"Whenever you say the word," declared David, with a chuckle and a side glance at his companion. John turned in bewilderment. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Wa'al," said David with another short laugh, "fur 's the sign 's concerned, I s'pose we _could_ stick a new one over it, but I guess it might 's well come down; but we'll settle that matter later on." John still looked at the speaker in utter perplexity, until the latter broke out into a laugh. "Got any idee what's goin' onto the new sign?" he asked. "You don't mean----" "Yes, I do," declared Mr. Harum, "an' my notion 's this, an' don't you say aye, yes, nor no till I git through," and he laid his left hand restrainingly on John's knee. "The new sign 'll read 'Harum & Comp'ny,' or 'Harum & Lenox,' jest as you elect. You c'n put in what money you got an' I'll put in as much more, which 'll make cap'tal enough in gen'ral, an' any extry money that's needed--wa'al, up to a certain point, I guess I c'n manage. Now putty much all the new bus'nis has come in through you, an' practically you got the hull thing in your hands. You'll do the work about 's you're doin' now, an' you'll draw the same sal'ry; an' after that's paid we'll go snucks on anythin' that's left--that _is_," added David with a chuckle, "if you feel that you c'n _stan'_ it in Homeville." * * * * * "I wish you was married to one of our Homeville girls, though," declared Mr. Harum later on as they drove homeward. CHAPTER XLIV.