"I--I haven't," he faltered. "Dear me, no. In fact I--ah--doubt if I am
capable of doing such a thing."
"Well, never mind, you don't have to. What it amounted to was that the
Eagle folks had twelve hundred shares and Raish and Jeth and father had
eleven hundred and fifty together. You see, neither side would let the
other have more'n half, or even quite half, because then whichever had
it could control things. So the remainin' one hundred and fifty shares
was sold around Wellmouth and Trumet. Doctor Powers has a few shares
and Eben Taylor's got some, and so have lots of folks, scattered around
here. You see, all hands were anxious to get in, it looked like a real
good investment.
"'But,' says father--right here in this very room I heard him say it
one night--'it's that one hundred and fifty shares that worry me. If
the Eagle crowd ever COULD buy up those shares they would control, after
all, and freeze us out. Freezin' is their business, anyhow,' he said,
and laughed that big laugh of his. Seems as if I could hear him laugh
now. Ah, hum!... But there, let's get under way again or you'll go to
sleep before the ship makes port. I declare, that was father's word,
too, I'm always quotin' him.... Let me see.... Oh, yes.... When father
said that about the one hundred and fifty shares controllin' Cap'n
Jethro looked at Raish and Raish looked at him.
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