第4部分 (第7/8页)

y　proud　of　the　two　of　you。　I　will　say　it　again。

Keep　going。　Don't　quit。〃

Mike　and　I　stood　there　in　silence。　They　were　nice　words；　but　we　still　did　not　know　what　to　do。

〃So　how　e　you're　not　rich；　dad？〃　I　asked。

〃Because　I　chose　to　be　a　schoolteacher。　Schoolteachers　really　don't　think　about　being　rich。　We　just　like　to　teach。　I　wish　I　could　help　you；　but　I　really　don't　know　how　to　make　money。〃

Mike　and　I　turned　and　continued　our　clean　up。

〃I　know；〃　said　my　dad。　〃If　you　boys　want　to　learn　how　to　be　rich；　don't　ask　me。　Talk　to　your　dad；　Mike。〃

〃My　dad？〃　asked　Mike　with　a　scrunched　up　face。

〃Yeah；　your　dad；〃　repeated　my　dad　with　a　smile。　〃Your　dad　and　I　have　the　same　banker；　and　he　raves　about　your　father。　He's　told　me　several　times　that　your　father　is　brilliant　when　it　es　to　making　money。〃

〃My　dad？〃　Mike　asked　again　in　disbelief。　〃Then　how　e　we　don't　have　a　nice　car　and　a　nice　house　like　the　rich　kids　at　school？〃

〃A　nice　car　and　a　nice　house　does　not　necessarily　mean　you're　rich　or　you　know　how　to　make　money；〃　my　dad　replied。　〃Jimmy's　dad　works　for　the　sugar　plantation。　He's　not　much　different　from　me。　He　works　for　a　pany；　and　I　work　for　the　government。　The　pany　buys　the　car　for　him。　The　sugar　pany　is　in　financial　trouble；　and　Jimmy's　dad　may　soon　have　nothing。　Your　dad　is　different　Mike。　He　seems　to　be　building　an　empire；　and　I　suspect　in　a　few　years　he　will　be　a　very　rich　man。〃

With　that；　Mike　and　I　got