"It's an invention that's got to do with a bathtub, with all bathtubs," said Skippy, with a sudden faintness of confidence before the professional agnosticism which Macnooder, the man of affairs, now assumed by crossing his legs and donning a large horn-rimmed pair of spectacles. "The word is _bathtub_," said Macnooder, who not to appear too eager dug a knife from his pocket and carefully whittled at the end of his pencil. "It's a foot regulator!" "Aha!" said Macnooder, who didn't understand at all. "You see, Doc, what's the matter with all the bathtubs of to-day," said Skippy, picking up courage, "your head's at one end and the faucets are at the other--and, that's an awful distance!" "Good point!" said Macnooder, nodding. "Now when you want to let in the cold water you've got to sit up, reach down and turn it on and that's cold and chilly and drafty as the mischief, isn't it?" "That's a very strong point," said Macnooder, who began to see. "Now, if you could only turn the faucets with your toes, you could lie quietly under the hot water, couldn't you? . . . But you can't--but you could if you had foot regulators. And isn't it the simplest thing in the world to have foot regulators? Only no one has ever thought of it before?" "Think what it would do to the bathtub industry, Doc," said Snorky, who felt the preceding explanation had failed properly to illuminate the epochal quality of the invention. "Why, Doc, we'd have 'em by the throat. We'd put every bathtub out of existence. The whole dinged system is fossilized and we'd show 'em up with the first exhibit. Do you see it, Doc? Do you get the possibilities?" "At first sound," said Macnooder, who kept his glance on the end of his pencil, not to reveal how much his imagination had been stirred, "at first sound, it interests me strangely. Skippy,--Mr. Bedelle, your hand, and my congratulations." "Oh, I say, Doc," said Skippy, with a lump in his throat, "you really do believe in it, don't you?" "My boy, there are gold mines in it," said Macnooder, carefully, "the wealth of the Sultan is nothing to it, or--or it isn't worth a plugged nickel." Skippy and Snorky exchanged glances of sudden dismay. "It's one or the other. That's what I will find out." "How'll you do that?" said the roommates, in a breath. "I shall write for catalogues first. I may have to conduct a personal investigation at the patent office--and of course I must look at all possibilities. The idea is revolutionary," said Macnooder, reviving their spirits. "Mr. Bedelle, nothing can deprive you of that distinction and glory. Your fame is secure. But the bank account? Can we protect ourselves against pirating? Can the Bathtub Combine avoid in any way, shape or manner, being forced to treat with the owners of the Bedelle Foot Regulator? That's what I must carefully consider. Gentlemen, one week from to-day I promise you my answer." "Then you _will_ take it up, Doc?"