emable in
six or seven months, when the company should be on a paying basis.

"I believe," said he, "that Mr. Darby would take these bonds at the
store for groceries and things, and we might pay him interest, besides
redeeming the bonds when they came due."

This was rather a startling proposition. No one had suspected Wilson of
having such a financial mind.

"I don't know," said Harry, "how that would work. Mr. Darby might not be
willing to take the bonds; and besides that, it seems to me that the
company ought not to make any more promises to pay when it owes so much
already."

"But you see that would be different," said Wilson. "What we owe now we
ought to pay right away. The bonds would not have to be paid for ever so
long."

"That may be pretty sharp reasoning," remarked Tom Selden, "but I can't
see into it."

"It would be all the same as running in debt for Aunt Matilda, wouldn't
it?" asked Kate.

"Yes," said Wilson, "a kind of running in debt, but not exactly the
common way. You see--"

"But if it's any kind at all, I'm against it," said Kate, quickly.
"We're not going to support Aunt Matilda that way."

This settled the matter. To be sure, Kate had no vote in the Board; but
this was a subject in which she had what might be considered to be a
controlling interest, and the bond project was dropped.

Various schemes were now proposed, but there were objections to all of
them. Everyone was agreed that it was very unfortunate that this
emergency should have arisen just at this time, because as soon as the
company got into good working order, and the creek had been up a few
times it was probable that Aunt Matilda would really have more money
than she would absolutely need.

"You ought to look out, Harry and Kate," said Harvey Davis, "that all
the darkies she knows don't come and settle down on her and live off
her. She's a great old woman for having people around her, even now."

"Well," said Kate, "she has a right to have company if she wants to, and
can afford it."

"Yes," said Tom Selden; "but having company's very different from having
a lot of good-for-nothing darkies eating her out of house and home."

"She won't have anything of that sort," said Harry. "I'll see that her
money's spent right."

"But if it's her money," said Harvey, "she can spend it as she chooses."

A discussion here followed as to the kind of influence that ought to be
brought to bear upon Aunt Matilda to induce her to mak