The Argosy, Vol. XXIV, No. 3 — page 124: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

508 THE BUNKEL MYSTERY. Dolph was a philosopher in a wicked way, and he could only say that it had. served them right. Both mills would now be in want of coal; and he thought that one of them would soon see the advantage of his plan. But Dolph was unreason- ably inipatient, and he did not want to wait till the mill owners realized the need of his means of transportation. He was impatient for another reason. ‘The steamer he wished to purchase might be sold to some other person, and to make sure of it, he must buy it the very next day. The outlet of Lake Montoban was the Bondego River, into which flowed a stream from another pond named Modogo Lake. ‘The steamer had plied on this lake; but she did not pay. She was offered for sale at half her cost, or less. No purchaser appeared, and the owner had visited Montoban to effect a sale. People laughed at him, for it was not supposed that the craft could be brought over the Bondego rapids, though the owner insisted that it would be an easy matter. Dolph had examined the rapids for himself, and was of the owner’s opinion, though he talked just the other way, to prevent any other person from investing in the Lily, as the boat was called. ‘There was no irniterest in boating in Montoban, and no one cared to see a steam craft on the lake. As soon as the crowd had gathered on the bridge, Dolph mingled with it, and finally got home without being observed. He did not even notice that the Dragon and the Diana had been swept from their moorings by the sudden accession of water to the lake, He was not pleased to meet Andy and his father in the hall; but he tried to cover up his tracks. In his room, when he had changed his clothes, he sat down to think over the situation. He was no nearer to getting the Lily than he had been before he blew up the dam. But in the evening, when his father handed him the bank keys, the means of raising the money for the purchase of the steamer was suggested to him, and he wondered he had not thought of “‘borrowing’’ the necessary amount from the bank before. Unfortunately the owner of the Lily had talked to Phin Barkpool about the boat. He had applied to several persons, including Mr. Singerlay, with- out success; and he wanted to interest the sons of the two rich men. He had not only interested them, but he had infatuated them both. Mr. Barkpool said no more to his son about the steamer, and he did not tell him of the visit of Dolph, for it would only make the boy more crazy to obtain the coveted craft. Phin did not say so, but he Was not sorry the dam had been blown up ; not that he expected to derive any advantage from the disaster, but he thought his father deserved to be chastened for refusing his reasonable request. Among those who called to see the Onongo magnate after the catastrophe was Mr. Pullerton, the cashier of the Onongo bank. He was not required to bring the keys to the house of the president, but his presence suggested to Phin a way to get the large sum of money he wanted. He knew all about this bank, as Dolph knew about the other. It was easy enough to get into the building, and into the banking room. ‘The trouble would be to get into the vault. CORMICEMOOKS 5} SS I a Se a a ee ee oe eee