"Chief Engineer Snell of the Consolidated, Dr. Dohl of the State Board
of Health, the three promoters of the Danburg Village Water system."

"Send in Snell."

Engineer Snell did not sit in the presence of his president, nor did the
president ask him to sit.

"Briggs tells me the Danburg men are here."

"They're waiting out there, Colonel Dodd."

"Quitting?"

"I don't think so--just yet. They look too mad. I gave 'em the harpoon
in good shape, as is usual, but I didn't expect they'd run here so soon.
Thought they would flop a little longer."

"They got their poke from Stone & Adams yesterday afternoon, did they?"

"Yes, Colonel. My report to Stone & Adams showed that the Danburg plan
of levels is faulty, that their unions are not up to contract, that
their station and pumps are inefficient for the demands. So Stone &
Adams had to tell 'em that their bonds were turned down."

"Do you know whether they have tried another banking-house yet?"

"I don't believe they have had time, Colonel."

"But such fellows always do try. Their banging in here on me so quickly
looks a little irregular. In business, you know, Snell, if you tie a tin
can to a dog and he runs and ki-yi's, that's perfectly natural and you
can sit back and wait for nature to take its course. If the dog doesn't
run, but sits down and gnaws the string in two--then look out for the
dog."

"I must admit they're coming here sudden after their jolt. They look
mad. But I figure they must have quit. The jolt was a hard one, for
Stone & Adams had been leading 'em on--according to orders."

The colonel stared at a bouquet.

"Have you got your other report--the side report--in shape for me to get
a hasty idea? If they have come here with a proposition--want to quit
and cover themselves, I need information right now."

Engineer Snell laid papers on the desk. He proceeded to explain.

"If you don't feel you have time to go over it--don't want to keep the
Danburg crowd waiting--I can tell you that the plant is pretty nearly
all right. So much all right that you can afford to slip 'em a couple of
thousand apiece on top of what they have already spent. I don't suppose
you want 'em to holler too loud. I can tell you that Davis, Erskine, and
Owen--those men out there--are cleaned out. They have put in all
their ready money. They were depending on Stone & Adams for the first
instalment from the bonds, so as to take up some thirty-day notes and
pay bills due on m