Carroll laughed expressively.

"Do you mean to put off the meeting and keep your directors waiting, to
please a child?"

"I suppose that's one reason. Anyway, I don't propose to hustle the
little girl and her mother on board the steamer while they're helpless
with seasickness." A gleam of humor crept into his eyes. "As I think I
told you, I've no great objections to letting the gentlemen you mentioned
await my pleasure."

"But they found you the shareholders, and set the concern on its feet."

"Just so. On the other hand, they got excellent value for their
services--and I found the mine. What's more, during the preliminary
negotiations most of them treated me very casually."

"Well?"

"There's going to be a difference now. I've a board of directors--one way
or another, I've had to pay for the privilege pretty dearly; but it's not
my intention that they should run the Clermont Mine."

Carroll glanced at him with open amusement. There had been a marked
change in Vane since he had located the mine, though it was one that did
not astonish his comrade. Carroll had long suspected him of latent
capabilities, which had suddenly sprung to life.

"You ought to see Horsfield before you meet the board," he advised him.