"'Oh, Mr. Collenquest, I couldn't do that,' I said.
"Then he got frightened all over again.
"'Why not?' he demanded. 'Why not?
"'I wouldn't put a price on my secrecy,' I said. 'That wasn't what I meant at all, only I thought you might be good-natured enough to let me in on the deal—with a margin on Gee-whizz, you know.'
"'I suppose I am getting old,' he said, 'and getting stupid—but would you mind explaining to me what you want in words of one syllable?'
"'You wanted to put papa on a good thing,' I said. 'He wouldn't have it, so I thought you might pass it along to me,
"'You seem to have passed it along to yourself,' he remarked, a bit ironically.
"'It's a very small matter to you,' I pleaded, 'but it's a whole
Manton to me.'
"'And the shock nearly killed father,' he said, mopping his bishop forehead.
"'I can make papa give me four hundred and fifty dollars for
Gee-whizz,' I said; 'and the question is, is that enough?'