“And when he said, ‘I’ll make him do it,’ he must have been speaking of father,” he reasoned.  “And he mentioned a boat.  Maybe they have dad on a boat.”

Tom waited for some time longer in the corridor, but nothing of importance occurred.  Then he stepped loudly to the main door of the offices and entered.

The same boy Dick had met was there and asked him what he wanted.

“I want to see about some shares in the Sunset Irrigation Company,” answered Tom.  “Anybody in I can talk to?” And he handed out one of the cards he had fixed up.

“I’ll see,” answered the office boy, and disappeared into the inner office with the card.

A moment later Jesse Pelter appeared, holding the card in his hand.  He smiled pleasantly.

“Glad to meet you, Mr. Putnam,” he said, bowing.  “I am Mr. Pelter.  I’ll be glad to let you know all about our Irrigation Company and its prospects.”

He ushered Tom into his private office and offered him a chair.

“Want to make an investment for yourself?” he said, suggestively.

“If it’s a good one,” returned Tom, with an assumed grin.  “A fellow who comes into a fat legacy has got to do something, hasn’t he?”

“Surest thing you know,” responded Jesse Pelter.  “And this Irrigation Company of ours is the best thing in the world for rapid money making,” he continued.  “Just come on from Denver, Mr. Putnam?”

“I’ve been in New York a couple of days,” answered Tom.  “I want to look around a bit before I invest anything.  I heard something of this company before I reached here.”

“No doubt!  No doubt!  It is a big thing, and our rivals are all watching and envying us.  Did you get our printed prospectus?”

“No, but I saw one somewhere, some time ago.”

“Here you have it, with a map of the property.  The shares are now selling at sixty-five, but next week I think we’ll have to advance them to seventy or seventy-five, owing to the demand.”

“Could a fellow buy five thousand dollars’ worth at sixty-five?” asked Tom, trying to show an interest.

“You could, if you were quick about it.”

“Well, I want to know something more about this property first,” continued Tom.  “I don’t want to throw any money away.”

“Quite right.  I see you are a level-headed young man and that is the kind I like to deal with.  We’ll go over this matter carefully.”  And then Jesse Pelter plunged into the details of the irrigation scheme, showing up its many good points, and how, in the near future, it was bound to make a lot of money for all who invested in it.

“And you have the shares to sell?” asked Tom.

“Oh, yes.”

“Do you own the property, Mr. Pelter?”

“Our company owns it—­ that is, we have a controlling interest in it.”

“There are no other big stockholders?”

“None at all.  We have invested heavily,—­ buying out the old company and reorganizing it.  All of the other stockholders are small ones.  You see, we have such faith in this scheme that we don’t want to let too much stock get away from us.”