362 MEN I HAVE FISHED WITH. 



enough to pay ferriage for the horse and wagon, when 

 Bill pushed through and learned the situation. 



"The man had been taken into Charley Bradbury's 

 livery stable, and with only a word to the wife Bill 

 mounted the wagon and started down street singing that 

 old song, but in better voice than it was usually sung : 



'Here's clams, prime clams I have to-day; 

 They're fat and fresh from Rockaway; 

 They're good for to roast, they're good for to fry, 

 And they're good for to make a clam pot-pie.' 



"The church-going people looked, and some thought 

 Bill must be drunk, for everybody knew him; but if 

 people didn't come out he knocked at the doors and told 

 them all about the case, and before noon he was back, all 

 sold out. He asked the woman how much the load 

 ought to bring, and she said it had cost $6, and at retail 

 prices ought to bring $15. 



" 'Well/ said Bill, 'I don't know much about selling 

 clams, and here's all I've got for 'em,' and he emptied a 

 lot of silver and bills in her lap, and went out. The pile 

 counted out nearly $40, and it was suspected that Bill had 

 put in all that was left of his month's salary from the 

 railroad. When we asked Bill about it he would curl his 

 lip and say: 



" 'I'm a good clam peddler, an' can get the prices. 

 Clams, ma'am? Johnny, open the lady a nice fat one. 

 Fresh? Yes, m'm. See 'em kick. I think they spoiled 

 a good clam peddler when they made me a bookkeeper. 

 Yes, sis; they're fresh; how many?' 



" 'How do you sell 'em?' 



" Thirty cents a peck/ 



' 'Mother says she'll give twenty-five.' 



" 'Tell your mother to go to heaven. Does she think 



