Well then, says I to myself, I have a pesky good mind to go in and have a try with one of these chaps, and see if they can twist my eye-teeth out. If they can get the best end of a bargain out of me, they can do what there ain’t a man in our place can do; and I should just like to know what sort of stuff these ere Portland chaps are made of. So in I goes into the best-looking store among ’em. And I see some biscuit lying on the shelf, and says I: “Mister, how much do you ax a piece for them are biscuits?” “A cent a piece,” says he. “Well,” says I, “shan’t give you that, but if you’ve a mind to I’ll give you two cents for three of them, for I begin to feel a little as tho’ I would like to take a bite.” “Well,” says he, “I wouldn’t sell ’em to anybody else so, but seeing it’s you, I don’t care if you take ’em.” I knew he lied, for he never seen me before in his life. Well, he handed down the biscuits, and I took ’em, and walked round the store a while, to see what else he had to sell. At last, says I: “Mister, have you got any good cider?” Says he “Yes, as good as ever ye see.” “Well,” says I, “what do you ax a glass for it?” “Two cents,” says he. “Well,” says I, “seems to me I feel more dry than I do hungry now. Ain’t you a mind to take these ere biscuits again and give me a glass of cider?” and says he: “I don’t care if I do.” So he took and laid ’em on the shelf again, and poured out a glass of cider. I took the cider and drinkt it down, and to tell the truth, it was capital good cider. Then says I: “I guess it’s time for me to be a-going,” and I stept along towards the door; but says he: “Stop, Mister, I believe you haven’t paid me for the cider.” “Not paid you for the cider!” says I; “what do you mean by that? didn’t the biscuits that I give you just come to the cider?” “Oh, ah, right!” says he. So I started to go again, and says he: “But stop, Mister, you didn’t pay me for the biscuit.” “What?” says I, “do you mean to impose upon me? do you think I am going to pay you for the biscuits and let you keep them too? Ain’t they there now on your shelf? What more do you want? I guess, Sir, you don’t whittle me in that way.” So I turned about and marched off, and left the feller staring and scratching his head as tho’ he was struck with a dunderment. Howsomever, I didn’t want to cheat him, only jest to show ’em it wan’t so easy a matter to pull my eye-teeth out; so I called in next day, and paid him two cents. Well, I stayed at Aunt Sally’s a week or two, and I went about town every day to see what chance I could find to trade off my axe-handles, or hire out, or find some way or other to begin to seek my fortune.