第8章

"Good! Then show him right in.I was afraid," said Tom to Ned, who was also in the office, "that he had Hardley with him.I'm not quite ready to see him yet.""Then you haven't made up your mind about going for the treasure?" "Not exactly.I shall, perhaps, this week.""Bless my matchbox, Tom, but I'm glad to see you!" cried Mr.Damon, as he hastened forward with outstretched hand."I was afraid you might be out.Now look here! What about my friend Hardley? He's very anxious to know your decision about going for that treasure, and I said I'd come over and sound you.I don't mind saying, Tom, that if you go I'm going too; if you'll take me, of course.""Well, Mr.Damon, you know you'll always be welcome, as far as I am concerned," said the young inventor; "but, as a matter of fact, I don't believe I'm going.""What? Not going to pick up a million dollars off the floor of the ocean, Tom? Bless my bank balance! but that's foolish, it seems to me.""Perhaps it is, but I can't help it."

"What's your principal objection?" asked the eccentric man."It isn't that you don't want the money, is it?""Not exactly."

"Then it must be that you object to Mr.Hardley personally." went on Mr.Damon."I began to suspect that, Tom, and I want to say that you are wrong.Mr.Hardley is a friend of mine--a good friend.I have not known him long, but he strikes me as being all right.He had some good letters of introduction, and I believe he has money.""Where'd he get it?" asked Tom.

"I don't know, exactly.Seems to me I heard him mention silver mines, or it may have been gold.Anyhow, it had something to do with getting wealth out of the ground.Now, Tom, I don't mind saying that I stand to make a little money in case this thing goes through.""How's that, Mr.Damon?" asked the young scientist in surprise.

"Why, I agreed to bear part of the expense," was the answer."I thought this was a pretty good scheme, and when Mr.Hardley came to me and told me of the possibilities I agreed to help him finance the expenses.That is, I have taken shares in the company he formed to raise his half of the expense money.

"Of course I thought of you at once when he spoke of having to search out a sunken wreck, and I proposed your name.He'd heard of you, he said, but didn't know you.So I brought you together and now--bless my apple pie, Tom! I hope you aren't going to turn down a chance to make a million and, incidentally, help an old friend.""Well," remarked Tom, slowly, "I must admit, Mr.Damon, that I didn't think you'd go into a thing like this.Not that it is more risky than other schemes, but I thought you didn't care for speculation.""Well, this sort of appealed to me Tom.You know--sunken wreck under the ocean, down in a diving bell perhaps, and all that! There's romance to it.""Yes, there is romance," agreed Tom."And hard work, too.If I undertook this it would mean an extra lot of work getting ready.I suppose I could use my own submarine.I could get her in commission, and make improvements more quickly than on any other.""Then you'll go?" quickly cried the eccentric man.

"Well, since you tell me you are interested financially, I believe I will," assented Tom, but he spoke reluctantly."As a matter of fact, I am going against my better judgment.Not that I fear we shall be in danger," he hastened to add; "but I think it will prove a failure.However, as Mr.Hardley will bear half the expense, and as by using my own submarine that will not be much, I'll go!""Then I'll tell him!" exclaimed Mr.Damon."Hurray! This is great! Ihaven't had an exciting trip for a long while! Don't tell my wife about it," he begged Tom and Ned."At least not until just before we start.Then she can't object in time.I'll have a wonderful experience, I know.This will be good news to Dixwell Hardley!"And as Mr.Damon hastened away to acquaint his new friend with Tom's decision, the young inventor remarked to Ned:

"I'll go; but, somehow, I have a feeling that something will happen." "Something bad?" asked the financial manager."No, I wouldn't go sofar as to say that.But I believe we'll have trouble.I'll start on the search for the sunken millions, but rather against my better judgment.However, maybe Mr.Damon's luck and good nature will pull us through!"