"Wal, for the most part, I passed one dollar from one pants pocket to the other. If I came out even I was lucky, most times. Speculatin' ain't what it's cracked up to be. Most money that I ever got my hands on to I airned by the sweat of my brow--yes, sir!" "Tradin' in them furrin' countries I allus heard would fetch two or three hundred per cent.," Orrin went on obstinately. "Ye-as. You'll hear a good many fool idees if you stretch your ears to ketch ev'ry sound. If it was so, there'd be more millionaires in Chinese waters than they tell me there is in Pittsburgh." He refused to be drawn like a badger from his hole, and Orrin showed disappointment. He had the itch for making money, and any man who made it (as he believed Uncle Jonah had) by using his wits, was an object of keen envy to Orrin Petty. Besides, in this case, Orrin had a personal reason for desiring to know the particulars of Cap'n Jonah's fortune. "Le's see, Cap'n Jonah, you made your final investments nearer home than China, didn't you?" he asked as they smoked after dinner on the side porch. "You never come clear across't the world and left your investments in furrin parts, did you?" "'Hem!" ejaculated Cap'n Jonah. "No. As I might say, I didn't." "Wal, now, what did you conclude was a good, safe investment? Sarah an' me might have a little spare money some day, and I reckon the lead of a successful man like you would be a good one to foller." "No. I wouldn't want to advise no other man in a matter of speculation," said Cap'n Jonah bruskly. But Orrin was not to be put off. The more the old mariner tried to evade, the more Orrin was convinced that Cap'n Jonah had "made his pile" and did not want anybody to know the means he had fortunately set upon to become wealthy. In his own heart the penurious Orrin Petty knew that if he made a successful turn in business he would be loath to tell anybody else how he did it. "Now, Cap'n Jonah," he urged with his wry grin and slyly twinkling eye, "jest put a name to it. Jest name one thing that you put money into." Cap'n Jonah looked at him steadily for a moment. His mahogany face was very grim indeed. "Ile," he croaked at last. "'Ile'?" repeated Orrin, eagerly. "Not whalin'?" "Ile stocks," explained Cap'n Jonah gruffly. "Wha--what's them?" stammered Mr. Petty. "Sheers in ile wells, or in the land where ile wells is supposed to be." "Goshamighty! Do they git ile out'n the ground?" ejaculated Orrin. "I thought they got it from whales, an' codfish livers, and castor beans." "I don't understand much about it," said Cap'n Jonah glumly. "But is them ile shares good things to put money in?" Cap'n Jonah stared at him again under penthouse brows. At last he said: "Wal--no. I couldn't recommend 'em. I wouldn't advise any man about any speculation, as I said afore."