"Dick," he said, "what your uncle told me was in confidence. I can't violate that. I'm sorry--in a way--that you overheard what you did, and yet it may be for the best in the end. I can't act, and yet----"
"No-o-o-o," was the answer, slowly given. "I don't know as there is."
"Well, Dick, if you ask me questions, I suppose I'll have to answer them," and there was a twinkle in Mr. Hamilton's eyes. "But Uncle Ezra won't like it if he finds it out," the father concluded.
"He won't find it out!" declared Dick, with energy.
"Now here is how I size it up," the young man went on. "Uncle Ezra got Mr. Wardell's fortune--which consisted mostly of railroad stock--in exchange for a loan."
"Yes, he took the stock, or, rather he has had his lawyers take it, because the money was not repaid to him."
"And it wasn't paid because Mr. Wardell bought other stock that proved worthless. Is that it?"
"And Uncle Ezra sold Mr. Wardell this worthless stock?"
"Well, his representatives did. But look here, Dick, your uncle didn't force Mr. Wardell to buy this worthless stock, you know. Mr. Wardell did that with his eyes open."
"I know, but he didn't know it was worthless?"
"Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say that. There is a lot of stock in the market that is practically worthless, but which is sold with the best intentions in the world. It may be worth a fortune some day."
"All right. Anyhow, Mr. Wardell gave up some good stock, got bad stock, and lost his good stock."
"And now it develops that if, within a certain time, he makes a sort of legal protest--files a paper in court or something like that--he has a chance to get his stock back?"
"Provided, of course, he gives back the money."
"And he is practically assured of his money if he does make that protest, Dad?"
"Yes. It's quite complicated, but, to state it simply, if he files that paper, protesting against losing his old stock, the new stock that he bought will be worth considerable, and out of the money he gets from selling that he can get back his old stock, which will be worth twice as much."
"It sounds like a Chinese puzzle, Dad, but the main thing to do is, I take it, to file this protest."
"That's what I wanted to know, Dad. I see my way clear now."