and they all agreed with me. So I came here to-day, and I'm sorry
I had to wait to see you, for I'm the busiest man in the world, I
believe, and, as I said, I've lost about a thousand dollars
waiting to have a talk with you. I--"

"I am sorry," interrupted Tom, and he was not very cordial.
"But I was busy, and--"

"All right! All right! Don't apologize!" broke in the man in
rapid tones, while both Tom, and his servant, Koku, looked in
surprise at the quick flow of language that came from him. "Don't
apologize for the world. It's my fault for bothering you. And
I'll lose several thousand dollars, willingly, if you'll
undertake this job. I'll make money from it as it is. It's worth
ten thousand dollars to you, I should say, and I'm willing to pay
that."

He looked about, as though for a seat, and Tom, apologizing for
his neglect in offering one, shoved a box forward.

"We don't have chairs in here," said the young inventor with a
smile. "Now if you will tell me what you--"

"I'm coming right to it. I'll get down to business in a
moment," interrupted the man as he sat down on the box, not
without a grunt or two, I for he was very stout. "I'm going to
introduce myself in just a second, and then I'm going to tell you
who I am. And I hope you'll take up my offer, though it may seem
a strange one."