"But I ain't got no money," I says, "and I was
going to ast you could you spare me half a dollar?"

"Great Jehosephat!" says Hank, "but ain't
you getting stuck up! What's the matter of you
crawling in under the tent like you always done?
First thing I know you'll be wanting a pair of these
here yaller shoes and a stove-pipe hat."

"No," says I, "I ain't no dude, Hank, and you
know it. But they is always things about a circus
to spend money on besides jest the circus herself.
They is the side show, fur instance, and they is the
grand concert afterward. I calkelated I'd take
'em all in this year--the hull dern thing, jest fur
oncet."

Hank, he looks at me like I'd asted fur a house 'n'
lot, or a million dollars, or something like that. But
he don't say nothing. He jest snorts.

"Hank," I says, "I been doing right smart work
around the shop fur two, three years now. If
you wasn't loafing so much you'd a noticed it more.
And I ain't never ast fur a cent of pay fur it,
nor--"

"You ain't wuth no pay," says Hank. "You
ain't wuth nothing but to eat vittles and wear out