'You need say nothing. I know exactly how it has been. So he does not want to have anything to do with it. What reason did he give?'
'You will not say anything to him about the matter? I should be very sorry if he thought that I talked to anyone else of my conference with him.'
'Oh, certainly not; I will say nothing to him at all.'
'He gave no particular reason; he simply seemed to have changed his mind. But I must say this: he did not appear to be very enthusiastic when I discussed it with him on board ship.'
'Well, you see, Mr. Kenyon, it rests with me now to maintain the honour of the Longworth family. Do you want to make all the profit there is to be made in the mica-mine—that is, yourself and your friend Mr. Wentworth?'
'How do you mean—"all the profit"?'
'Well, I mean—would you share the profit with anyone?'
'Certainly, if that person could help us to form the company.'
'Very well; it was on that basis you were going to take in my cousin as a partner, was it not?'
'Yes.'