No man, or, at least, very few men, could afford to
construct a railroad or telegraph line. The way these things were done
was by forming a company.

And this was just what Harry proposed to do.

It was, of course, quite difficult to determine just how large a company
this should be. If it were composed of too many members, the profits,
which would be limited, owing to the peculiar circumstances of the case,
would not amount to much for each stockholder. And yet there must be
members enough to furnish money enough.

And more than that, a contract must be made with the mica-mine people,
so that the business should not be diverted from Harry's company into any
outside channels.

All these things occupied Harry's mind, and it is no wonder that he
hardly looked up when Selim stopped. The horse had been walking so
slowly that stopping did not seem to make much difference.

But when he heard a voice call out, "Oh, Mah'sr Harry! I'se mighty glad
to see yer!" he looked up quickly enough.

And there was old Uncle Braddock, on horseback!

Harry could scarcely believe his eyes.

And what was more astonishing, the old negro had no less than four other
horses with him that he was leading, or rather trying to lead, out of a
road through the old-field pines that here joined the main road.

"Why, what's the meaning of this?" cried Harry. "Where did you get those
horses, Uncle Braddock?"

And then, without waiting for an answer, Harry burst out laughing. Such
a ridiculous sight was enough to make anybody laugh.

Uncle Braddock sat on the foremost horse, his legs drawn up as if he
were sitting on a chair, and a low one at that, for he had been
gradually shortening the stirrups for the last hour, hoping in that way
to get a firmer seat. His long stick was in one hand, his old hat was
jammed down tightly over his eyes, and his dressing-gown floated in the
wind like a rag-bag out for a holiday.

"Oh, I'se mighty glad to see yer, Mah'sr Harry!" said he, pulling at his
horse's bridle in such a way as to make him nearly run into Selim and
Harry, who, however, managed to avoid him and the rest of the cavalcade
by moving off to the other side of the road.

"I was jist a-thinkin' uv gittin' off and lettin' em go 'long they own
se'ves. I never seed sich hosses fur twistin' up and pullin' crooked. I
'spected to have my neck broke mor' 'n a dozen times. I never was so
disgruntled in all my born days, Mah'sr Harry. Whoa dar, you yalle