the public," replied Mr. Sharpe, smiling, "and there would not
have been privately except for the necessity of a reorganization. The
Brightlight needs more capital for expansion, and I have too many
other interests, even aside from the Consumers' Electric Light and
Power and the United Gas and Fuel Companies, to spare the money
myself--and the Brightlight is too good to let the general public in
on." He smiled again, quite meaningly this time. "This is quite
confidential, of course," he added.

Bobby bowed his acknowledgment of the confidence which had been
reposed in him, and generously began at once to reconstruct his
impressions of the impossible Mr. Sharpe. You couldn't believe all you
heard, you know.

"The Brightlight," went on Mr. Sharpe, "is at present capitalized
for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and is a good
ten-per-cent.-dividend-paying stock at the present moment; but its
business is not growing, and I propose to take in sufficient capital
to raise the Brightlight to a half-million-dollar corporation, clear
off its indebtedness and project certain extensions. I understand that
you have the necessary amount, and here is the proposition I offer
you. Brightlight stock is now quoted at a hundred and seventy-two. We
will double its present capitalization, and you may take up the extra
two hundred and fifty thousand dollars' worth of its stock at par, or
about three-fifths of its actual value. That is a bargain to be
snapped at, Mr. Burnit."

Did Bobby Burnit snap at this proposition? He did not. Bobby had
learned caution through his two bitter failures, and of caution is
born wisdom.

"Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars' worth of stock in a
five-hundred-thousand-dollar corporation won't do for me," he declared
with a firmness that was pleasant to his own ears. "I don't care to go
into any proposition in which I have not the controlling interest."

Mr. Sharpe, remembering the details of Bobby's Trimmer and Company
experiment, hastily turned his imminent smile of amusement into a
merely engaging one.

"I don't blame you, Mr. Burnit," said he; "but to show you that I am
more willing to trust you than you are to trust me, if you care to go
into this thing I'll agree to sell you from one to ten shares of my
individual stock--at its present market value, of course."

"That's very good of you," agreed Bobby, suddenly ashamed of his
ungenerous stand in the face of this sportsmanlike attitude. "Bu