"Well, then, tell us honestly," said Ned,—"where would you introduce it first? Would you go to New York, and build it under Broadway at once? Or would you go slow, and try it first in this town, on a rather small scale?"
"I think I'd go slow," said Jack.
"And where would be the best place to build it?"
"You'll have to survey the town," said Jack, "and find out where there is the most travel."
"We thought we'd dig the tunnel ourselves," said Ned, "and then give a mortgage on the tunnel, and raise the money to buy the cable."
"I see you have the true business idea," said Jack. "In that case, I think you'd better build it wherever you find the softest dirt."
"That's worth thinking about," said Ned. "And now, Jack, I'll tell you what 'tis. We don't want to throw you out of employment; and when our road's running, and this one stops, you shall have a good situation on ours. There won't be any signal stations, but you may be the train-despatcher—the one that chops off the cable, you know."
"Thank you," said Jack. "I'll think about it."
"It will probably be good pay," said Ned, "and it's certain to be lots of fun."
"Oh, there can be no doubt whatever about that," said Jack, drily.