st have climate. How are things
around the shop, though?"

"Very satisfactory," says Piddie, rubbin' his hands.

"Bound to be," says I, "with you and Mr. Robert sittin' on the lid."

With which soothin' josh and a pat on the shoulder, I slips through
into the private office, where Mr. Robert sits puffin' a cigarette
placid in front of a heaped-up desk. When he sees me, he grins.

"Well, well!" says he, shovin' out the cordial palm. "So the treasure
seekers have returned, have they?" And he chuckles.

"Uh-huh!" says I, doin' a little grin on my own account.

"At least," he goes on, "you have a fine tropical complexion to show
for your trip. Little else, I presume?"

"Brace yourself, Mr. Robert," says I, "for you got a jolt comin'."

"Why," says he, "you can't mean that--"

I nods.

"Rupert had the right dope," says I. "It was just where he said it
was--jewels and everything. Why, say, we got enough to stock a
museum--sacks full."

"Oh, I say, Torchy!" says he, after starin' at me a second. "What's
the sense?"

"I don't claim there's any sense to it," says I. "It was the simplest
stunt you ever saw. We just went and dug, that's all. But there was
the stuff. And we got away with it. You might's well get used to
believing though, for I'm applyin' right now for a block of Corrugated
preferred. That's what I'm goin' to soak my share into."

"Your share?" says he. "But I didn't understand that you--"

"Vee and I helped locate the treasure mound," I explains, "and got
counted in just in time. And say, the best is yet to come. It's goin'
to be Vee and me for keeps pretty soon."

"Wha-a-at!" says he. "You've won over Auntie?"

"Right and regular," says I. "Vee's wearin' the ring."

Say, Mr. Robert's got a grip on him when he gets real enthusiastic. I
could feel it in my fingers for hours after. Then he had to call in
Piddie and tell him, and by noon the word has been passed all through
the offices. I expect it started modest, but by the time it got to
that bunch of young hicks in the bond room they had it that I was going
to marry a Newport heiress, resign from the Corrugated, and live abroad.

"In some swell Scotch castle, I suppose?" one of 'em asks.

"Unless I can rent Buckingham Palace," says I. "Say, it's a wonder you
boys would let anybody feed you a chunk like that! Newport heiress be
blowed! She's just a nice New York girl, one I've known four or five
years; and when it come