ery grateful to your distinguished
representative."

"Well, I do declare! Sho, sho! Ain't that funny now? He's never said a
word about it at home. I don't believe there's a soul in Bayport knows
that. We all thought 'twas South Sea tradin' that boosted Heman. And
your own dad! I declare, this is a small world!"

"It's odd father never told you about it. It's one of the old
gentleman's pet stories. He came West in 1850, and was running a little
shipping store in 'Frisco. He met Atkins and the other young sailor,
his partner, before they left their ship. They were in the store, buying
various things, and father got to know them pretty well. Then they
ran away to the diggings--you simply couldn't keep a crew in those
times--and he didn't see them again for a good while. Then they came
in one day and showed him specimens from a claim they had back in the
mountains. They were mighty good specimens, and what they said about the
claim convinced father that they had a valuable property. So he went to
see a few well-to-do friends of his, and the outcome was that a party
was made up to go and inspect. The young fellows were willing to sell
out, for it was a quartz working and they hadn't the money to carry it
on.

"The inspection showed that the claim was likely to be even better than
they thought, so, after some bargaining, the deal was completed. They
sold out for seventy-five thousand dollars, and it was the best trade
father ever made. He's so proud of his judgment and foresight in making
it that I wonder he never told you the story."

"He never did. When was this?"

"In '54. What?"

"I didn't speak. The date seemed kind of familiar to me, that's all.
Seem's as if I heard it recent, but I can't remember when. Seventy-five
thousand, hey? Well, that wan't so bad, was it? With that for a nest
egg, no wonder Heman's managed to hatch a pretty respectable brood of
dollars."

"Oh, the whole seventy-five wasn't his, of course. Half belonged to his
partner. But the poor devil didn't live to enjoy it. After the articles
were signed and before the money was paid over, he was taken sick with a
fever and died."

"Hey? He died? With a FEVER?"

"Yes. But he left a pretty good legacy to his heirs, didn't he. For
a common sailor--or second mate; I believe that's what he
was--thirty-seven thousand five hundred is doing well. It must have come
as a big surprise to them. The whole sum was paid to Atkins, who--What's
the matter with