The interview was as Francis had forecast. The old man still held tight reins on practically everything, and the son had little hope of winning his assistance.
"I know him," he told Francis. "And though I'm going to wrestle with him, don't pin an iota of faith on the outcome. I'll go to the mat with him, but that will be about all. The worst of it is that he has the ready cash, to say nothing of oodles and oodles of safe securities and United States bonds. But you see, Grandfather Tippery, when he was young and struggling and founding the business, once loaned a friend a thousand. He never got it back, and he never got over it. Nor did Father Tippery ever get over it either. The experience seared both of them. Why, father wouldn't lend a penny on the North Pole unless he got the Pole for security after having had it expertly appraised. And you haven't any security, you see. But I'll tell you what. I'll wrestle with the old man to-night after dinner. That's his most amiable mood of the day, And I'll hustle around on my own and see what I can do. Oh, I know a few hundred thousand won't mean anything, and I'll do my darnedest for some— thing big. Whatever happens, I'll be at your house at nine to-morrow-"
"Which will be my busy day," Francis smiled wanly, as they shook hands. "I'll be out of the house by eight."
"And I'll be there by eight then," Charley Tippery responded, again wringing his hand heartily. "And in the meantime I'll get busy. There are ideas already beginning to sprout…"
Another interview Francis had that afternoon. Arrived back at his broker's office, Bascom told him that Regan had called up and wanted to see Francis, saying that he had some interesting information for him.
"I'll run around right away," Francis said, reaching for his hat, while his face lighted up with hope. "He was an old friend of father's, and if anybody could pull me through, he could."
"Don't be too sure," Bascom shook his head, and paused reluctantly a moment before making confession. " I called him up just before you returned from Panama. I was very frank. I told him of your absence and of your perilous situation here, and oh, yes, flatly and flat out asked him if I could rely on him in case of need. And he baffled. You know anybody can baffle when asked a favor. That was all right. But I thought I sensed more… no, I won't dare to say enmity; but I will say that I was impressed… how shall I say? well, that he struck me as being particularly and peculiarly cold-blooded and noncommittal."
"Nonsense," Francis laughed. "He was too good a friend of my father's."
"Ever heard of the Conmopolitan Railways Merger?" Bascom queried with significant irrelevance.
Francis nodded promptly, then said: