“It’s about as ingenious a scheme as I ever heard of, Billy,” answered Cressler. “You can’t lose, with Crookes back of it.”

“Well, then, we can count you in, hey?”

“Count nothing,” declared Cressler, stoutly. “I don’t speculate.”

“But have you thought of this?” urged Freye, and went over the entire proposition, from a fresh point of view, winding up with the exclamation: “Why, Charlie, we’re going to make our everlasting fortunes.”

“I don’t want any everlasting fortune, Billy Freye,” protested Cressler. “Look here, Billy. You must remember I’m a pretty old cock. You boys are all youngsters. I’ve got a little money left and a little business, and I want to grow old quiet-like. I had my fling, you know, when you boys were in knickerbockers. Now you let me keep out of all this. You get someone else.”