"Three dollars a dozen, but as I have only twenty dozen left, you can have them at two dollars and seventy-five cents per dozen." "I'll give you fifty dollars spot cash for the lot," he said, after figuring a moment. "All right, I guess you can have them." And I quickly delivered them and received the cash. Thirty dollars of this the young man received with much satisfaction, while with the other twenty I felt quite comfortable myself. After paying my hotel bill I departed for Ohio. On my arrival home I explained to my folks "just how it all happened." My mother said "she always thought I would turn out a gambler anyhow, and didn't expect anything else when I left home, only that I would lose all I had before getting back." Mr. Keefer said "it was too bad, and I ought to have knocked the whole top of that clerk's head off for getting me into such habits." CHAPTER XI. MORE HELP FROM MR. KEEFER--OFF TO SEE MY GIRL--EMBARKED IN THE AGRICULTURAL-IMPLEMENT BUSINESS WITHOUT CAPITAL--MARRIED--SOLD OUT--IN THE GROCERY BUSINESS--COLLAPSED--RUNNING A BILLIARD HALL--COLLAPSED AGAIN--NEWSPAPER REPORTER FOR A MYSTERIOUS MURDER. The next day I called Mr. Keefer to one side, informed him--on the quiet--about my shortage of seventy-five dollars and suggested going to the bank and borrowing about a hundred dollars, as it would be necessary for me to have a few dollars to "sort of bridge me over" till I could get on my feet again. He said he guessed that would be all right, so we borrowed the money. The next day I received a very affectionate letter from my girl and started forthwith for Michigan, arriving there in time to escort her to the last and grandest ball of the season, at an expense of more than half the amount of my last loan. I was very anxious to get married at once, but being a little short financially, concluded to postpone it a few days at least. A couple of days later I received a letter from my uncle, A. S. Johnston, who was then living at Three Rivers, Michigan, and who had previously started me in the fruit business in Chicago. He informed me that he was general agent in Southern Michigan for C. H. & L. J. McCormick's reapers and mowers, and if I would come there he would make me their local agent at that place. Bidding my girl an affectionate farewell I departed, and arrived at my uncle's with forty cents in cash and six dirty shirts. On my way there I fell in company with two gentlemen traveling together, one of whom was selling horse-rakes and the other threshing-machines.