"Too bad," remarked Colonel Claflin, "but such accidents will happen. He's a cool fellow, at any rate."
Dick and his father went home together in the runabout, the colonel declining their invitation to pay them a visit. The German inventor went away and that was the last seen of him.
Swiftly the days passed, and in sheer desperation Dick invested several hundred dollars in three different schemes. But none of them paid. In one he lost all his money and in the others he got his money back and that was all.
"It's no use!" he groaned to himself. "I guess it takes a brighter fellow than I to make money."
Mr. Hamilton did not say much, but he was almost as anxious as his son, for he did not wish to see Dick fail.
One morning Mr. Hamilton went out with Dick in the youth's runabout.
"Well, my son, to-morrow is your birthday," remarked the parent, after speaking of many things in general.
"I know it, dad," was the gloomy answer. And then Dick went on: "I suppose there is no way of getting clear of the provisions of that will?"
"I know of none. Your dear departed mother's wishes must be respected."
"Oh, dear!" Dick gave a long sigh. "Well, perhaps I can stand Uncle Ezra, but it's going to be a—er—a stiff proposition."