“Very well,” said the boy, rising and bidding him good day.
Dick went at once to Munn & Co. and made application for a patent covering the specifications set forth by the young Englishman, entering the same in both their names.
When the inventor called on Saturday he handed him $45, taking in return a bill of sale for half the patent rights on the cooler.
Then he told the Englishman of the offer he had had from the manufacturer, and advised that they take up with it.
“It is better than I expected to do with it,” replied the inventor, “but I don’t feel as though I could wait for the realization of such good luck. I want to get back to England. I am homesick here. Do you think the whole thing is worth five hundred dollars to you? Will you take that much risk on its success after it has been put on the market? If you will, give me four hundred and fifty more, and I will make out a new bill of sale giving you the sole right to the invention.”
“Wait a moment,” said Dick, and he went inside and had a consultation with Mr. Nesbitt.
The result was that Dick bought the invention outright.
On the following Monday he went to the manufacturer and made a contract with him on the terms proposed.
Although the boy did not then dream of the ultimate results of this deal, we may say now that the coolers were ready and put on the market in time for the summer trade.
They were a novelty, took splendidly, and in the end Dick disposed of the patent rights to the manufacturer for $5,000 cash.