"Good? It's simply superb. He took me over the works--a really
beautiful sight, everything so admirably arranged. Then we had more
private talk. Of course I spoke of you, said I could do nothing till
we had consulted together. I didn't seem too eager--not good
policy. But we've had some correspondence, and you shall see the
letters."

He handed them to his partner. Warburton saw that there was a
question of a good many thousand pounds.

"Of course," he remarked, "I could only stand for a very small part
in this."

"Well, we must talk about that. To tell you the truth, Will,"
Sherwood continued, crossing his legs and clasping his hands behind
his head, "I don't see my way to find the whole capital, and yet I
don't want to bring in a stranger. Applegarth could sell to a
company any moment, but that isn't his idea; he wants to keep the
concern in as few hands as possible. He has a first-rate manager;
the mere jam-making wouldn't worry us at all; and the office work is
largely a matter of routine. Will you take time to think about it?"

The figures which Warburton had before him were decidedly
stimulating; they made a very pleasant contrast to the
balance-sheets with which he had recently had to deal. He knew
roughly what sum was at his disposal for investment; the winding-up
of the business here could be completed at any moment, and involved
no risk of surprises. But a thought had occurred to him which kept
him silently reflecting for some minutes.