"One person can attend to it by day. I will come in the evening, and take a general look after things. Just at first I'll stay with you till you've got the hang of things. But during the day I shall be looking after my claims. Do you know how to keep books?" "I understand single entry bookkeeping." "That will be all you will require." "How soon shall you start?" asked Ernest, who began to feel very much interested. "I will go to Sacramento to-morrow, now that we have come to terms. You know that frame building near Ashton's cabin?" "Yes." "I don't know what it was originally used for, but it is empty and I can secure it for our store. It isn't large, but it will hold all we need. I can get new supplies as we need them." "Yes, that will do." "You haven't said how you like my offer." "Of one-third profits? I like it better than if you paid me wages. I will make it amount to a good deal." "That will suit me. I don't care how much you make out of it, for I shall make twice as much." "How did you happen to think of me?" "I've watched you ever since you came. I can judge of any one, boy or man, if I have time enough to take stock of him. I saw that you were just the man for me." "Boy," suggested Ernest, smiling. "Oh, well, I'll make a man of you. By the way, an idea has just occurred to me. You'd better go to Sacramento with me to-morrow." "I should like to do it," said Ernest, brightening up. "Then you can notice where I buy my supplies. You may need to go alone sometimes." "At what time will we start?" "The stage leaves at seven o'clock." "I will be ready." CHAPTER XXVIII. AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE TURNS UP. The journey to Sacramento was made, the goods selected, and in less than a week the new store was stocked. In the arrangement of goods Ernest took a zealous part. He had never served in a store, yet it seemed to come natural to him, and he felt more interest in it than in the work of mining. After the store was in full working order Horace Ames left Ernest as sole manager, coming in only in the evening to look at the books, for Ernest, as far as possible, kept a record of every sale. Storekeeping in those days and in that country was unusually profitable. Ernest made a little comparison between the cost of goods and the selling price, and arrived at the conclusion that the average profits were a hundred per cent. And still the miners were able to buy goods cheaper than when they sent to Sacramento for them. At the end of the first week Ernest figured up the sales and found they aggregated two hundred dollars. His share of the profits amounted to a little over thirty dollars. This was encouraging, being three times as much as he had ever realized in the same length of time from mining. There was one embarrassment. There was no bank in the place where money could be deposited, and of course the chance of loss by robbery was much increased. However, his partner purchased a small safe, and this afforded some security.