"Rank inlander, Thompson. Rather look at a boat than eat.
Been talking boat, boat, boat to me ever since we left the office."
"Happy to do so," said the merchant-mariner. "You'd better take a
little trip with us, Mr. Thompson--say a run down to Havana. Any
friend of Mr. Mitchell's----"
A young man came tearing across the street at a great rate.
"Mitchell!" he shouted. "Mitchell! Look here!" He thrust a telegram
into Mitchell's hand. "Just reached me by A.D.T. from the Carlton. Let
me have some money, will you? About three thousand. Just got time to
catch the next Pennsylvania train and make connections at Baltimore."
Mitchell spread out the yellow slip and read it aloud. "H'm! 'Ponce de
Leon St Augustine Florida John E Bickford The Carlton New York--Come
at once Father worse Doctor orders to Egypt Jennie.' Why sure, my boy.
Here's what cash I got, and I'll give you a check. Too bad, too bad!
By George, I hope your dad pulls through. What! Blame it, I mean
dammit, I've come off without my checkbook. Got yours, Archie?"
Archie patted his pockets. "No, I haven't. Left it in the office. Got
a couple of hundred cash you're welcome to, though."
The young man looked nervously at his watch. Mitchell turned
hesitatingly toward Thompson. But the Westerner did not wait for an
appeal to his generosity.
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