“We got it,” says Catty, talking as foolish as one of the Ramsay twins that haven’t been just right since they fell off the roof of the barn together. “We got ’most a dollar—but we hain’t goin’ to risk it till we’re sure of gittin’ rich. No, sirree! We hain’t buyin’ nothin’ without seein’ it. We want to make money, but we don’t want to lose all we’ve worked for and saved up.... I’m scairt of churns, because once I knew some folks that bought a new-fangled one and it wouldn’t churn nothin’.” “You needn’t worry, my young friend. My churn will churn,” says Kinderhook. “Kin I see it?” says Catty. “Young man,” says Kinderhook, real impressive, “nobody’s allowed to see that churn. It is a secret, and if the secret of it was stolen the trust would make churns like it and we wouldn’t make any money. Do you understand that?” “I calc’late to,” says Catty, “but if I was investin’ my money I wouldn’t be apt to tell nobody what I seen so that I’ll lose all I put in, would I?” “I wouldn’t think so,” says Kinderhook, with another wink, “and some day I’ll show it to you.” “Have you got it here?” says Catty. “You bet I have,” says Kinderhook. “Right in the hotel?” says Catty. “Right where I can keep my eye on it day and night,” says Kinderhook. “When kin I see it, then?” “Oh, some day pretty soon, when the brooks flow uphill, you come around, and I’ll take you up to my room and let you look it over.” “I won’t put in a cent till I see it,” says Catty, and Kinderhook laughed and slapped his knee. “I’m not asking anybody to invest,” says he, “but folks around here seem to be mighty anxious to buy some stock, just the same.” “Come on,” says Catty to me. “We’ll be back,” says he to Kinderhook, “but mind, we won’t put in a cent till we see the churn.” As we went down the street Catty says: “There, that’s somethin’. We know he keeps it in his room, and we’ve got to figger to git a look at it.” “How?” says I. “That’s what we got to figger out,” says he. CHAPTER XIX