“Has it to get,” amended Harris dubiously.
“Oh, we’ll get it!” cried Ketchim, rubbing his hands gleefully. “But now while waiting for Cass, tell me more about your trip. It is wonderful! And so romantic!”
In the midst of the ensuing recital, Cass was announced; and Ketchim, after detailing to him the previous conversation, 40 launched into the project which had been developing in his own mind while Reed had been describing his experiences in the South.
“What we want is another organization, fellows,” he said in conclusion, “to take over the tottering Molino; purchase its assets with stock; give Molino stockholders an opportunity to get in on the ground floor, and so on. We’ll let Molino die in the arms of a new company, eh?”
“But one with a somewhat wider scope,” suggested Cass, with an air of importance. “A sort of general development company, to secure La Libertad, if possible; prospect for other mineral properties; and develop the resources of the country.”
“Just so,” assented Ketchim, with increasing enthusiasm. “A company to go in for coffee, cotton––you say you saw wild cotton, didn’t you, fellows? Great! And cocoanuts, timber, cattle––in fact, we’ll get concessions from the Colombian Government, and we’ll––”
“Just rip things wide open, eh?” finished Harris.
“That’s it!” cried Ketchim radiantly. “Uncle Ted has influence at Washington, with the Pan American Union, and so on––why, we can get anything we want! Ames and the bank will both cool down––by Jove, this is great!”
“But where’s the cold and vulgar cash coming from to oil the wheels?” put in the practical Harris.
“Oh, I can sell the stock,” replied Ketchim. “Then, too, there’s the Molino stockholders; why, I’ll bet there’s hardly one that wouldn’t be able to scrape up a few dollars more for the new company! By the way, what’ll we call it? Give us a name, somebody.”