Tommy walked into Bill's new quarters. Bill was happy beyond words, having no financial cares. His contract called for the sale of his patents to the Tecumseh at a price and on a basis to be determined by three men, one chosen by Byrnes, one by the company, and the third by both the others.
“How's Charlotte?” asked Tommy, for Bill's sister had not been well.
“Better. That specialist that Mr. Thompson got from Cleveland to see her has done her a lot of good.”
“You never told me about that, Bill,” said Tommy, reproachfully.
“Well, Thompson asked me about my family and I told him about her—or, rather, he guessed it. How he did it I don't know. And I kind of thought that you'd rub it in. But he won't lose anything, I can tell you.” Bill saw impending speech in Tommy's face, so he went on hastily in order to avert it: “I've got a cinch here, Tommy. We'll all be rich yet, you bet! And say, La Grange knows more than I thought. Now watch this.” And Bill began to put his new apparatus through its paces for Tommy's benefit.
It had worked successfully fifty times that day; but on this, the fifty-first, before a witness, it balked.
“Yes, that's fine!” said Tommy, with great enthusiasm, and waited for the profanity.
But Bill merely frowned and fumbled with the wires. Then he exclaimed, blithely: “Sure thing; the nut worked off! It never happened before, and you can bet it never will again. Now watch it!”
Tommy watched it. It worked smoothly. Then Bill took the apparatus to pieces and showed Tommy that the vaporization of the kerosene had been complete.
“I've made a lot of improvements. La Grange is working now on the generator. He is really a good electrician,” said Bill, with an air of doing justice to a friend who had his faults as all men, even the best, have. Tommy laughed outright. The change in Bill's nature, now that he had no worries, struck him as being quite funny.