n' to make my fortune. I want
somebody to help me, and I don't see why you couldn't do it as well as
anybody else. For one thing, you've got a farm.'

"As he said this Abner started back. 'Confound the farm!' he said. 'I've
given up farmin', and I don't want nothin' more to do with it.'

"'Yes, you will,' said Pearson, 'when I've told you what I'm goin' to
do. But it won't be common farmin': it'll be mighty different. There's
money in this kind of farmin', and no work, nuther, to mention.'

"Abner now became interested.

"'It concerns eggs,' said Pearson. 'Abner, did you ever hear about the
eggs of the great auk?'

"'Great hawk!' said Abner.

"'Not _hawk_! Auk--a-u-k.'

"'Never seen the bird,' said Abner.

"'I reckon not,' said the other. 'They say they disappeared some time
before the war; but I don't believe that. I've been readin' a piece
about 'em, Abner, and I tell you it just roused me up, and that's the
reason I've come here s'posin' I might find a book that might give me
some new p'ints. But I reckon I know enough to work on.'

"'Is there anything uncommon about 'em?' asked Abner.

"'Uncommon!' exclaimed the other. 'Do you know what a great auk's egg is
wuth? It's one thousand eight hundred dollars!'

"'A car-load?' asked Abner.

"'Stuff!' ejaculated Mr. Pearson. 'It's that much for _one_; and that
one blowed--nothin' but a shell--not a thing inside. And eighteen
hundred dollars!'

"'By George!' exclaimed Abner. 'Eighteen hundred dollars!'

"'And that's the lowest figure. Great auk eggs is wuth twenty-one
thousand and six hundred dollars a dozen!'

"Abner rose from his chair. 'Joe Pearson,' he said, 'what are you
talkin' about?'

"'I'm talkin' about makin' the biggest kind of money, and if you choose
to go in with me you can make big money too. I'm all correct, and I can
show you the figures.'

"Abner now sat down and leaned over toward Pearson. 'Whar's it likely to
fin' nests?' said he.

"'Nests!' exclaimed Pearson, in disdain. 'If I could find two of
'em--fresh ones--I'd call my fortune made.'

"'I should say so,' said Abner, 'sellin' for thirty-six hundred dollars!
But what is there so all-fired good about 'em to make 'em sell like
that?'

"'Scerceness,' said Joe. 'Apart from scerceness they ain't no better'n
any other egg. But there's mighty few of 'em in market now, and all of
them's blowed.'

"'And no good?' said Abner.

"'They say not,' said the other. 'For scerceness they're