The $500 Check — page 181: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

164 THE $500 CHECK. ‘‘T am not likely to forget that I am a work- ing boy, especially with kind friends to remind me of it. But we live in the best country in the world, and there is many a working boy who grows up to be a distinguished man.”’ Percy laughed ironically. ‘“T wouldn’t get such silly ideas into your head,’’ he said. “Why are they silly ?”’ ‘You talk as if you expected to be a distin- guished man. Ha, ha!?’’ ‘‘T hope to be a successful man,’’ answered Bert stoutly. Percy laughed again and drove on. Five minutes later Bert saw the farmerrunning from the house in a state of great apparent excite- ment. . ‘‘Have you seen anything of my wallet?” he gasped, as he came within hearing dis- tance. Gomichooks