In place of replying, Mr Jabez went all over it again, his interest growing fast, and being, I was glad to see, evidently sincere.
“I tell you what,” he exclaimed at last, taking a tremendous pinch of snuff, “that thing would be splendid if you got it right.”
“You like it, then?” said Hallett.
“Like it? I think it’s grand. Why, man, it would make quite a revolution in the news business. You must get on—get it perfect.”
Mr Hallett shook his head.
“It takes time and money,” he said sadly. “It is slow work.”
“Yes, but—hang it all, sir! you should get help. With such an important thing in hand you should work on.”
“I do not know yet that it would answer,” said Hallett sadly.
“But it must answer, sir,” said the old man sharply. “If that machine did not answer, it would not be the fault or the principle, but of some blunder in the mechanism.”
“Do you think so?” cried Hallett, whose eyes lighted up with pleasure.