The captain took up the envelope and inspected its contents.
"'We regret to inform you,' he read aloud, 'that the Funny Novelty Company of this town went into bankruptcy a month ago.
"'JOHN HOLWAY.'" "Humph!" he sniffed.

"That's short and sweet.

Owed you somethin', I presume likely ?" Jed nodded.

"Seventeen dollars and three cents," he admitted, between the remaining nails.
"Sho! Well, if you could get the seventeen dollars you'd throw off the three cents, wouldn't you ?" "No-o." "You wouldn't?
Why not ?" Jed pried a crookedly driven nail out again and substituted a fresh one.
"Can't afford to," he drawled.

"That's the part I'll probably get." "Guess you're right.