Backgammon grew tiresome, and the General finally suggested that they had had enough. There were a few minutes of meditative silence. Then the General drew from his small, inside coat pocket a large, much-folded paper, and, handing it to Lavinia, he asked her if she knew what that was. “It is an insurance policy,” she said. “I see you keep your property insured.” “But the beauty of it is,” said the General with a cunning smile, “it is not my property. And yet I get the benefit of the insurance in case of fire.” He unfolded the large insurance policy, and the two little heads bent over its wide expanse. “You will see,” the General demonstrated, “that this is the property of Mr. Williams. But here, you will notice, it reads, ‘Loss, if any, payable to Charles S. Stratton, as his interest may appear.’ The fact is, I loaned Mr. Williams three thousand dollars, took a mortgage on his house, and made him insure it for my benefit. In this way, you see, I get my interest, and he has to pay the taxes,” he wound up triumphantly. “That is a very wise way, I should think,” Lavinia said. “That is the way I do all my business,” the General answered, and he returned the large insurance policy to his pocket. “You see, I never lend any of my money without taking bond and mortgage securities, then I never have any trouble with taxes; my principal is secure, and I receive my interest regularly.” Thus any one, and especially Lavinia, could see what a smart little, rich little man he was. This exposition, and the romantic morning drive around the real estate, made his point. He drew his chair closer. “So you are going to Europe soon,” he said, although the fact was well known to both of them. “Yes,” Lavinia answered. “Mr. Barnum intends to take me over in a couple of months.” “You will find it very pleasant,” Tom Thumb said, “I have been there twice; in fact, I have spent six years abroad, and I like the old countries very much.” “I hope I shall like the trip, and I expect I shall,” said Lavinia. “Mr. Barnum says I shall visit all the principal cities, and he has no doubt I will be invited to appear before the Queen of England, the Emperor and Empress of France, the King of Prussia, the Emperor of Austria, and at the courts of any other countries we may visit. Oh! I shall like that; it will be so new to me!” “Yes, it will be very interesting, indeed. I have visited most of the crowned heads,” said the small man of the world. “But don’t you think you’ll be lonesome in a strange country?” he asked anxiously. Lavinia did not think she would be lonesome. “I wish I was going over,” Tom Thumb said. “I know all about the different countries, and I could explain them all to you.” “That would be very nice,” Lavinia admitted. “Do you think so?” He moved his chair closer. “Of course,” she said calmly, without emphasis. “It would be pleasant to have some one along who could answer all my foolish questions.”