"No, I've got that new job," went on young Lamb. "Another man from Boston, too. I'm in charge of the complete office organization of a brand-new manufacturing business that's to start up here. Two hundred dollars a month to begin. How's that?" "Fine," said David. "Enough to marry on. But it sounds too good. Is he a sharper, too?" "He don't need to be. He seems to have plenty of money, and the article he's going to start manufacturing is so good that it will pay him better to be honest than to be crooked. I don't see where the man could go wrong. Why, look here!" and from his vest pocket he pulled an orange-headed tack. "Carpet tack--covered with any color you want--same color as your carpet so the tacks don't show--only cost a little bit more than the cheap ones. Don't you think it's a good thing?" David stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and put on his spectacles to examine the trifle critically. "Is that all he's going to make--just tacks?" "Just tacks!" exclaimed the younger man. "Why, Dave, the Eureka Tack Company, that has a practical monopoly now of the tack business in this country, occupies a plant covering twenty acres. It employs thousands of men. It makes sixteen per cent. a year dividends, and has millions of dollars surplus in its treasury--undivided profits! Long freight trains leave its warehouses every day, loaded down with nothing but tacks; and that's all they make--just tacks! Why, think, Dave, of how many millions of tacks are pulled out of carpets and thrown away every spring!" Mr. Jasper was still examining the tack from head to point with deep interest. Now he drew a long breath and handed it back. "It's a big thing, even if it is little," he admitted. "Watch out for the man, though. Does he want any money?" "Not a cent. Why, any money I've got he'd laugh at. I couldn't give him any. He's a rich man, and able to start his own factory. He's going to organize a quarter of a million stock company and keep the majority of the stock himself." "It might be pretty good stock to buy, if you could get some of it," decided Dave after some slow pondering. "I wish I could, but there is no chance. What stock he issues is only to be put out in twenty-five-thousand-dollar lots." Again David Jasper sighed. Sixteen per cent. a year! He was thinking now of what a small margin of profit his houses left him after repairs and taxes were paid. "It looks to me like you'd struck it rich, my boy. Well, you deserve it. You have worked hard and saved your money. You know, when I got married I had nothing but a set of harness tools and the girl, and we got along."