n and day out, and many
a night as well. I've been living with it, in this loft here, like a
blessed hermit; testing and perfecting, trying out my processes, and
fighting the Patent Office sharks between times. Nine years--the best of
my life! Call that quitting, do you?"

"Well, that is sticking around some," says I. "Think you've got your
schemes so they'll work?"

"I don't think," says he; "I know."

"But what's the good," I goes on, "if you can't make other folks see
you've got a good thing?"

"I can, though," he says. "Why, any person with even ordinary
intelligence can----"

"That's me," says I. "My nut is just about a stock pattern size, six
and seven-eighths, or maybe seven. Come, try it on me, if it's so
simple. Now what about this retort business?"

That got him goin'. Rowley drops the potatoes, and in another minute
we're neck-deep in the science of makin' an ore puddin', doin' stunts
with the steam, skimmin' dividends off the pot, and coinin' the slag
into dollars.

I ain't lettin' him slip over any gen'ral propositions on me, either.
I'm right there with the Missouri stuff. He has to go clear back to
first principles every time he makes a statement, and work up to it
gradual. Course, I was keepin' him jollied along too, and while it must
have been sort of hopeless at the start, inoculatin' a cauliflower like
mine with higher chemistry, I fin'lly showed one or two gleams that
encouraged him to keep on. Anyway, we hammered away at the subject, only
stoppin' to make coffee and sandwiches, until near two o'clock in the
mornin'.

"Help!" says I, glancin' at the nickel alarm clock. "My head feels like
a stuffed sausage. A little more, and I won't know whether I'm a nitrous
sulphide or a ferrous oxide of bromo seltzer. Let's take the rest in
another dose."

Rowley chuckles and agrees to call it a day, I didn't let on anything at
the office next morning; but by eight A.M. I was planted at the
roll-top with my elbows squared, tryin' to write out as much of that
chemistry dope as I could remember. And it's surprising ain't it, what a
lot of information you can sop up when you do the sponge act in earnest?
I found there was a lot of points, though, that I was foggy on; so I
makes an early getaway and puts in another long session with Rowley.

And, take it from me, by Tuesday I was well loaded. Also I had my plan
of campaign all mapped out; for you mustn't get the idea I was packin'
my bean full of all th