Well, that’s about all there is to the story, except that we got the formulae safely to New York, and Mr. Topper got well, and Mr. Dunn came to see Mr. Browning and Mr. Topper and offered them a million dollars cash for the formulae, or he offered to finance the manufacture of it and give them half the stock. But they wouldn’t do business with him. No, sir. They didn’t like his style.
They started right out and formed a company of their own, and right now they’re building factories and putting in machinery. In a couple of months the business will be going, and they say it is going to make everybody mixed up in it as rich as all git out.
But here’s the best of the whole business. One day, after Catty and I got home, Mr. Browning and Mr. Topper got off the train and came to Catty’s house, and they took a couple of envelopes out of their pocket and gave one to each of us.
“What’s this?” says Catty.
“Your share of the treasure,” says Mr. Browning. “We would have lost it if it hadn’t been for you boys. We owe the whole thing to you.”
“But we just did it for fun,” says Catty.
“You’ll find it the most profitable fun you ever had,” says Mr. Topper. “If this business goes the way we know it is going to go, this stock we’re turning over to you will fix you for life. It’ll give you a handsome income as long as you live.”
“No,” says Catty. “You mean we’ll be rich?”
“Pretty close to it,” says Mr. Browning.