"To be sure, yes, so it was. I remember now. Some quarrel about a girl." "Of course. That scoundrel Prawle's wench down at the Cove. Well, what about him?" "He swears to me that when the company broke up, and the owners would advance no more money, they had just got to good paying stuff." "I don't believe it," said Mr Penwynn sharply. "Well I don't put much faith in it myself, but they say where there's smoke there's fire." "Not in this case, Tregenna, for Wheal Carnac was all smoke." "Ha, ha, ha! That's not so very bad, Penwynn," said the solicitor, laughing; "but I cannot help thinking there may be something in it." "Well, I tell you what I'd do then," said Mr Penwynn, looking very serious; "you're pretty warm, Tregenna; buy Wheal Carnac, and then buy up the machinery from some other mine that is in difficulties, work the concern on your own hook, and land a fortune." Tregenna half-closed his eyes and tightened his lips into a dry smile of derision, as he looked at the banker, and then the two men burst into a hearty laugh. "Not exactly," said Tregenna. "I don't quite see myself performing such an act of lunacy at present; but really, seriously though, I do think there is something in that mine." "Yes," said Mr Penwynn, picking his teeth, "water!" "Yes, that's the devil of it. Else they want so little for the place that I'd go to the expense of having it tested. In fact, they ask so small a sum now that a man might venture to buy it for nothing else but a spec, to sell again." "Like me to buy it, perhaps," said the banker, laughing. "I don't know," said Tregenna seriously; "but I wouldn't mind going in for spending a little money in testing the place." "Now look here, Tregenna," said Mr Penwynn, "what is your game here?" "My game? Oh, that's soon said. I want to make a hundred pounds commission on the sale, and get an account against the vendors for another fifty." "Do you think there is any thing in that man's words?" "Heaven knows," said Tregenna; "but if they are true, the place, instead of being worth eight hundred pounds, would be worth more than as many thousands." Mr Penwynn thrust his hands very deeply into his pockets and whistled softly, as he gazed searchingly at the other. For, though Tregenna had thrown some hundreds latterly in his way, he was still upon his guard. "I should estimate the land and foreshore as being worth the money," said Tregenna. "There's a good deal of it, and the building material in squared granite is worth a trifle. There's plenty to build a couple of good houses." "Ah! you want to make that hundred and fifty pounds, Tregenna." "Yes, I do, certainly; but I don't think the buyer could be much out of pocket unless he began mining on his own account. Of that I wash my hands. By the way, though, that would not make a bad building site." "Too exposed," said Mr Penwynn, thoughtfully. "Well, yes, it is exposed, certainly." "What do they want for it?"