"Babes in the wood!" I think she told the elder in some way without words to take me off to one side and talk to me; for he hummed and hawed, and asked me if I wouldn't show him my horses.

I told him that I was driving cows, and went with him to see them.

I now had six again, besides those I had left with Mr.Westervelt back along the road toward Dubuque; and it took me quite a while to explain to him how I had traded and traded along the road, first my two horses for my first cows, and then always giving one sound cow for two lame ones, until I had great riches for those days in cattle.
He thought this wonderful, and said that I was a second Job; and had every faculty for acquiring riches.

I had actually made property while moving, an operation that was so expensive that it bankrupted many people.

It was astonishing, he insisted; and began looking upon me with more respect--making property being the thing in which he was weakest, except for laying up treasures in Heaven.