"For one thing, I'm a third owner in the Ambition mine, on Indian Smoke Range, Nevada, and the Ambition has been a dividend payer almost from the start.

Hazelton owns another third of the mine." "Eh ?" gasped Mr.Bascomb, plainly taken aback.
"Oh, we're not millionaires," Tom laughed easily.

"Yet I fancy Hazelton and I could raise enough money to fight any breach-of-contract case in court.

With a steady-paying mine, you know, we could even discount to some extent the earnings of future years." "Oh, well, we don't want hard feelings," urged Mr.Bascomb, his manner becoming more peaceable.

"The plain truth is, Reade, that we're utterly dissatisfied with your way of managing things here.