Down at the new Melville yard affairs went on with a rush. Two
tumble-down houses were rented in a little habited part of the town,
and in these a gang of close-mouthed Italian laborers was quartered.
Jabez Holt felt the new increase in prosperity, for Mr. Melville
engaged his entire hotel. Before long there was a constant succession
of arrivals at the hotel. Steel salesmen, motor drummers, salesmen
in electrical supplies, and a whole host of miscellaneous
representatives came to town, putting up at the hotel, where Mr.
Melville had reserved a suite of rooms for temporary offices. The
strangers in town spent money freely, and all the villagers enjoyed
their presence.
In fact, so much business did these new happenings bring that Jacob
Farnum speedily became sensible of the fact that the villagers looked
upon the Melvilles with decided favor.
"The Melville crowd are at their new enterprise in real and bustling
earnest," remarked Farnum, with an air of uneasiness, to his associate,
the inventor.
"I imagine those people can control millions of dollars, if they need
that much money," hazarded David Pollard.
"Undoubtedly," nodded the boatbuilder "And, though I am seeking for
capital that will come in on terms fair to us, it's mighty uphill work."
This conversation was carried on in young Benson's hearing. Captain
Jack turned to them with a laugh, to say: "Wait and see, though, if the
exhibition before the newspaper correspondents won't take a lot of wind
out of the Melville sails.
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