en at eight o'clock that evening no word had been received from
the president, the Third Triumvirate held a meeting and sent the
Tennessee Shad over to the Dickinson, with orders to return only with
the bullion, for which purpose he was equipped with a small, black
satchel.

Just before lights the Tennessee Shad's dragging step was heard
returning.

"I don't like the sound," said Dink, listening.

"He always shuffles his feet," said Dennis, clinging to hope.

The door opened and the Tennessee Shad, carrying the black satchel,
solemnly entered. Dink flung himself on the bag, wrenched it open and
let it drop, exclaiming:

"Nothing!"

"Nothing?" said Dennis, rising.

"Nothing," said the Tennessee Shad, sitting down.

"But the profits?"

"The profits," said the Tennessee Shad, pointing sarcastically to the
bag, "are in there."

"Do you mean to say----" began Dink and stopped.

"I mean to say that the Third Triumvirate Manufacturing Company is
insolvent, bankrupt, busted, up the spout."

"But then, who's got the coin?"

"Doc Macnooder," said the Tennessee Shad, "and it's all legal."

"Legal?"

"All legal. It's this way. Our profits depended upon the price we paid
for alarm clocks. See? Well, when Doc Macnooder, as president of the
Third Triumvirate Manufacturing Company looked around for clocks, he
found that Doc Macnooder, as president of the Eureka Purchasing
Company, had cornered the market and could dictate the price."

"So that?" said Stover indignantly.

"So that each clock was charged up to us at a rate ranging from one
dollar and forty cents to one dollar and fifty."

"By what right?" said Dennis.

"It's what is called a subsidiary company," said the Tennessee Shad.
"It's quite popular nowadays."

"But where's the stock we subscribed?" said Dennis, thinking of his
one dollar and fifty cents. "We get that back?"

"No."

"What!" said the two in unison.

"It's this way. Owing to executive interference, the Third Triumvirate
Manufacturing Company is liable to the Eureka Purchasing Company for
ten alarm clocks, which it has ordered and can't use."

"But then, out of the whole, blooming mess," said Dennis, quite
overcome, "where do I stand?"

The Tennessee Shad unfolded a paper and read:

"You owe the Eureka, as your share of the assessment, two dollars and
forty cents."

"Owe!" said Finnegan with a scream.

"Just let him come," said Dink, doubling up his fists. "Let him come
and ass