it was blundered upon by accident.
But the people of the country at large don't know. Show the trick is
done. When they hear about it, broadcast, won't they think that the
'Pollard' is the only real thing in submarines? Use the 'Pollard' type
of boat, and no more men need be killed when a boat won't rise. That's
the way the people will talk. So, Mr. Farnum, why not write to the
editor of each of the biggest daily papers, inviting him to send a
representative here on a near date, to see the thing done? Don't let
the editors know just what feat is to be displayed. Simply let them
know, in a mysterious, general way, that the thing we will demonstrate
revolutionizes the whole art of submarine warfare--as it really does."
"That will make people talk, surely," acknowledged the young boatbuilder.
"And there'll be pressure put upon Congress to buy your boat, and more
like it," urged Captain Jack. "All the newspaper talk will be free
advertising, and I imagine that the kind of advertising that newspapers
are forced to _give_ is all the best paying."
"I haven't had much experience in that line, but I imagine it is the best
kind," nodded Mr. Farnum.
All hands set to, to devise a list of newspapers to which invitations
should be sent. The stenographer was soon intensely busy with this
work.
Down at the new Melville yard affairs went on with a rush. Two
tumble-down houses were rented in a little habited part of the town,
and in these a gang of close-mouthed Italian laborers was quartered.
Jabez Holt felt the new increase in prosperity, for Mr. Melville
engaged his entire hotel. Before long there was a constant succession
of arrivals at the hotel. Steel salesmen, motor drummers, salesmen
in electrical supplies, and a whole host of miscellaneous
representatives came to town, putting up at the hotel, where Mr.
Melville had reserved a suite of rooms for temporary offices. The
strangers in town spent money freely, and all the villagers enjoyed
their presence.
In fact, so much business did these new happenings bring that Jacob
Farnum speedily became sensible of the fact that the villagers looked
upon the Melvilles with decided favor.
"The Melville crowd are at their new enterprise in real and bustling
earnest," remarked Farnum, with an air of uneasiness, to his associate,
the inventor.
"I imagine those people can control millions of dollars, if they need
that much money," hazarded David Pollard.
"Undoubte
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