re than forty--years--ago. Yes, sir!"

He went on, and told the story in unsparing detail, while his chance
for the boat passed unheeded, and the clerks in the outer office hung
up their linen office coats and put on their seersucker or flannel
street coats. The young lady went too, and nobody was left but the
porter, who made from time to time a noisy demonstration of fastening a
distant blind, or putting something in place. At last the Colonel
roused himself from the autobiographical delight of the history of his
paint. "Well, sir, that's the story."

"It's an interesting story," said Corey, with a long breath, as they
rose together, and Lapham put on his coat.

"That's what it is," said the Colonel. "Well!" he added, "I don't see
but what we've got to have another talk about this thing. It's a
surprise to me, and I don't see exactly how you're going to make it
pay."

"I'm willing to take the chances," answered Corey. "As I said, I
believe in it. I should try South America first. I should try Chili."

"Look here!" said Lapham, with his watch in his hand. "I like to get
things over. We've just got time for the six o'clock boat. Why don't
you come down with me to Nantasket? I can give you a bed as well as
not. And then we can finish up."

The impatience of youth in Corey responded to the impatience of
temperament in his elder. "Why, I don't see why I shouldn't," he
allowed himself to say. "I confess I should like to have it finished
up myself, if it could be finished up in the right way."

"Well, we'll see. Dennis!" Lapham called to the remote porter, and the
man came. "Want to send any word home?" he asked Corey.

"No; my father and I go and come as we like, without keeping account of
each other. If I don't come home, he knows that I'm not there. That's
all."

"Well, that's convenient. You'll find you can't do that when you're
married. Never mind, Dennis," said the Colonel.

He had time to buy two newspapers on the wharf before he jumped on
board the steam-boat with Corey. "Just made it," he said; "and that's
what I like to do. I can't stand it to be aboard much more than a
minute before she shoves out." He gave one of the newspapers to Corey
as he spoke, and set him the example of catching up a camp-stool on
their way to that point on the boat which his experience had taught him
was the best. He opened his paper at once and began to run over its
news, while the young man watched the