rds purchasing the property. This decision pleased Mark and Jan
greatly, and they began to think that they were men of fine business
ability, or, as Mark said, were "possessed of long heads."

That same evening a meeting of the "dusty millers," as Ruth called
them, was held in the "Go Bang" sitting-room. Mr. Elmer addressed the
meeting and proposed that they form a mill company with a capital of
one thousand dollars, and that the stock be valued at one hundred
dollars a share.

This proposition met with general approval, though Mark whispered to
Ruth that he didn't see how father was going to make a thousand
dollars' worth of capital out of five hundred unless he watered the
stock.

"Now," said Mr. Elmer, after it was agreed that they should form a
company, "what shall the association be called?"

Many names were suggested, among them that of "The Great Southern Mill
Company," by Mark, who also proposed "The Florida and Wakulla Milling
Association." Finally Mr. March proposed "The Elmer Mill Company," and
after some discussion this name was adopted.

Meantime Mr. Elmer had prepared a sheet of paper which he handed round
for signatures, and when it was returned to him it read as follows:

THE ELMER MILL COMPANY.

WAKULLA, FLORIDA, January 10, 188-.

The undersigned do hereby promise to pay into the capital stock of The
Elmer Mill Company, upon demand of its Treasurer, the sums placed
opposite their respective names:

Mark Elmer $200
Ellen R. Elmer 200
Mark Elmer, Jun 100
Ruth Elmer 100
Harold March 100
Jan Jansen 100

After these signatures had been obtained, Mr. March said that he had a
proposition to lay before the company. It was that he should
superintend the setting up of the mill machinery and its running for
one year, for which service he should receive a salary of one hundred
dollars. He also said that if the company saw fit to accept this offer
he would at once subscribe the one hundred dollars salary to its
capital stock in addition to the sum already set opposite his name.

This proposition, being put to vote by the chairman, was unanimously
accepted, and the amount opposite Mr. March's name on the subscription
list was changed from one hundred dollars to two hundred dollars.

Then Mr. Elmer said that he wished to lay some propositions before the
company. One of them was that if they would accept the ferry