CHAPTER XV.
A NERVY VENTURE AND WHAT CAME OF IT.
One day toward the end of March, Dick was taking lunch in a Fulton Street chop-house when two well-dressed men entered the place and sat down at the opposite side of the table.
They were talking about some real estate deal they had in contemplation, and did not appear to regard the boy’s presence as a bar to their conversation.
“We can get a thirty-day option on the property for one thousand dollars, pending examination of title,” said the shorter man of the two, after the waiter had taken their order. “The old man’s bed-rock price for the entire thirty acres is twelve thousand cash. He wanted fifteen thousand at first. Allowing for streets, we can get out of it twelve city lots per acre, or three hundred and sixty lots altogether. The corner lots will fetch one hundred and twenty-five to one hundred and fifty dollars each, and the inside ones, say one hundred, according to location. That means we should realize about forty thousand dollars in the gross. You have figured out the expense of cutting through the streets, the cost of having the title guaranteed, probable cost of printing and newspaper advertising, commissions to agents, and so forth. The location of the property is good; the Long Island main line has a station close by, and the main street of Sodom can be extended through the property. Old man Durwood is clearly anxious to sell, or he wouldn’t let it go at that figure. It is easily worth sixteen thousand dollars to us as it stands, and I would give that for it sooner than let it slip through my hands.”
“It’s a good speculation,” said the tall man, nodding his head. “Thompson and Davis are in this with us, I believe.”
“Thompson is ready to put up a certified check for his share at any moment. I will see and settle with Davis this afternoon. To-morrow morning I will go out to Sodom and get the option and the deed from Durwood.”
The talk then branched off on the plans of the speculators for improving the property and putting it in shape for sale at lot prices.
Although Dick apparently paid no attention to what the real estate men were saying, nevertheless he was an interested listener to their conversation.
It happened that the Long Island estate to which the lad made weekly visits was in the neighborhood of the village of Sodom.