hat no high-handed game was played off upon
him.

"You put in fife hunnard dollar?" he said, when the Yankee appeared.

"Yes."

"Hard cash?"

"Yes, in gold."

"Gold!"

"All in half-eagles like these." And he drew a handful of gold coins
from his pocket.

"Very well; I dake you. You put in fife hunnard dollar, I put in all
I got here; den we joint owner."

"Equal partners?"

"Yes."

"That is, I own half and you half."

"Yes."

"And we divide, equally, the profits?"

"Yes."

"Very well; that'll do, I guess. We'll have writings drawn to this
effect--articles of co-partnership, you know."

"Oh, yes."

This settled, nothing remained but to have the articles drawn, the
money paid in, and the agreement signed and witnessed; all of which
was done in the course of a few weeks. Then Jonathan went into the
business, and infused some Yankee spirit: into every part of it; he
made things move ahead fast. In less than a year, the business was
much more than doubled, and the profits in proportion; thut Jonathan
was not satisfied with his half of these--he wanted the whole; and,
hedge-hog-like, he did all he could, by merely bristling up, to make
things unpleasant for his partner. But the Dutchman was by no means
thin-skinned; the sharp spikes of the Yankee's character annoyed him
but little. As for himself, he felt very well satisfied with his
share of the profits, and willing to go on as they were going.

At the end of the second year, when the establishment had grown into
quite an important and profitable concern, the Yankee had a visit
from an Eastern friend, a man of some capital.

"That's a stupid-looking fellow, that partner of yours," said this
person.

"And he is as stupid as a mule. I have to carry him on my back, and
the business, too."

"Why don't you get rid of him?"

"I've been wanting to do so for some time, but haven't seen my way
clear yet."

"Does your partnership expire at any time, by limitation?"

"No. It can only be dissolved by mutual consent."

"Won't he sell out his interest?"

"I don't know; but I've always intended to make him an offer to give
or take, as soon as I could see my way clear to do it."

"Don't you see your way clear now?"

"No. When such an offer is made, it must be of a sum that it is
impossible for him to raise; otherwise, he might agree to give the
amount proposed, and I don't want that. I wish to stick to the
business, for it's going to be a fortune. At