At the end of the second year, when the establishment had grown into quite an important and profitable concern, the Yankee had a visit from an Eastern friend, a man of some capital.
"That"s a stupid-looking fellow, that partner of yours," said this person.
"And he is as stupid as a mule. I have to carry him on my back, and the business, too."
"Why don"t you get rid of him?"
"I"ve been wanting to do so for some time, but haven"t seen my way clear yet."
"Does your partnership expire at any time, by limitation?"
"No. It can only be dissolved by mutual consent."
"Won"t he sell out his interest?"
"I don"t know; but I"ve always intended to make him an offer to give or take, as soon as I could see my way clear to do it."
"Don"t you see your way clear now?"
"No. When such an offer is made, it must be of a sum that it is impossible for him to raise; otherwise, he might agree to give the amount proposed, and I don"t want that. I wish to stick to the business, for it"s going to be a fortune. At present, I am not able to raise what I think should be offered."
"How much is that?"
"About three thousand dollars. I only put in five hundred, two years ago. You can see how the business has increased. The half is worth five thousand in reality, and I would give, rather than take that sum."
"You think your partner can"t raise three thousand dollars?"
"Oh, no; he"s got no friends, and he hasn"t three hundred out of the business."
"How long would you want the sum mentioned?"
"A year or eighteen months."
"I reckon I can supply it," said the friend. "It"s a pity for you to be tied to this old Dutchman, when you can conduct the business just as well yourself."
"A great deal better; he is only in my way."
"Very well. You make him the offer to give or take three thousand dollars, and I will supply the money. But you ought, by all means, to add a stipulation, that whoever goes out shall sign a written agreement not to go into the same business for at least ten years to come. If you don"t do this, he can take his three thousand dollars and start another establishment upon as large a scale as the one you have, and seriously affect your operations."
"Such a stipulation must be signed, of course," remarked Jonathan.
"I"ve always had that in my mind; let me once get this business into my hands, and I"ll make it pay better than it ever has yet. Before ten years roll over my head, if I a"n"t worth forty or fifty thousand dollars, then I don"t know any thing."
"You think it will pay like that?"
"Yes, I know it. I haven"t put out half my strength yet, for I didn"t want to let this Dutchman see what could be made of the business. He"ll catch at three thousand dollars like a trout at a fly; it"s more money than he ever saw in his life."
On the next day, Jonathan told his partner that he wanted to have some talk with him; so they retired into their little private office, to be alone.
"Vat you want?" said the Dutchman, when they were by themselves; for he saw that his partner had something on his mind of graver import than usual.
"I"m tired of a co-partnership business," said the Yankee, coming straight to the main point.
"Vell?" And the Dutchman looked at him without betraying the least surprise.
"Either of us could conduct this business as well as both together."
"Vell?"
"Now, I propose to buy you out or sell you my interest, as you please."
"Vell?"
"What will you give me for my half of the business, and let me go at something else?" The Dutchman shook his head.
"At a word, then, to make the matter as simple as possible, and as fair as possible, I"ll tell you what I"ll give or take."
"Vell?"
"Of course, it would not be fair for the one who goes out to commence the same business. I would not do it. There should be a written agreement to this effect."
"Yes. Vell, vat vill you give or dake?"
"I"ll give or take three thousand dollars; I don"t care which."
"Dree dousand dollar! You give dat?"
"Yes."
"Or take dat?"
"Either."
"You pay down de monish?"
"Cash down."
"Humph! Dree dousand dollar! Me tink about him."
"How long do you want to think?"
"Undil de mornin."
"Very well; we"ll settle the matter to-morrow morning."
In the morning, Jonathan"s friend came with three thousand dollars, in order to pay the Dutchman right down, and have the whole business concluded while the matter was warm.
Meantime, the Dutchman, who was not quite so friendless nor so stupid as the Yankee supposed, turned the matter over in his mind very coolly. He understood Jonathan"s drift as clearly as he understood it himself, and was fully as well satisfied as he was in regard to the future value of the business which he had founded. Two of their largest customers were Germans, and to them he went and made a full statement of his position, and gave them evidence that entirely satisfied them as to the business. Without hesitation, they agreed to advance him the money he wanted, and to enable him to strike while the iron was hot, checked him out the money on the next morning. One of them accompanied him to his manufactory, to be a witness in the transaction.
Jonathan and his friend were first on the spot.