At this period I was starting in as an assistant bookkeeper to a large exporting firm. They were enterprising people, and already they were laying plans to capture some of the California trade. The office talk I heard concerning the purchase of ships, the consignment of arms, the engagement of captains and of crews further inflamed my imagination. I received the vast sum of nine dollars per week. As I was quite alone in the world, and possessed no other resources, the saving of the five hundred dollars agreed upon as the least sum with which it was possible to get to California was fairly out of all question. One evening, after the meeting, to my great surprise, Ward fell into step with me. We had up to that moment never exchanged a word. "In New York long?" he demanded. "About six months," I told him. "Farm bred, of course?" he remarked. "Where?" "Ashbury in Vermont," I replied, without the slightest feeling that he was intrusive. He stopped short in the street and looked me up and down reflectively, but without comment. "I've been watching you at these fool meetings," said he, falling into step again. In spite of myself I experienced a glow of gratification at having been the object of his interest. "Fool meetings?" I echoed inquiringly. "Suppose, by a miracle, all that lot could agree, and could start for California to-morrow, in a body--that's what they are organized for, I believe," he countered--"would you go with them?" "Why not?" "Martin is why not; and Fowler is why not; and that little Smith runt, and six or eight others. They are weak sisters. If you are going into a thing, go into it with the strong men. I wouldn't go with that crowd to a snake fight if it was twelve miles away. Where do you live?" "West Ninth Street." "That's not far. Have you a good big room?" "I have a very small hall bedroom," I replied wonderingly; "a number of us have the whole of the top floor." Somehow, I must repeat, this unexplained intrusion of a total stranger into my private affairs did not offend. "Then you must have a big sitting-room. How many of you?" "Four." "Can you lick all the others?" I stopped to laugh. By some shrewd guess he had hit on our chief difficulty as a community. We were all four country boys with a good deal of residuary energy and high spirits; and we were not popular with the tenants underneath. "You see I'm pretty big----" I reminded him. "Yes, I see you are. That's why I'm with you. Do you think you can lick me?" I stopped short again, in surprise. "What in blazes----" I began. He laughed, and the devils in his eyes danced right out to the surface of them. "I asked you a plain question," he said, "and I'd like the favour of a plain answer. Do you think you can lick me as well as your rural friends?" "I can," said I shortly. He ran his arm through mine eagerly. "Come on!" he cried, "on to West Ninth!"