to sell it there. People laughed at him for telling them that
those black stones would burn; but he guaranteed that they would. Upon
this a number of persons bought small quantities on trial; but all their
efforts failed to set it on fire. Then they became very angry, and tried
to have Colonel Shoemaker thrown into prison for cheating them. He fled
from the city, pursued by officers who held warrants for his arrest.
Finally he managed to elude them, and reached his home, thoroughly
disgusted with coal, and ready to swear that he would have nothing more
to do with it.

"In the mean time a lot of the black stones had been purchased for trial
by the Fairmount Nail-works. It was placed in one of the furnaces, and
the proprietor spent a whole morning with his men in trying to make the
stuff burn. They were unsuccessful, and finally, completely disheartened
by their failure, they shut the furnace door and went off to dinner,
uttering loud threats against the man who had sold them such worthless
trash. Upon their return to the works they were filled with amazement,
for the furnace door was red hot, and a fire of the most intense heat
was roaring and blazing behind it. Since that time there has been no
difficulty in selling anthracite coal nor in making it burn. Now the
production of coal in this country has reached such enormous proportions
that its annual value is equal to that of all the gold, silver, and iron
mined in the United States during the year."

Just here Mr. Jones was interrupted by the arrival of the report of
Harry Mule's condition. It was very brief, and pronounced the animal to
be so badly injured, and his chances of recovery so slight, that it
would cost more to attempt to cure him than he was worth.

"Now what am I to do about him?" asked Mr. Jones.

"I want to buy that mule, Warren," said Mrs. Halford.

"Please give him to me," pleaded Miss Nellie.

"I should like to have a chance to try and cure him," said Derrick; and
all these requests were made at once.

Mr. Jones looked at them with a puzzled smile, thought a moment, and
then said, "All right: I will sell him to you, sister, for one cent,
provided you will give him to Nellie, and that she will leave him with
Derrick to care for and cure if he can."

"That's a splendid plan!" cried Miss Nellie.

"Have you any place in which to take care of him?" asked Mrs. Halford of
Derrick.

"Yes," answered the boy, "we have a little empty stable back of ou