So they spent the time in eating, and holding a
mutual admiration society meeting. Each decided (between the mouthfuls
of mutton and armadillo) that every other member of the party was just
the nicest person that he or she had ever met, and, as there was no one
there to contradict the obviously erroneous statements, all were
satisfied and content, and drank each other's healths with enthusiasm,
and--whatever else was left. Someone even tried to murmur something
kindly about The Kid. Above all, the Instigator was eulogised, and
rightly, too, for his genial influence helped everything to go well; no
one could have grumbled at the little inconveniences which they had had
to put up with at times, while The Instigator was so cheerful and
anxious for others' comfort and careless of his own through all. His
interest in, and enthusiasm for, his Company know no bounds. Get him to
hold forth, and he will tell you how, in the early days of the Company,
matters were quite different from what they are to-day. The shares stood
then at five shillings each, and the bankers refused to allow an
overdraft of L2,000, and when it became absolutely necessary to have
money he actually made advances out of his own pocket to supply the
requisite funds.
Shortly afterwards matters began to improve, and when he visited the
property in 1900 he was able to send this reassuring message to the
General Meeting:--"I honestly believe the worst is past, and that in
future we shall progress.
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