"It's my invention," he returned proudly.
"I've been workin' on it two years, Homer, and only got it goin' yestiddy. It's going to be a great thing, I tell you."
"But what is it, Sam?"
"It's gas from crude petroleum, Homer. See ..." he continued, indicating a tank beneath the bench which seemed to be connected with the bracket by a very simple system of piping, broken by a smaller, cylindrical tank. "Ye put the oil in there—just crude, as it comes out of the wells, Homer; it don't need refinin'—and it runs through this and down here to this, where it's vaporised—much the same's they vaporise gasoline for autymobile engines, ye know—and then it just naturally flows up to the bracket—and there ye are."
"It's wonderful, Sam," said I, wondering if it really were.
"And the best part of it is the economy, Homer. A gallon will run one jet six weeks, day in and out. And simple to install. I tell ye—"
"Have you got it patented yet?"
"Yes, siree! took out patents just as soon as it struck me how simple it 'ud be—more than two years ago. Only, of course, it took time to work it out just right, 'specially when I had to stop now and then 'cause I needed money for materials. But it's all right now, Homer, it's all right now."
"And you say Roland Barnette's writing to some one in New York about it?"
"Yes; he promised he would. I explained it to Roland and he seemed real int'rested. He's kind, very kind."