“Well, old fellow,” said Mr. Frank Curtis, addressing himself to Mr. Styles, “what good thing can you put us up to?” “A speculation that will enrich us all three,” replied the gentleman thus appealed to. “I do not mind telling you that I have been rather unfortunate lately in one or two enterprises--and I want something to set me square again. I have a few bills coming due in a couple or three months, and would not have them dishonoured on any account. Thank God! however, I have no paltry debts--no mean milk-scores--no peddling affairs. I always avoid them. Still I must make a bold stroke for the sake of my larger transactions;--and I presume that neither of you are averse to earning a little money easily and speedily.” “Arrah! and be Jasus! that’s the most wilcome thing ye could be afther saying to me, my frind!” exclaimed the captain, surveying the speculator with deep admiration. “Now,” continued Mr. Styles, “I have been thinking that we three can work the oracle well together--and I propose----” “What?” demanded Mr. Curtis, anxiously. “Hould your tongue--and have patience, Frank!” ejaculated the gallant officer. “It shall be your turn to spake prisintly. Well, sir--and what is it, thin, that ye’re afther proposing!” “A Railway!” returned Mr. Bubbleton Styles. “Divil a betther idea could ye have formed!” cried the captain, enthusiastically. “Glorious!” exclaimed Curtis, in an equally impassioned tone of approval. “Don’t be excited--take things calmly--in a business-like way,” said Mr. Bubbleton Styles. “It is now twenty minutes past three: we have forty minutes more to converse upon the subject. Much may be done in that time. Here,” continued the speculator, drawing a skeleton-map of England from his pocket, and spreading it on the table; “you see this line drawn almost longitudinally from one end of Great Britain to the other? Well--that is my projected Railway. You perceive, we start from Beachy Head in Sussex--right on, as straight as we can go, to Cape Wrath on the northern coast of Scotland. Of course we avoid as much as possible placing any portion of our line in competition with railways already existing; but we shall have Branches to all the principal cities and manufacturing towns, and Single Lines wherever they may be asked for.” “Capital, be Jasus!” exclaimed the Hibernian officer, unable to restrain the exuberance of his delight at this magnificent scheme. “And be what title d’ye mane to call this purty little bantling of yours, Misther Styles?” “The Grand British Longitudinal Railway,” answered the speculator, in a measured and emphatic manner. The captain was so elated by the grandeur and vast comprehensiveness of this denomination, that he rang the bell with furious excitement, and ordered the waiter to replenish the glasses.