owning thought it best to sell.

"Then," said Sedgwick, "there will be no more work for us except to
resign as officers of the company, our resignations to take place with
the transfer of the property."

"There is yet another matter," said Browning. "How is the division of the
proceeds to be made?"

"That all rests with you, Jack," said Sedgwick; "only I think you should
pay me back what I advanced to put the property on its feet, and you
should keep in mind that this was made a success by our friend Jordan."

"Not to any great extent," said Jordan. "I war merely a hired man working
for my board and clothes, and you forget thet because uv it I made a
fortune sich ez no gold could buy. Treat me, please, ez tho' I war
already wealthy, _exceedingly_ wealthy!"

"It is all due to you two," said Jack. "When the old men made good their
robbery, I was even. All the rest is yours."

And they wrangled over the matter for a full hour.

Then McGregor spoke. "Let me help you out, my friends. You are offered
L1,050,000. It is enough for you all. Divide it into three parts, and
settle that way."

Then came another wrangle, but it was settled on that basis, except that
each agreed that Captain McGregor should receive fair compensation for
bringing Jordan home, and they estimated that to be worth L100,000. That,
Jordan insisted should be paid out of his share, and it took an hour to
talk him out of it.

Then it required another half hour for the three to bulldoze McGregor
into accepting it. The convincing argument was made by Jordan, who said:
"Supposin' you hedn't a-come, whar would I a-bin now?"

McGregor went out, and then Browning said:

"I have a little matter to speak of. I sold my Venezuela mine yesterday
for L100,000," and so saying he took a memorandum from his pocket, opened
it, and tossed to Sedgwick and Jordan each a certificate for one-third of
the amount, saying: "I feared the way you were behaving you would spend
all your money, so I went to work to make you a little stake, as the boys
in Nevada say."

Another wrangle then ensued, both Sedgwick and Jordan declaring that they
had had nothing in the world to do with making the money; but Jack was
obstinate and carried his point.

McGregor returned, and all went to Sedgwick's to dinner. About the time
the coffee was brought, a messenger rang at the door and left a package
for Mr. Jordan. It was brought in, and then Jordan said:

"Friends, in Africa I found a