The father sauntered forth and stood at the other side of the piano until the song was finished. Then he remarked, “I call that a lullaby that any man might go to sleep to. Anyhow, I’m going, unless the boy wants to sit up.” “I’m not sleepy, sir.” “Then let’s hear about your plans. How soon do you expect to be mustered out?” “It’s hard to say, but I presume by the first of July.” “And after that?” “I have no plans. If you have any sort of job at your disposal, I’ll take it.” “Marvin, that’s no proper remark for a specialist in carbon. Everything in that group ought to interest you. Carbon, silicon, titanium—” “Stop there, sir. Send me after titanium, if you know a country where it occurs without admixture of girls.” Chase laughed. “If you’ll come back one step in the group, I can use you.” “Silicon dioxide?” “Precisely. But under sealed orders.” “The less discretion you allow me, the better. Do I go abroad?” “Later, perhaps, but for the present the St. Mary’s river will serve. Are you willing to run up there and buy me some rock?” “Perfectly willing. How much?” “Twenty acres, in two parcels, islands preferred.” “How pure?” “In one parcel it makes no difference. In the other pure enough to be freely acidic. Is it true that the government is dumping TNT into the ocean?” “Yes, sir.” “Isn’t that a waste?” “Certainly. It’s easier to handle than dynamite, and any farmer could be taught to use it.” “Then I’d like some of it.” “You can’t get it.” “I’ll lay you five hundred dollars that I’ll buy fifty thousand pounds at less than ten cents a pound.” “I’ll take you.” At this point the mother had something to say. “Chase Mahan, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. You’d better tell him that if you succeed, you will pay for a lecture at Yale on the evils of betting.” “Very good. Marvin, if I get that explosive you may draw on me for five hundred and waste it on your alma mater.” “How much am I to pay for the silica?” “Whatever you think it’s worth. Pay somewhere between ten dollars an acre and a thousand. Ten thousand for either island is the upward limit.” Chapter 23. Vanadium Having accepted this commission from a sense of his general uselessness, the mutilated man said good-night and went to his room. How carefully comfortable it had been made by loving bands! Even the telephone was there to console him. So he telephoned a telegram: Miss Coggeshall, Eglantine, Wickford, Conn. Home and hungry. Do you know anybody who would invite Gratia and me to dinner? Marvin.