave should keep the entire proceeds.
"I like to help you, Dave," said Ben, on parting. "If you ever get in a hole let me know." He would have offered Dave some of his spending money, but felt that the lad would not accept it.
When Dave reached the cottage in which Caspar Potts and himself resided he found the old man walking up and down on the porch and wringing his hands.
"Oh, so you are back at last, Dave! I was afraid you had—had left me!"
"You know better than that, professor."
"But it is so late."
"Yes, I stayed up on the mountain longer than I intended."
"Did you get any huckleberries?"
"Over ten quarts, and sold them to Mr. Jackson for eighty-four cents."
