Johnny’s mind whirled. His good fortune seemed too good to be believed. His debt of honor was canceled. He might face the world with a clean start.
“I—I,” he stammered, “I can’t thank you.”
“There is no occasion,” said the magnate. “It is a plain business proposition—value for value received.
“You may be pleased to know,” he hurried on, glad to change the subject, “that we found a glass bottle left in the laboratory by the inventor, that tells us what the new element in the steel is. We have also discovered a method of heat treatment which enables us to work the metal. We are now in a position to manufacture engines and utilize this new steel. It will be worth millions, and the inventor, who is slowly recovering, will receive his share.”
Johnny was experiencing strange sensations. “Where,” he managed to ask, “did you find the bottle which gave you the secret of the formula?”
“Upper shelf; right-hand corner; central laboratory. Why do you ask?”
“For no reason,” said Johnny, a queer smile playing about his lips, “except that I guess I was the fellow who put that bottle there.”
He then explained how he had made the test at night, to help keep himself awake, and how he had not dared to reveal the results for fear of being censured.
They had a good laugh over it, and at the end Mr. McFarland said:
“Just for that you may have the chummy roadster which you and Pant drove so far. And, by the way, send Pant to me. He must have some reward. How do you think he’d like the plane you drove?”