“I don’t know yet.  I want to go to California, but I can’t unless the old man comes down with the requisite amount of tin.  You’ll soon have your situation back again.  I won’t stand in your way.”

“I’m not very particular about going back,” said Herbert, “but I must find something to do.”

“Just so!” said Eben.  “The place will do well enough for a boy like you, but I am a young man, and entitled to look higher.  By the way, I’ve got something in view that may bring me in five thousand dollars within a month.”

Herbert stared at his companion in surprise, not knowing any short cut to wealth.

“Do you mean it?” he asked, incredulously.

“Yes,” said Eben.

“I suppose you don’t care to tell what it is?”

“Oh, I don’t mind—­it’s a lottery.”

“Oh!” said Herbert, in a tone of disappointment.

“Yes,” answered Eben.  “You may think lotteries are a fraud and all that, but I know a man in Boston who drew last month a prize of fifteen thousand dollars.  The ticket only cost him a dollar.  What do you say to that?”

“Such cases can’t be very common,” said Herbert, who had a good share of common sense.

“Not so uncommon as you think,” returned Eben, nodding.  “I don’t mean to say that many draw prizes as large as that, but there are other prizes of five thousand dollars, and one thousand, and so on.  It would be very comfortable to draw a prize of even five hundred, wouldn’t it now?”

Herbert admitted that it would.

“I’d send for a ticket by Monday morning’s mail,” continued Eben, “if I wasn’t so hard up.  The old man’s mad because I ran into debt, and he won’t give me a cent.  Will you do me a favor?”

“What is it?” asked Herbert, cautiously.

“Lend me two dollars.  You’ve got it, I know, because you were paid off to-night.  I would send for two tickets, and agree to give you quarter of what I draw.  Isn’t that fair?”

“It may be,” said Herbert, “but I haven’t any money to lend.”

“You have three dollars in your pocket at this moment.”

“Yes, but it isn’t mine.  I must hand it to mother.”

“And give up the chance of winning a prize.  I’ll promise to give you half of whatever I draw, besides paying back the money.”

“Thank you, but I can’t spare the money.”

“You are getting as miserly as the old man,” said Eben, with a forced laugh.

“Eben,” said Herbert, seriously, “you don’t seem to understand our position.  Mother has lost the post office, and has but eight dollars a month income.  I’ve earned three dollars this week, but next week I may earn nothing.  You see, I can’t afford to spend money for lottery tickets.”

“Suppose by your caution you lose five hundred dollars.  Nothing risk, nothing gain!”

“I have no money to risk,” said Herbert, firmly.

“Oh, well, do as you please!” said Eben, evidently disappointed.  “I thought I’d make you the offer, because I should like to see you win a big prize.”