served milk," said Dick. "Some one has discovered a process
by which milk can be made to keep a long time, and yet it tastes like
fresh. They state that the milk problem, in big cities, is one that many
have tried to solve. By their method any family can have fresh milk with
little trouble, and it is almost as cheap as that which comes right from
a cow. Of course, in a big city it's impossible to supply fresh milk to
everyone.

"They are offering to sell some stock cheap, and it is guaranteed to
double in value in six months. They are all ready to put the milk on the
market. I was thinking of investing some money in this concern. What do
you think of it?"

Mr. Hamilton looked over the mass of circulars, statements of the
business that could be done in New York alone, to say nothing of the
rest of the country, and glanced at the pictures of machines for making
the milk so it would keep for a long time, without ice, even in the
hottest weather.

"Well, Dick," he said slowly. "This company has some well-known men
connected with it, and the scheme looks all right. That is as far as you
can tell from this. If you want to invest some of your money in it I
have no objections. How much did you figure on?"

"I thought about five thousand dollars."

Mr. Hamilton uttered a low whistle.

"I'd say two thousand," he remarked. "If you find it's good you can put
the other three in later. Better go slow on a new thing. Of course, I
don't know anything about it, and if it fails I don't want you to hold
me responsible. I'm willing that you should try it--that's all."

"Then I'll send for two thousand dollars' worth of stock," decided Dick;
and he made out a check, had it certified, and sent it to New York.

"Now that's done, and I'm in a fair way to make a large profit, I think
I'll begin to look around for something else," he said. "It's a good
thing to have several investments; isn't it, dad? I think I've heard you
say not to have all your eggs in one basket."

"That's right," assented Mr. Hamilton. "Only you want to be sure you
have good eggs, and not bad ones; also, that the baskets are strong
enough to carry them."

At that moment there came a knock on the door of the private office, and
when Mr. Hamilton had called out an invitation to enter, Archibald
Spreckles McIverson, to give him his complete name, the messenger of the
bank, announced:

"A gentleman to see you, Mr. Hamilton. I beg your pardon for
interrupting you,