One night after supper he said to Bill, “I've been thinking about our experiments.” He paused to let the news sink in.
“Oh, you have, have you?” retorted Bill, with the elaborate sarcasm of the elder brother.
“Yep. Now if gasoline is going to keep on becoming less and less inflammable, what's the matter with going the whole hog and tackling kerosene?”
“Oh, shucks!” said Bill, disgustedly. Then meditatively, “I don't know--”
“I do,” said Tommy, decisively. “No scarcity of supply and cheaper.”
“Yes, and more power units; go further and cost less. But it will be more difficult--”
“Sure thing. That's what you're here for. The first practical kerosene-auto will make a goldmine look like a pile of wet sawdust.”
“You're right,” said Bill. “But I've never tried--”
“I'll help you,” said Tommy, kindly. “Don't talk about it; think!” This was rank plagiarism from Thompson, and he wouldn't let Bill say another word on the subject. Being compelled to do his thinking in silence made Bill grow quite excited about it. Tommy saw the desire to experiment show itself unmistakably in Bill's face. It made Tommy happy. He was helping some one else. Therefore, he was not thinking of himself. Therefore the secret slept.
On the very next morning Tommy went to one of the engineers in the experimental laboratory and asked, “Say, where can I get some literature on kerosene-motors--”
The engineer, La Grange, who had early taken a liking to Tommy, threw up his hands, groaned, and cried, “Another!”
“Everybody--and then add a couple of millions on top of that. It's worse than Mexico for revolutionists.”
“I again ask,” remarked Tommy, severely, in order not to show his disappointment, “where can I get some literature on the subject?”
“Got any files here?” persisted Tommy. It was evident that somebody had beaten him to the great idea.
“Yep, all of them, and several hundred tons of Patent Office Gazettes.”
“Where be they?” asked Tommy, pleasantly. “In the library.”
“Don't mention it. Say, Tommy, if you invent a kerosene-carburetor, swallow it whole before you bring it up here, won't you, please?”
“I'll cram it down your giraffe throat,” said Tommy, La Grange being stout and short-necked.
He spent an hour looking over the files, taking notes of the issues he thought Bill would find useful. His disappointment over finding that so many bright minds were at work on the same problem was tempered by his stronger realization of the value of a working kerosene-carburetor. His profit came in his own recognition of his own ignorance. Enthusiasm isn't enough in this world. There must be knowledge. And other people existed who had knowledge, experience, and brains.