Eighty-five dollars was the same as eighty-five millions.
"Shall I put it aside for you," asked the salesman-earl, "while you look around the other stores to see if there's anything you like better ?" "I guess--I guess not," said Penrod, whose face had grown red.

He swallowed again, scraped the floor with the side of his right shoe, scratched the back of his neck, and then, trying to make his manner casual and easy, "Well I can't stand around here all day," he said.

"I got to be gettin' on up the street." "Business, I suppose ?" Penrod, turning to the door, suspected jocularity, but he found himself without recourse; he was nonplussed.
"Sure you won't let me have that horn tied up in nice wrapping-paper in case you decide to take it ?" Penrod was almost positive that the spirit of this question was satirical; but he was unable to reply, except by a feeble shake of the head--though ten minutes later, as he plodded forlornly his homeward way, he looked over his shoulder and sent backward a few words of morose repartee: "Oh, I am, am I ?" he muttered, evidently concluding a conversation which he had continued mentally with the salesman.

"Well, you're double anything you call me, so that makes you a smart Aleck twice! Ole double smart Aleck!" After that, he walked with the least bit more briskness, but not much.
No wonder he felt discouraged: there are times when eighty-five dollars can be a blow to anybody! Penrod was so stunned that he actually forgot what was in his pocket.

He passed two drug stores, and they had absolutely no meaning to him.