"Trixy!" sternly spoke three voices as one. "What rare fortunes Providence has in store for old men!" exclaimed the Admiral. "I greatly wanted and needed to see Jermyn, this very day, and I not only find him unexpectedly, but get a couple of glimpses of Paradise beside--yes, three, for here is Trixy also." "Paradise?" echoed Trixy. "It was somethin' about Paradise that----" "Trixy!" said Jermyn warningly. "Allow me," said the Admiral, "to take you all to a hotel, where I may rob you of Jermyn a few moments." Jermyn took the child's hand, placed himself between her and the Admiral, and thus they walked to the hotel. CHAPTER XXIII. "BEYOND THE DREAM OF AVARICE." "My dear boy," said the Admiral, as soon as the party had been comfortably stowed at a hotel, of which officers of the united service are very fond, and after luncheon had been ordered, "don't you want to make your fortune by a few strokes of your pen--or pencil?" "Admiral," replied Jermyn, "my heart never before warned me so savagely of the condition of my pocket. Fire away." "Good! Do you remember a conversation we had a few nights ago at the fort with a certain semi-public character about business?" "A few nights ago?" repeated Jermyn dreamily. "I remember such a talk, but it seems that it was a few months ago." "Tut, tut! Wake up! This is business--not moonshine." "I beg your pardon," said Jermyn, quietly rallying himself. "You mean the affair of that gold placer on the Pacific Coast? Do you suppose I ever can forget it, after the misery that came of it, and the trouble you were put to?" "Never mind me, at present, except to give me your close attention. My dear boy, our suggestions did the business, and Blogsham has more sense of honor than I usually attribute to a business man. Our plans were of so much promise that he has already organized a company to develop the property. The capital is a million dollars, with permission to increase to three millions, and there are at present ten thousand shares of the par value of one hundred dollars each." "Hem! That sounds business-like, but I don't see how it implies the sense of honor of which you spoke a moment ago." "What? Oh, to be sure; I've not reached the most important part of the story. Well, the projector writes me that he hasn't forgotten his promise, and that there are five hundred shares of the stock waiting for me, and five hundred for you, which we can have if----" "No, I've fooled away enough of my hard earnings upon projects of that kind. Excitement of that sort may do for you, on the pay of a rear admiral, retired, but I----"