thing and split it up into building lots as I originally
intended."

"Let's go back down to the hotel and talk 'turkey,'" offered Shepherd
briskly. "What do you think of the place, Ferris? Will it do?"

"Fine!" said Ferris. "The property lies so low that we won't have to
cart away a single load of our excavation. If we can only get a
right-of-way through that natural approach to the northeast--"

"I think I can guarantee a right-of-way," interrupted Bobby, smiling,
with his mind upon the city council which had been created by his own
efforts.

"All right," said Shepherd. "We'll talk price until I have browbeaten
you as low as you will go. Then I'll prepare a plat of the place and
send it on to headquarters. You'll have an answer from them in three
days."

As they whirred away Bobby's eyes happened to rest upon a young man
and a young woman rowing idly down-stream in a skiff, and he smiled as
he recognized Biff Bates and Nellie Platt.

On the day Bobby got the money for his Westmarsh property old Applerod
came up from the office of the Brightlight Electric Company, where he
held a lazy, sleepy afternoon job as "manager," and with an
ingratiating smile handed Bobby a check for five thousand dollars.

"What's this for?" asked Bobby, puzzled.

"I have decided to give you back the money and take up again my
approximate one-fifth share in the Applerod Addition," announced that
gentleman complacently.

Bobby was entirely too much surprised at this to be amused.

"You're just a trifle too late, Mr. Applerod," said he. "Had you come
to me two weeks ago, when I thought the land was worthless, out of
common decency I would not have let you buy in again. Since then,
however, I have sold the tract at a profit of forty thousand dollars."

"You have?" exclaimed Applerod. "I heard you were going to do
something of the kind. I'm entitled to one-fifth of that profit, Mr.
Burnit--eight thousand dollars."

"You're entitled to a good, swift poke in the neck!" exclaimed the
voice of wizened old Johnson, who stood in the doorway, and who, since
his friendship with Biff Bates, had absorbed some of that gentleman's
vigorous vernacular. "Applerod, I'll give you just one minute to get
out of this office. If you don't I'll throw you downstairs!"

"Mr. Johnson," said Applerod with great dignity, "this office does not
belong to you. I have as much right here--"

Mr. Johnson, taking a trot around Bobby's desk so as to get Mr.
Appler