"John," he exclaimed, a few minutes later, when we took a short strollaround the place. "Now that I've started in to tell the wholetruth I musn't skip a paragraph. This is a pleasant bit ofproperty, but the solemn fact remains that I put the boots to you.I gave you the gaff for $6,000, very ancient friend, and it breaks my heartto tell you that I'm not sorry. Bunch for Number 0ne, always!"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"This farm only cost me $8,000," he said, giving me the pityinggrin.