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66 a small advance over what I paid. I have to do business on business principles," he added, with an air meant to be very important.

"Here's your chance, Dick," whispered Guy. "This man is a big stock operator. You can almost double your money and make up all you spent on this trip."

Dick was doing some rapid thinking. The loss of the money he had invested in the land was something of a disappointment to him. Then, too, he felt under the necessity of making some kind of a paying investment. He had a vision of Uncle Ezra and the house at Dankville, and the memory of that gloomy place made him wish to comply as soon as possible with the terms of his mother's will.

"I don't mind investing some money, say five hundred or a thousand dollars, in good mining stocks—if you are sure they are good," he said, turning to Colonel Dendon.

"Good! My dear young man, do you wish to insult me? As if I would deal in stocks that were anything but the best. I shall leave at once!" and, puffing up like an angry toad, the colonel again turned as if to go.

"Wait!" exclaimed Simon. "I'm sure my friend Dick didn't mean anything. Colonel. You see, he has never bought mining stocks before, and he doesn't know much about them."

"I know enough to want to be sure they are good!" replied Dick sharply, for he rather