AN OFFER OF A STAND
The disappointment following the doctor's verdict was keen for Dick.
He had hoped that something might be done to aid him, but he found the
only thing he could do was to wait, and this was very tedious.
"And maybe it will never happen," he said to Jimmy, that night in their
room.
"Yes, it will," declared his partner, with more conviction that he
felt. "You'll remember who you are some day, I'm certain."
"Perhaps--when it's too late."
"Well, don't think any more about it," advised Jimmy. "I heard some
news to-day I forgot to tell you."
"What was it?"
"Well, a fellow that has a fine news-stand on Sixth Avenue near the
elevated road wants to sell out. He's sick, an' he's got to go out
West. I thought maybe you and me could buy him out."
"That's so, we might. How much does he want?"
"I don't know. Sam Schmidt was telling me about it. I didn't see the
man who owns it."
"Suppose we go and see him," suggested Dick.
It had, for some time, been the ambition of the newsboy partners to own
a regular stand, where not only papers but magazines and weeklies could
be sold. Jimmy, in his wildest ambition, had sometimes dreamed of such
a rise in life, but, until he had met Dick and learned new habits,
including the one of saving his money, such a thing had not been
possible for him, even to consider. Now he hoped he was in a position
to realize his fondest expectation.
They went to see the owner of the stand the next day. The location,
they knew from their past experience, was a good one, as it was near
several ferries and street-car lines, as well as right under an
elevated station. Thus the owner of the stand could always be assured
of a large number of customers.
"I wonder how much he'll want for it?" spoke Dick, as they approached.
"Oh, maybe about forty or fifty dollars. How much have we got saved up
now?"
"Nearly twenty-five."
"Maybe he'll trust us for what we haven't got, Dick."
"Perhaps, if we give him a mortgage."
"What's a mortgage?"
"Why, it's a paper showing that you owe a man so much money, and you
give him a claim on your property as security. You'll soon learn about
them in your arithmetic, especially when we get going to night-school."
"I don't care whether I learn or not, if I can be a part-owner in that
stand," declared Jimmy, his eyes shining as he noted the pile of papers
and magazines and saw the little enclosure where the proprietor of the
place sat.
"Oh, but you must," insisted Dick. "Now shall I do the talking, or
will you?"
"You'd better. But if he tries to come any 'con' game on us I'll have
something to say. I know lots about selling papers, but not much about
buying stands."
"I hear this stand is for sale," began Dick, speaking to a young man in
charge.
"Who told you?" was the somewhat suspicious answer.
"My partner here, James Small, heard it from another newsboy, Sam
Schmidt. Isn't it correct?"
"I suppose it is. I want to sell out. I've got to go West for my
lungs."
"That's too bad. How much do you want for the stand?"
"Well, you know this is a good place to do business."
"I'll have to take your word for it," replied Dick. "Still it seems
quite a lively place and ought to be good."
"Good? I guess it is!"
"How much do youse--I mean you--take in every week?" asked Jimmy
suddenly, for he felt he could safely ask this question.
"What's that got to do with it?" inquired the stand-owner sharply.
"Lots. If me and me partner buys this stand, we want to know how much
we're going to make."
"Well, I do a good business. Of course some days it's better than
others."
"What does it average?" asked Dick.
"Well," replied the proprietor, after some figuring, "it averages
fifty-five dollars a week."
Jimmy uttered a low whistle of surprise. That was higher than he had
thought.
"And what are the expenses?" asked Dick quietly.
"I have to pay the elevated railroad company ten dollars a week for
having my stand here, and I have to hire a boy to bring me papers and
other supplies, for I sell cigars and tobacco. But there aren't many
weeks when I don't clear twenty dollars."
Dick thought this was a fine business, but, of course, if he and Jimmy
took it there would not be so much profit for each of them as the man
got, unless they could increase the business. That was another matter
to consider.
"How much do you want for the stand?" asked Dick, while he and Jimmy
waited anxiously for the answer.
"Well, I'll take two hundred and fifty dollars cash, and not a cent
less."
The figure was so high, and the announcement of it caused the partners
such a surprise, that, for a moment, they did not know what to say.