the name is--had a proposition to make to me

"That's exactly it, my dear Mr. Swift!" broke in the man in
question. "I have a wonderful offer to make you, and I'm sure you
will admit that it will be well worth your while to consider and
accept it. There will be at least a million in it--"

"Bless my check book, I thought you said several millions!"
exclaimed Mr. Damon.

"So I did," was the rather nettled answer. "I was about to say,
Mr. Damon, that there will be at least a million in it for Mr.
Swift, and another million for myself. There may be more, but I
want to be conservative."

"Talking in millions, and calling himself conservative," mused
Ned Newton. "Somehow or other I don't just cotton to this
fellow!"

"When our mutual friend, Mr. Damon, told me about you, my dear
Mr. Swift," went on Mr. Hardley, "I at once came to the
conclusion that you were the very man I wanted to do business
with. I'm sure it will be to our mutual advantage."

Tom Swift said nothing. He was willing to let the other talk,
while he waited to see how far he would go. And, as Tom said
afterward, he, as had Ned, took an instinctive dislike to Mr.
Hardley. He could not say definitely what it was, but that was
his feeling. That he might be mistaken, he admitted frankly. Time
alone could tell.