In his present
situation he only received thirty dollars a month, which was
probably all that his services were worth, but went a very little
way towards gratifying his expensive tastes. Accordingly he
determined to take the next steamer to the land of gold, if he
could possibly manage to get money enough to pay the passage.
The price of a steerage passage at that time was seventy-five
dollars,--not a large sum, certainly,--but it might as well have
been seventy-five hundred for any chance James Travis had of raising
the amount at present. His available funds consisted of precisely
two dollars and a quarter; of which sum, one dollar and a half was
due to his washerwoman. This, however, would not have troubled
Travis much, and he would conveniently have forgotten all about it;
but, even leaving this debt unpaid, the sum at his command would not
help him materially towards paying his passage money.
Travis applied for help to two or three of his companions; but they
were all of that kind who never keep an account with savings banks,
but carry all their spare cash about with them. One of these friends
offered to lend him thirty-seven cents, and another a dollar; but
neither of these offers seemed to encourage him much. He was about
giving up his project in despair, when he learned, accidentally, as
we have already said, the extent of Dick's savings.
One hundred and seventeen dollars! Why, that would not only pay his
passage, but carry him up to the mines, after he had arrived in San
Francisco.
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