o; no, indeed. Not at all. I must say I don't know
when I've seen a more wide-awake, pretty town--and you can imagine how
many towns I must have seen. Maples and cement walks and nice houses
and--uh--wide-awake town.... Well, who knows! Perhaps some day I might
come back here and talk business with you. Ha, ha! Though I wouldn't put
in one cent of capital. No, sir! Not one red cent. All my money is
invested with my son-in-law--you know, Harris Hartwig, the famous
chemical works. Happen to know um?"

"Oh yes, indeed! Harry Sartwig. I don't know him _personally_, but of
course I've heard of him. Well, I do wish you'd think it over, some day,
Mr. Appleby. Indeed I understand about the capital. If you and me ever
did happen to come to terms, I'd try to see my way clear to giving you
an interest in the business, in return for your city experience and your
expert knowledge and fame and so on as an explorer--not that we outfit
so many explorers here. Hee, hee!"

"Well, maybe I'll think it over, some day. Well--well, maybe I'll see
you again before I get out of town. I'm kind of planning to stick around
here for a day or two. I'll talk over the suggestion with Mrs. Appleby.
Me, I could probably call off my wager; but she is really the one that
you'd have to convince. She's crazy for us to hike out and tramp clear
down into Mexico and Central America. Doesn't mind bandits and
revolutions no more than you and I would a mouse."

In his attempt to let people bluff themselves and accept him as a person
to be taken seriously, Father kept on trying to adhere to the truth.
But certainly this last statement of his was the grossest
misrepresentation of Mother's desires. Mother Appleby, with her still
unvanquished preference for tea and baths, did not have the slightest
desire to encounter bandits, snakes, deserts, or cacti of any variety.

"Well, look _here_, Mr. Appleby; if you are going to be around, couldn't
you and the madam come to dinner, as I was so bold as to suggest awhile
ago? That would give us a chance to discuss things. Aside from any
future business dicker between you and me personally, I'd like to show
you just why Lipsittsville is going to be a bigger town than Freiburg or
Taormina or Hongkong or Bryan or any of the other towns in the county,
let 'em say what they like! Or couldn't you come to supper to-night?
Then we could let the ladies gossip, and I'll have Doc Schergan come in,
and maybe him and me between us could