Page:Ned Wilding's Disappearance.djvu/105

Rh surplus and undivided profits five millions. It must be a great concern."

Ned gave himself up to pleasant thoughts and looked out of the window. Perhaps he saw himself a millionaire riding in his private car. For Ned was going to do some business on his own account—the first he had ever done.

When he learned that he was to visit his aunt and uncle in New York he decided to put into operation a plan he had long had in mind; ever since, in fact, he got the thousand dollars damages which were paid to him and his chums by Mr. Ricka, as told in the first volume of this "Darewell Chums Series."

Mr. Wilding, after much solicitation on Ned's part, had allowed his son to take one hundred dollars of the money to invest in any way he saw fit, subject to certain restrictions.

"I'll not let you buy gold bricks with it, of course," Mr. Wilding had said, "and I advise you not to invest it in alleged counterfeit money or 'green goods.' But anything else in reason you may do. It's your first real business venture, and it will be good for you to learn by experience. I had to when I was a boy."

"How about buying oil stock?" Ned had asked. "I have been reading that up lately."