To comprehend the excitement that followed, it must be remembered that the people of Sevenoaks had the most implicit confidence in Mr. Belcher’s business sagacity.  He had been upon the ground, and knew personally all about the great discoveries.  Having investigated for himself, he had invested his funds in this Company.  If the people could only embark in his boat, they felt that they should be safe.  He would defend their interests while defending his own.  So the field was all ready for his reaping.  Not Sevenoaks alone, but the whole country was open to any scheme which connected them with the profits of these great discoveries, and when the excitement at Sevenoaks passed away at last, and men regained their senses, in the loss of their money, they had the company of a multitude of ruined sympathizers throughout the length and breadth of the land.  Not only the simple and the impressible yielded to the wave of speculation that swept the country, but the shrewdest business men formed its crest, and were thrown high and dry beyond all others, in the common wreck, when it reached the shore.

On the evening of the fourth day after his return, Mr. Belcher was waited upon at his house by a self-constituted committee of citizens, who merely called to inquire into the wonders of the region he had explored.  Mr. Belcher was quite at his ease, and entered at once upon a narrative of his visit.  He had supposed that the excitement was without any good foundation, but the oil was really there; and he did not see why the business was not as legitimate and sound as any in the world.  The whole world needed the oil, and this was the one locality which produced it.  There was undoubtedly more or less of wild speculation connected with it, and, considering the value of the discoveries, it was not to be wondered at.  On the whole, it was the biggest thing that had turned up during his lifetime.

Constantly leading them away from the topic of investment, he regaled their ears with the stories of the enormous fortunes that had been made, until there was not a man before him who was not ready to invest half the fortune he possessed in the speculation.  Finally, one of the more frank and impatient of the group informed Mr. Belcher that they had come prepared to invest, if they found his report favorable.

“Gentlemen,” said Mr. Belcher, “I really cannot take the responsibility of advising you.  I can act for myself, but when it comes to advising my neighbors, it is another matter entirely.  You really must excuse me from this.  I have gone into the business rather heavily, but I have done it without advice, and you must do the same.  It isn’t right for any man to lead another into experiments of this sort, and it is hardly the fair thing to ask him to do it.  I’ve looked for myself, but the fact that I am satisfied is no good reason for your being so.”

“Very well, tell us how to do it,” said the spokesman.  “We cannot leave our business to do what you have done, and we shall be obliged to run some risk, if we go into it at all.”