"Oh, the line? I made the profile and sent it in. My old man came up and looked it over. He was in a hurry as usual. 'You have laid out the line; now go ahead and build it', then he was off."
"You built it?"
"Yes, after a fashion. It helped to wash the gold out of the Yuba river sand till the anti-debris laws headed it off. Then I came down here."
"How did you happen to hit in with Elijah Berl?"
"He was the only man in Southern California who was doing anything that was worth while."
"Yes, it is worth while." Uncle Sid brought down his open hand upon his knee with a resounding slap. Then he laid his hand on Ralph's with emphasizing beats, looking earnestly into his face. "Don't you let go, either, or it won't be worth shucks."
Ralph returned the Captain's earnest look.
"I'll hang on," he answered briefly.
"That's right. You stick to it. You an' Helen Lonsdale are goin' to make this thing go, if it's a goin'."
"I think I appreciate what Helen is doing as well as what Elijah has done; she's the life of the whole business."