He longed for riches now as he had ever longed for them before.
He had been once or twice to dine with Col.

Sellers, and had been discouraged to note that the Colonel's bill of fare was falling off both in quantity and quality--a sign, he feared, that the lacking ingredient in the eye-water still remained undiscovered--though Sellers always explained that these changes in the family diet had been ordered by the doctor, or suggested by some new scientific work the Colonel had stumbled upon.

But it always turned out that the lacking ingredient was still lacking--though it always appeared, at the same time, that the Colonel was right on its heels.
Every time the Colonel came into the real estate office Washington's heart bounded and his eyes lighted with hope, but it always turned out that the Colonel was merely on the scent of some vast, undefined landed speculation--although he was customarily able to say that he was nearer to the all-necessary ingredient than ever, and could almost name the hour when success would dawn.

And then Washington's heart world sink again and a sigh would tell when it touched bottom.
About this time a letter came, saying that Judge Hawkins had been ailing for a fortnight, and was now considered to be seriously ill.

It was thought best that Washington should come home.