"Be careful!" warned Mr. Gale, and it sounded as though there
might be a threat in his voice. "This is our last offer, and your
last chance. We will not renew this. If you do not accept our
twenty thousand dollars now, you will never get it again."

"I realize that," said Tom, "and I am prepared to take the
consequences.

"Very well, then," said Mr. Gale. "There seems nothing for us
to do, Mr. Ware, but to go back to New York. I bid you good-day,"
and he bowed stiffly to Tom. "I hope you will not regret your
refusal of our offer."

"I hope so myself," said Tom, lightly.

When the visitors had gone Mr. Swift turned toward his son,
and, shaking his head, remarked:

"Of course, you know your own business best, Tom. Yet I cannot
but feel you have made a mistake."

"How?" asked Tom. "By not taking that money? I can easily make
that in a year, with an idea I have in mind for an improvement on
an airship. And your new electric motor will soon be ready for
the market. Besides, we don't really need the money."

"No, not now, Tom, but there is no telling when we may," said
Mr. Swift, slowly. "This big war has made many changes, and
things that brought us in a good income before, hardly sell at
all, now."