“We've got the priority all right,” Bill assured him. All inventors always are sure of it.
Tommy, who had begun to fidget uneasily, now asked Kemble, “About how much is this going to cost us?”
Kemble shook his head and smiled. “I can't tell you now. It depends upon the experiments you make and the results you get.”
“Can't we file an application now to protect ourselves?” persisted Tommy, who knew how uneasy Bill felt about it.
“Yes, I could do that. But I'd like to see Jenkins first. You'd better plan to spend about two hundred and fifty dollars—” Kemble stopped talking when he saw the consternation on both boys' faces. He had been rather favorably impressed with them. He added, “Well, you send me the generator and the transformer, and when I know more about it I'll let you know more definitely.”
“If I am going to make the experiments, how can I send them to you?”
“I'll return them to you, and you can make your experiments after that.”
“Mr. Kemble,” asked Tommy, “when shall we be safe in talking to an outsider about this?”
“You'd better wait until the application is filed,” answered the lawyer.
“Thank Heaven we came to you,” said Tommy, fervently. “We are fellow-alumni. Professor Jenkins told me you were '91. I am '14. I've met Mr. Stuyvesant Willetts. He was '91, I think?”