“My tidings date from this morning—yesterday was the day before the battle; besides, what does Harding know about coal?”
“He knows a little about everything,” said Augustus.
“That makes all the difference. What people want is not the men who know things currently, but know them well and thoroughly. Eh, Captain,” said he to Jack, “what would you say to popular notions about the navy?”
“Cutty's right,” said Jack. “Amateurship is all humbug.”
“Who is Longworth?” asked Cutbill. “Philip Longworth?”
“A neighbor of ours; we are not acquainted, but we know that there is such a person,” said Colonel Bramleigh.
“He opines,” continued Cutbill, “that this vein of ours runs direct from his land, and I suspect he's not wrong; and he wants to know what we mean to do,—he 'll either sell or buy. He came over this morning to Kilmannock with a French friend, and we took our breakfast together. Nice fellows, both of them, and wide awake, too; especially the Frenchman. He was with Lesseps in Egypt, in what capacity I couldn't find out; but I see he's a shrewd fellow.”
“With Lesseps?” said Colonel Bramleigh, showing a quicker and more eager interest than before; for his lawyer had told him that the French claimant to his property had been engaged on the works of the Suez Canal.
“Yes; he spoke as if he knew Lesseps well, and talked of the whole undertaking like one who understood it.”
“And what is he doing here?”