going to be uneasy again over anything but
displeasing them. They're bricks! They can count on us, every time!"

Up the street, a little way past the gate of the boatyard, the Melville
party had halted to light cigars.

"I'm afraid, Melville," said one of the capitalist's associates, "you
didn't go at the matter with quite your usual tact. You showed your
hand too soon. You came out a little to hard, just a little, too early
in the proceedings.

"Pooh!" retorted the capitalist. "We'll go to the hotel. Farnum will
cool down soon enough, and realize what we represent to him. Inside of
two hours he'll have people out to find out whether we've left town.
Gentlemen, I don't know but it might be a good idea for us actually to
leave Dunhaven."

"An excellent idea," replied Lawyer Demarest, dryly, "for we shall only
waste our time by remaining here."

"What do you mean?" questioned the capitalist, quickly.

"Farnum won't send for us."

"He surely will, when he cools down."

"I'm positive that he won't," asserted the lawyer. "If I know anything
about men Farnum will get along without us from now on."

"But he needs the money."

"He can get it, Melville, I am inclined to think," returned the man of
the law.

"And we need the investment," continued George Melville. "Why, with my
influential connections at Washington, and some other connections that
I have, I can see a return of millions on our investment."

"You will never make the investment, as long as Jacob Farnum has the
deciding word," insisted Mr. Demarest.

"I'm sure of that, too," added Mr. Faulkner.

"And all on account of those rascally boys!" uttered Don Melville, in a
tone of disgust. "Isn't it funny how some folks will cling to muckers?
Why, anyone would think that the fellow Benson and his chums are so
necessary that the business couldn't go on without them. They're
the--"

"Hush!" murmured the lawyer. "Here come the boys."

Jack and his mates were at this moment coming out of the yard. They had
turned on the sidewalk, and started along ere they caught sight of the
group ahead.

"There's that infernal gang!" uttered Eph, wrathfully.

"Keep your eyes away from them, and don't say anything, then," whispered
Jack. "Don't say or do anything that can possibly spoil the morning by
putting us in the wrong."

But Don Melville, wrathful over the morning's happenings, and keenly
disappointed over the knowledge that he could not hope to co