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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/21963-h.zip b/21963-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b4697d0 --- /dev/null +++ b/21963-h.zip diff --git a/21963-h/21963-h.htm b/21963-h/21963-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3cd28e0 --- /dev/null +++ b/21963-h/21963-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3480 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<title>Halsey & Co.; or, The Young Bankers and Speculators</title> +<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /> +<meta name="generator" content="Sausage Software HotDog Professional 6" /> + +<style type="text/css"> +.chapter {text-align: center; color: navy} +p {text-indent: 30px; text-align: justify} +h2 {text-align: center} +h3 {text-align: center} +hr {width: 50%; text-align: center} +body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%} +</style> +</head> + +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Halsey & Co., by H. K. Shackleford + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Halsey & Co. + or, The Young Bankers and Speculators + +Author: H. K. Shackleford + +Release Date: June 29, 2007 [EBook #21963] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HALSEY & CO. *** + + + + +Produced by Richard Halsey + + + + + +</pre> + +<div style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center"> +<img src="images/cover-pal1215.jpg" width="575" height="817" style="border: none" alt="cover" /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<hr style="width: 100%" /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<img src="images/masthead-pal1215.jpg" width="575" height="96" style="border: none" alt="masthead" /> + +<br /> +<br /> +</div> + +<h2>HALSEY & Co.;<br /> +OR, THE YOUNG BANKERS AND SPECULATORS</h2> + +<p></p> + +<hr /> +<h3>By H. K. SHACKLEFORD</h3> + +<hr style="width: 100%" /> + +<p></p> + +<div class="chapter"> +CHAPTER I.–"I'll Shoot!"</div> + +<p> +Mr. Barron, the rich banker in Broad street, was seated at his desk in +his private office one day when the door was opened by the porter, who +said: +</p><p> +"There's a newsboy out here who says he must see you, sir." +</p><p> +"Go and tell him to let you know what he wants. If it's a situation, +tell him we have none vacant." +</p><p> +The porter went back to the outer office. In a minute or two the door +opened again and the newsboy entered and closed the door behind him. The +banker recognized him as the boy who had brought him the afternoon +papers daily for a year back. +</p><p> +"The bouncer told me to go away, sir," the boy said, doffing his hat as +he spoke, "but I knew my business better than he does. There's a couple +of men putting up a big job on your bank, and I knew if I didn't tell +you about it they'd scoop you for a big pile." +</p><p> +The banker wheeled his chair around so as to face the boy, and laid his +gold glasses on the desk. +</p><p> +"Who are they, and how did you find out about it?" he asked. +</p><p> +"I don't know who they are, but I found it out by overhearing their +talk." +</p><p> +"What is their plan?" +</p><p> +"A forged check." +</p><p> +"Whose name is forged?" +</p><p> +"I don't know, sir. They had a genuine check and were comparing it to +the forged one. They said it was perfect and would be paid if presented +when the cashier was busy." +</p><p> +"Ah! I see. That means a little before three o'clock. Now, my boy, do +you think you could point them out to a detective when they come up to +the cashier's window?" +</p><p> +"Yes, sir." +</p><p> +"Not afraid of them, eh?" +</p><p> +"No, sir. I am not afraid of anybody." +</p><p> +The banker smiled, reached over on his desk and tapped a small bell. The +door opened and a messenger appeared. +</p><p> +"Tell Caruth to come here," the banker said to him. +</p><p> +The messenger disappeared, and a few moments later the bank detective +came in. +</p><p> +"Caruth," said the banker, "this boy tells me he overheard two men +plotting to present a forged check to-day. Take him out there with you +and arrest the man he points out to you. Let the man get the money, +though, so as to make a good case against him." +</p><p> +Caruth looked at the boy and said: +</p><p> +"I know you by sight. What's your name?" +</p><p> +"Fred Halsey." +</p><p> +"Well, go along with him, Fred," the banker said to him. "It may be a +bad business if you make a mistake." +</p><p> +"Come on, Halsey," and the detective led the way out into the public +hall of the bank. +</p><p> +Fred followed him, and the two were soon in a crowd of people, who were +coming and going all the time. Caruth took up a position near the +cashier's window where he could see every man who stopped there. Fred +stood by his side and closely scanned the faces of those who came and +went. +</p><p> +More than an hour passed, and still they stood there on the watch. The +detective was used to it, but Fred had been more active, and he began to +wish the men would come along. Suddenly he nudged Caruth with his +elbow–nudged him good. Caruth leaned over till his face was on a level +with Fred's. +</p><p> +"That's him–the man in the gray ulster." +</p><p> +Caruth looked up and saw a man in a gray ulster and with gold glasses +on. +</p><p> +"Do you see the other one?" he asked. +</p><p> +"No, I don't see him." +</p><p> +"Well, look for him. Sure you have the right man now?" +</p><p> +"Yes. That's one of 'em." +</p><p> +Caruth did not pretend to look at the man in the line. But he kept him +in view all the time. The man finally got up to the window and presented +a check. The cashier looked at the check and then at the endorsement. He +gave the man a hasty glance and then began counting out a large sum of +money, using bills of large denomination to expedite the counting. He +handed out the money and the man gathered it up and was putting it into +his pocket when Caruth laid a hand on his arm and said: +</p><p> +"The president of the bank wants to see you in his private office a few +moments." +</p><p> +Suddenly, and without any warning, the stranger kicked Caruth's feet +from under him, and he fell heavily on the tiled flooring, his head +striking it so hard that he became instantly unconscious. The stranger +made a break for the street entrance. Quick as a flash Fred Halsey +sprang forward in front of him, darted between his legs, and caused him +to fall forward on his face. The man was quick, though, and caught on +his hands. He was on his feet again in an instant. Again Fred darted +between his legs and threw him. This time he rolled completely over and +Fred saw the handle of a revolver protruding from a hip pocket. He +grabbed it, cocked it, and held the muzzle within a foot of the forger's +head, saying: +</p><p> +"I'll shoot!" +</p><p> +The man lay still, glaring at the black muzzle of the weapon like one +confronting a ghost. Mr. Barron heard the noise of the three falls, and +rushed out of the office in time to see Fred aim the revolver at the +head of the forger. +</p><p> +"Arrest that man!" he cried. "He is a forger." +</p><p> +A forger is the one criminal most hated in Wall Street, and as soon as +it was announced that he was one, the stranger was instantly surrounded +and captured. A policeman came in from the street and put the nippers on +him. +</p><p> +"Bring him into my office, officer," said the banker. "He has a lot of +the bank's money in his possession." +</p><p> +The officer took him to the president's room, and Fred followed, with +the pistol still in his hand. He was searched, and the money found in +his pocket. The cashier brought in the check and said he did not believe +it was forged. +</p><p> +"Send for Mr. Manson and see what he says about it," suggested the +banker. +</p><p> +Manson was a rich broker, whose name had been forged to the check. He +was found at his office and came over to the bank immediately. Taking +the check, which was for $10,000, he made a close examination of it. +</p><p> +"I never gave that check to any one," he said. "It is a forgery, but +such a good one that ordinarily I would not be able to detect it +myself." +</p><p> +"I took it in good faith," said the stranger. "Can you swear it was +forged?" +</p><p> +"Yes, for I have given out no check for that amount to-day." +</p><p> +"The date is nothing. Is that your signature?" +</p><p> +"It is very much like it, but I did not write it, nor did I ever give a +check to any such party." +</p><p> +"You will swear to that?" Barron asked him. +</p><p> +"Yes–a thousand times." +</p><p> +"Then I'll take the responsibility of the man's arrest and prosecution. +You may take him away, officer." +</p><p> +The policeman led his prisoner out, and a dozen prominent brokers got +around Barron to congratulate him on the arrest. Barron looked around +and saw Fred standing near the door, still holding the revolver in his +hand. +</p><p> +"Ah! There's the one to whom I am indebted for the arrest," and he went +over to where Fred was standing, extended his hand to him, and added: +</p><p> +"He not only came and gave me warning, but actually made the arrest +himself. Caruth, our detective, was hurt, and the forger would have +escaped but for this boy here," and he, wrung Fred's hand as he spoke. +</p><p> +"That's so," remarked a broker, shaking Fred's hand. "I saw the whole +business myself, but didn't know what it meant. Shake, my dear boy," and +he gave him a hearty handshake. A half dozen others followed, and one +said: +</p><p> +"Here, let's set him up. We want to encourage boys like him," and he +drew a ten-dollar bill from the inside pocket of his vest and laid it on +the desk. "Cover that with as much as you please, gentlemen." +</p><p> +Seven other laid down similar amounts, and Barton remarked; +</p><p> +"Whatever you give, gentlemen, I'll double it." +</p><p> +"Very good," said another, putting down a ten. "We'll all chip in." +</p><p> +The sum of $130 was laid on the desk while Fred stood there looking on, +with his heart way up in his throat. +</p><p> +"Now, Fred Halsey," the banker said to the newsboy. "I am going to +double this sum, giving you two hundred and sixty dollars. What are you +going to do with so much money?" +</p><p> +"Set up a bank of my own," was the prompt reply at which the banker and +the brokers broke into a roar of laughter. +</p><p> +"Gimme ten dollars," Fred said, "and keep the rest in the bank for me." +</p><p> +"Very well; here's the ten," and Fred took the bill and went out on the +street, feeling richer than ever before in his life. +</p> + +<p></p> +<hr /> + +<p></p> + +<div class="chapter"> +CHAPTER II.–Halsey & Company.</div> + +<p> +Fred Halsey was a sturdy youth of sixteen whose father had died when he +was but ten years old. He was a manly little fellow who knew how to take +care of himself in his career of newsboy. He had laughing blue eyes and +a handsome face, while his mouth showed that he possessed a dauntless +spirit. His mother died long before his father did, and he and his +little sister lived with an aunt–his mother's sister–who was a +childless widow. She was a mother to him and Adah, who was two years +younger than Fred, a pretty blue-eyed little miss with golden hair and +pearly teeth. +</p><p> +She did washing, and Fred sold papers, while Adah was a cash girl in one +of the big stores on Grand street. Even then it was but a poor living +for them in the great city, where grasping landlords demanded rent money +with the regularity of the almanac. When Fred Halsey went out of the +bank with ten dollars in his pocket and $250 more in the bank behind +him, he had a feeling in his heart he never had there before. The whole +world seemed opened to him. Rich bankers and brokers had shaken hands +with him and praised him for what he had done. +</p><p> +"And I'm rich now myself," he said to himself, as he darted up toward +Broadway. "Whew! I'm rich! I'm rich!" +</p><p> +"Hello, Fred!" +</p><p> +"Hello, Bob! Where are you going?" +</p><p> +"Up to the telegraph office." +</p><p> +"I'm going that way, too," and he went along with Bob Newcombe, a +messenger boy in Broker Manson's office, who was his chum and friend, +and about the same age as himself. +</p><p> +"Sold all your papers?" Bob asked. +</p><p> +"Yes, all I am going to sell to-day," +</p><p> +"Made enough to stop on, eh?" +</p><p> +"Yes." +</p><p> +Bob laughed and remarked: +</p><p> +"If I had a hundred dollars I could make three hundred in a week." +</p><p> +Fred started. +</p><p> +"How?" he asked. +</p><p> +"Big deal going on in the Stock Exchange. Heard 'em fixing it up in the +office this morning." +</p><p> +"What is it?" +</p><p> +"Corner in B. & H." +</p><p> +Fred had been selling papers in Wall Street long enough to be familiar +with all the terms used by brokers and bankers. He knew all about "puts" +and "calls," "bulls" and "bears," and had read eagerly the stories of +fortunes won or lost in the mad whirl of speculation down there. +</p><p> +"Sure you could make it, Bob?" he finally asked of the messenger boy. +</p><p> +"Of course I am. I've seen it done many a time. When three or four big +brokers club together to boom a stock it booms, and then the lambs lose +their fleece." +</p><p> +"But wouldn't you be a lamb and lose your fleece, too?" +</p><p> +"No. I wouldn't buy when it had boomed. I'd buy before and sell when it +went up." +</p><p> +They entered the telegraph office, and Bob sent off the message he had +brought, after which they went out on the street again. +</p><p> +"What's B. & H. going at now?" Fred asked. +</p><p> +"It's going at forty-seven. It will be up to fifty to-morrow when the +Stock Exchange closes." +</p><p> +"How do you know that?" +</p><p> +"Mr. Manson is going to buy up all the stock. He has millions behind +him. The stock will go up, up, up, till it topples over on the lambs. +Oh, I've seen it done a dozen times. If I had one hundred dollars, I'd +put it up on ten percent margin–every dollar of it–and scoop in three +hundred dollars inside of a week." +</p><p> +"Say, Bob, I've got the 'scads.'" +</p><p> +"Eh! Huh?" and Bob stopped and stared at him. +</p><p> +"I've got the 'chink,' the 'rhino,' the hundred dollars," and Fred told +him the story of what had taken place in the bank but a short half hour +before. +</p><p> +Bob was staggered. +</p><p> +"Git a hundred quick, Fred. Mr. Tabor will buy on a margin for us." +</p><p> +"Come on. I'll do it," and Fred hurried back to the bank and sent word +in to Mr. Barron that he wanted $100 more of his money. +</p><p> +It was sent out to him, and he and Bob ran round to Broker Tabor's +office. It lacked but ten minutes of three o'clock. +</p><p> +"Mr. Tabor, will you buy on a margin for us?" Bob asked the broker. +</p><p> +"Hello, Halsey!" exclaimed the broker, on seeing Fred. +</p><p> +"Hello, sir," returned Fred, seeing he was one of the brokers who had +given him the money in Barron's office. +</p><p> +"Yes. What is it you want bought?" the broker asked Bob. +</p><p> +"B. & H., sir." +</p><p> +"All right; where's your money?" +</p><p> +"Here it is," said Fred, handing him the money. +</p><p> +"Going into business, eh?" +</p><p> +"Yes, sir." +</p><p> +"Well, what name shall I use?" and Tabor took up his pen to write a +receipt for the money. +</p><p> +"Halsey & Co.," said Bob. "I don't know whether Mr. Manson would like to +have me do such a thing, so put it that way. It's Fred's money, too." +</p><p> +The broker laughed, wrote the receipt, and handed it to Fred, with the +remark: +</p><p> +"You will soon learn how easy it is to lose money in Wall Street." +</p><p> +"When a man loses, somebody wins," Fred replied, and Tabor never forgot +the remark, for he had reason to remember it ere he was a year older. +The two boys went out and Bob said, when they reached the sidewalk: +</p><p> +"I've got to go back to the office, but won't have to stay long as it is +nearly three o'clock. Come along and wait for me." +</p><p> +Fred went with him and waited downstairs at the street entrance for him +while he was standing there. Manson, whose name had been forged to the +check which Fred had been instrumental in stopping, came down the +stairs, accompanied by a tall, white-haired old man. +</p><p> +"Ah! There's the boy now, general," said Manson, on seeing Fred. "He +threw the villain twice and then held him with the revolver till others +secured him." +</p><p> +"Well, really, my lad," said the general, extending his hand to Fred. "I +honor courage wherever I find it. Shake hands with me. I am glad to know +you." +</p><p> +Fred shook hands with the old man without uttering a word, the meeting +taking him quite by surprise. Just as he was going to speak several +brokers came up and shook hands with the general, and he was forgotten. +In a little while Bob came down, and the two went away together. +</p><p> +"See here, Fred," Bob said, "we must not say a word about this thing. I +got the tip in the office, you know." +</p><p> +"Yes, I know." +</p><p> +"At 47 one thousand will get 21 shares." Bob continued. "Par value is +100. They will try to run it in to that; if they do, we'll make more +than $300." +</p><p> +"But if it goes backwards or down instead of up, we won't know what hit +us," remarked Fred. +</p><p> +"That's true. But it's going up," said Bob, with a good deal of +emphasis. "I have seen it done before, and know just how it works." +</p><p> +They walked up to Broadway and turned toward the City Hall. All the +newsboys knew them, and, as a late edition of the afternoon papers had +an account of the arrest of the forger, in which Fred's name was +mentioned, some of the boys ran to him to ask him about it. The account +said nothing about the money that had been given Fred, so he felt +relieved. Of course he had to stop and tell them about it. While he was +doing so a man came by and asked: +</p><p> +"Do any of you know a newsboy named Fred Halsey?" +</p><p> +"Yes, I do," replied Fred very promptly, ere any of the others could do +so. +</p><p> +"Where can I find him?" +</p><p> +"Oh, he's around somewhere, He never stops long in one place," and he +winked at the boys as he spoke. +</p><p> +They all understood at once that Fred did not wish them to give him +away, and not one would have done so under any circumstances. +</p><p> +"I'd like to give one of you a dollar to find him and point him out to +me." +</p><p> +"Show us your dollar and I'll tell you how to find him yourself," said +Fred. +</p><p> +"Here's your money," and the man handed him a dollar bill. Fred took it +and said: +</p><p> +"That cop over there by the Astor House corner is his dad. Just go over +there and stand there a while and you'll see him come up to the old man. +He meets him there about this time every day." +</p><p> +The man, who seemed to be in earnest, seemed half inclined to doubt what +Fred had told him. +</p><p> +"Is that so, boys?" he asked, appealing to the boys. +</p><p> +"Yes!" the entire crowd sung out. +</p><p> +He turned away and walked over to the Astor House corner. +</p><p> +"What's yer givin' 'im, Fred?" one of the boys asked. +</p><p> +"Whist!" half whispered Fred. "He's a pal of that forger and is looking +for me to do me up. Come on and we'll eat up this dollar," and he led +the way to a fruit stand up beyond the City Hall, where he spent the +money the man had given him for bananas for the boys. +</p><p> +"Well, that was the slickest thing I ever saw done," said Bob. "Why +don't you have him arrested and sent to join the other fellow?" +</p><p> +"Got no proof on him." +</p><p> +"You said he was his pal." +</p><p> +"Yes, but I couldn't prove it, only my word for it, that's all. He wants +to lay me out for giving the snap away." +</p><p> +"How do you know he does?" +</p><p> +"Do you think he wants to thank me, give me a new suit of clothes and +invite me to dine with him at Del's?" and Fred gave the least tinge of a +sneer to his tones as he spoke. +</p><p> +"Well, hardly," Bob replied, laughing good-naturedly. "It is well enough +to know what the fellow wants, though." +</p><p> +Fred did not reply, and Bob added: +</p><p> +"He'll find you out, anyway." +</p><p> +"Yes, so he will. Better go back and see what he wants. I'll go with +you. He can't do us both up." +</p><p> +"Come on. Let's go and see if he is there," and the two young friends +turned and made their way back to the Astor House where they had sent +him. +</p> + +<p></p> +<hr /> + +<p></p> + +<div class="chapter"> +CHAPTER III.–The Thief in the Stock Exchange.</div> + +<p> +When the two boys arrived at the Astor House corner, they failed to find +the man there. While looking around for him he came up to Fred, laid a +hand on his shoulder and said: +</p><p> +"It was a neat little game you played on me. Where does the laugh come +in?" +</p><p> +Fred laughed and asked: +</p><p> +"Where were you born?" +</p><p> +"Right here in New York." +</p><p> +"Must have got lost then. What do you want of me?" +</p><p> +"I am a detective and have been on the tracks of a band of forgers for +months. I see in the papers that you helped bag one of them to-day. You +gave warning to the bank. That's what I want to see you about. There is +a big reward up for the arrest of the gang. If you can give me any +information that may lead to the arrest of any of them you can have one +half the reward." +</p><p> +"Not much I won't," Fred replied, shaking his head. "I can arrest the +whole gang myself and get all the reward." +</p><p> +"That's all nonsense. You can't arrest any man. You're but a boy yet." +</p><p> +"Yes, that's so. But I got one of 'em to-day. I could call that cop over +here now and get another but I am not ready for you yet." +</p><p> +"What do you mean?' the man asked, turning pale with a frightened look +in his eyes. +</p><p> +"I mean I am on to you." +</p><p> +"How on to me?" +</p><p> +"Oh, you make me tired. I got your pal to-day. Look out I don't get you +to-morrow." +</p><p> +The look of amazement on the man's face was a picture. Fred looked up at +him and laughed. Then he turned away and went over across the street, as +if to speak to the policeman there. The man hurried across Broadway, and +was lost in the crowd surging along Park Row. +</p><p> +"That was a good scare you gave him, Fred," Bob said, as they walked on +up the street. +</p><p> +"Yes. I knew it would be. I wouldn't tell him how I got onto his game. +That's what he wanted to find out." +</p><p> +"You have got to look out for him after this." +</p><p> +"I am going to do that." +</p><p> +They went up Broadway to Grand street, and then turned toward the +Bowery. Both lived on the east side, above Grand street, in the densely +populated districts where rents were cheap and everybody poor. Adah had +not come in from the store. His aunt was very tired from the labor of a +hard day's wash, and therefore not in the best of humor. +</p><p> +"What brought you home so soon?" she asked, looking at him. +</p><p> +"Just to make you stop work. You are killing yourself, aunt." +</p><p> +"Would you tell me which is the best way to die–of hard work or +starvation?" she asked. +</p><p> +"Oh, we are not going to die for a long time yet. You'll marry again, +and we'll all be rich." +</p><p> +She straightened herself up by the side of the tub and glared at him. +</p><p> +"What's the matter with you, Freddie?" she asked. "Are you sick, child?" +</p><p> +Fred laughed and said: +</p><p> +"Not sick, but tired." +</p><p> +"Well, so am I, and all poor people, as for that matter. Did you give up +selling papers and come home to rest?" +</p><p> +"No, aunt. I came home to give you a rest. Just look at the color of +that, and tell me what you think of it," and as he spoke he laid a +ten-dollar bill on the corner of a little table near where she stood. +</p><p> +She glanced at the bill and almost gasped out: +</p><p> +"Ten dollars! Fred Halsey, where did you get that money?" +</p><p> +"Downtown, aunt. Does it relieve that tired feeling to look at it?" +</p><p> +"Whose is it? Why don't you tell me about it?" +</p><p> +"It's yours, every cent of it, and I've got fifteen more bills of that +size in the bank." +</p><p> +The good woman dropped down into a chair and glared at her nephew. Fred +went to her, put his arms about her neck, kissed her and said: +</p><p> +"I've had good luck to-day, aunt. Just read that and you will understand +it all," and he gave her a copy of an afternoon paper in which was the +story of the capture of the forger in Barron's bank. +</p><p> +"And they gave you this money for what you did?" she exclaimed, when she +had finished reading it. +</p><p> +"Yes. They just chipped in and gave me a pile of money. I left all in +the bank but this, which I wanted to give to you. And you can have every +cent of the rest whenever you want it–you and sister." +</p><p> +"Oh, you dear, good boy!" she exclaimed, her eyes filling with tears as +she caught him in her arms. "I knew you would always be good to me." +</p><p> +"You've been a mother to us, aunt, and I'll never go back on my mother!" +</p><p> +Adah came home from the store tired and hungry. At supper her aunt told +her of Fred's adventure and good fortune. She sprang up and danced +around the room in her joy and then kissed him a half dozen times. +</p><p> +It did seem like an enormous sum to her a girl of but fourteen summers. +</p><p> +"What are you going to do with it, Fred?" she finally asked. +</p><p> +"Give it to aunt and to use for you and herself." +</p><p> +They all had pleasant dreams that night. Fred dreamed of the big fortune +made in Wall Street; and Adah dreamed that she was no longer a cash girl +in a big store, but wore fine dresses and rode in a carriage. The next +morning, however, Fred ate early and hurried off downtown to sell +papers, and Adah was at the store at her usual hour. Fred delivered to +all his Wall Street patrons and then sold on the street to passersby all +the morning. He was all around the Stock Exchange, for there he found +the most customers. Inside the Stock Exchange he heard the brokers +yelling like so many lunatics. That was so often the case, however, that +he gave it little thought. But soon he saw Bob Newcombe, Manson's +messenger, come out in a great hurry and dart off down the street. +</p><p> +"Guess Manson is busy inside," he said to himself as he kept his eyes +open for customers. +</p><p> +In a few moments Bob came running back. He ran up against Fred. +</p><p> +"Just go up in the gallery and see how B. & H. is climbing up, Fred," he +said to him. +</p><p> +"How much has it gone up, Bob?" Fred asked him. +</p><p> +"Five points, and that means $100 for us," Bob replied. +</p><p> +"Whew!" and Fred whistled. +</p><p> +Bob dashed into the Exchange by way of the side entrance on New street +and disappeared from view. +</p><p> +"Guess I'll go up in the gallery and look on a while," Fred said to +himself. "Here, Mugsey, you can have my papers," and he turned over +about one dozen papers to an ugly little newsboy whom the others called +Mugsey. +</p><p> +The little fellow was astonished. +</p><p> +"Do yer give 'em ter me, Fred?" he asked before taking them. +</p><p> +"Yes. I'm done for the day." +</p><p> +Fred found quite a crowd of people up in the gallery, and among them a +party of ladies from out of town. They were sightseeing. But there was +nothing new to him up there. He wanted to see Broker Manson and watch +the rise of B. & H. stock. It took him some time to find Manson in the +moving mass of yelling brokers on the floor below. But he finally found +him, and for half an hour never took his eyes off of him. He heard him +offering fifty-three and finally fifty-four for B. & H. It has thus gone +up seven points since the day before. +</p><p> +"Bob was right," he said. "He knew what he was about. B. & H. is +climbing right up to the top. Hanged if I don't put in another hundred!" +and he ran down and out into the street like a young lunatic. In five +minutes he had put up another hundred dollars with Broker Tabor for +Halsey & Company to buy more B. & H. stock on margin. The stock was +bought immediately at 54 1/2-eighteen shares. +</p><p> +That done, Fred returned to the Exchange and watched proceedings from +the gallery. He kept his eyes on Broker Manson. The big broker was +buying the stock at a tremendous rate, all that was offered him. People +were coming and going all the time. Fred finally turned to look at a +young girl whose voice sounded like music in his ears. She was close by +his side. She was accompanied by an elderly couple, evidently her +parents. He thought her very beautiful and that she had the most musical +voice he had ever heard. +</p><p> +She changed positions several times as though looking for somebody on +the floor below. He noticed a tall, well-dressed man keeping close +behind her, peering over her shoulder at the crowd below. Something in +his movements caused Fred to look at him the second time, and to his +amazement he saw him pick the pockets of both the ladies. The thief then +started to leave, but Fred grabbed his coat-tail, saying: +</p><p> +"Here, I saw that little game. It won't go. Ladies, this man has got +your pocketbooks." +</p><p> +Quick as a flash the thief grabbed him and lifted him above his head. +Fred saw he was going to be hurled headlong among the brokers below, and +to save himself seized his assailant's coat collar. The two ladies +screamed, and the next moment Fred and the pickpocket fell over the +gallery and went down in a heap on the yelling brokers below. +</p> + +<p></p> +<hr /> + +<p></p> + +<div class="chapter"> +CHAPTER IV.–Fred's First Entrance to the Exchange and Its Results.</div> + +<p> +The screams of the ladies caused every broker to look up from the floor +of the Stock Exchange. Like a flash they saw a man and boy come tumbling +down upon them from the gallery. There was a party of four brokers +grouped together immediately under them, and, as a matter of +gravitation, they landed on top of them–on their heads and shoulders. +Hats were crushed and a confused mass of humanity scrambled about on the +floor. The yelling ceased when the shrill screams from the gallery were +heard, and brokers ran forward to help those who had fallen. The +pickpocket struck out desperately, trying to shake off Fred. In doing so +he hit Broker Bryant in the face. Bryant was a hard hitter himself, and +instantly returned the blow–a half dozen or more. +</p><p> +"Blast you, take that!" he hissed, and he gave him lightning-like blows +till he sank down on the floor unconscious. +</p><p> +"Won't somebody hold him?" Fred cried out. "He's a pickpocket!" +</p><p> +"Who is he?" somebody asked Bryant. +</p><p> +"I don't know and don't care," was the blunt reply. "He hit me in the +face after tumbling down on my head." +</p><p> +By this time the policeman on duty at the Stock Exchange pushed his way +through the crowd of brokers and called out: +</p><p> +"What is it? What's the trouble here?" and he looked at the pickpocket, +who was slowly pulling himself together. +</p><p> +"This man is a pickpocket," said Fred. "He took those ladies' purses up +there, and when I caught him at it he tried to throw me over the +gallery. He did throw me, but I brought him down with me." +</p><p> +"Good–good!" cried a broker. "Three cheers for the kid!" +</p><p> +The brokers cheered and then laughed. +</p><p> +"I am no pickpocket," exclaimed the thief, as soon as he saw the officer +had him. "The boy lies. I merely—" +</p><p> +"Officer, search him!" cried the elder of the two ladies up in the +gallery. "He has my purse and that of my daughter." +</p><p> +"Yes, search him! Search him!" called out a dozen at once. +</p><p> +Brokers held him and the officer searched him. He found the two purses +or pocketbooks in his pockets. +</p><p> +"That one is mine!" cried the elderly woman. +</p><p> +"What does it contain, madam?" the officer asked. +</p><p> +"Money and two diamond rings. You can open it and see for yourself." +</p><p> +It was opened and her claim verified. +</p><p> +"Madam, you will have to appear against this man," said the officer, +looking up at the elderly lady, and he led the prisoner out of the Stock +Exchange and into one of the many offices of the building. +</p><p> +The lady, accompanied by her husband and daughter, appeared in the room +and claimed her property. The young girl, who seemed to be about sixteen +years old, turned to Fred and said: +</p><p> +"We are indebted to you for recovering our purses. I hope you were not +hurt by the fall?" +</p><p> +"Only a little bit," he replied. +</p><p> +"I'm so sorry!" +</p><p> +"Oh, it's nothing," and he laughed. "It was fun to jerk him over with +me." +</p><p> +Then she laughed, too, and Fred thought hers the sweetest face he had +ever seen in all his life. +</p><p> +"What is your name?" she asked him. +</p><p> +"Fred Halsey." +</p><p> +"My name is Eva Gaines. I want to remember your name, for I never had +such a fright in all my life." +</p><p> +"I'll be sure to remember yours," Fred remarked. +</p><p> +"Why will you? Because you were hurt?" +</p><p> +Fred looked around and saw that everybody also in the room was listening +to the claiming of the two purses, so he went close up to her and said +in a half whisper: +</p><p> +"Because you are the most beautiful girl I ever saw." +</p><p> +"Oh, my!" and her face flushed and eyes sparkled. +</p><p> +Young as she was, she was woman enough to know that it was honest +admiration on the part of the youth. Fred seemed half frightened over +what he had said and drew back. But she gave him a look and a smile that +told him plainly he had not offended. He was going to say more to her, +but at that moment her father turned to her, saying: +</p><p> +"Here, daughter, your purse is yours again," and he held it out to her. +</p><p> +She took it, opened it quickly and glanced at its contents. +</p><p> +"Young man," said Mr. Gaines, turning to Fred, "you've got the right +stuff in you," and he extended his hand, which Fred grasped and shook. +"I won't forget you. I have a brother who is a member of the Stock +Exchange, and I want send your name to him. What is it?" +</p><p> +"I have his name, father," said the young girl. +</p><p> +"Ah, very well, then," and he gave Fred's hand another shake and turned +away. +</p><p> +But he left a $20 gold coin in it, which Fred's fingers closed over very +promptly. The next moment they were gone. Fred put the goldpiece in his +pocket, while the thought flashed through his mind that the young girl +was all gold herself. The officer took his name and address as a +witness, and then led his prisoner away to the police station. Just as +he was leaving the room a broker called out to Fred: +</p><p> +"That man will never forgive you for his arrest. He will set some +friends of his after you, so you had better be on your guard." +</p><p> +"I'm on my guard all the time, sir," Fred replied. +</p><p> +"What is your name?" +</p><p> +"Fred Halsey." +</p><p> +The broker wrote the name on his cuff and then went out of the room. +Fred thought nothing of the incident, and went out a moment or two later +himself, going to the street, hoping to see Bob and find out how B. & H. +was doing. Out on the street he found that nobody had heard of the +pickpocket's arrest in the Exchange building. +</p><p> +"I am $20 in on that racket, anyhow," he said to himself as he walked +around to the side entrance of the Exchange. "I would like to do as well +every day in the year. Lord, but she is a beauty!" +</p><p> +He was thinking of the girl. Somebody ran into him and the two came near +going down in a heap together. +</p><p> +"Hello, Fred! I'm in a hurry!" exclaimed the other. +</p><p> +It was Bob! +</p><p> +"Well, don't you know me well enough not to try to run over or through +me? You can save time by running around me every time." +</p><p> +But Bob was off like a flash, and Fred judged by that B. & H. was +humming, for Manson was booming it and Bob was his messenger. Seeing two +brokers talking near the New street entrance, Fred went over near enough +to hear one say: +</p><p> +"It will go to 70 to-morrow and somebody will be burnt." +</p><p> +"Yes, I think so, too," +</p><p> +The Exchange closed for the day, and Fred went around to meet Bob again. +He met Manson at the foot of the stairs, his face flushed from the +excitement of his tremendous battle in the Exchange. +</p><p> +"Ah!" the big broker exclaimed. "I see you caught another thief to-day. +Why don't you turn detective? It seems to be your forte." +</p><p> +"I'd rather be a broker, sir," Fred replied. +</p><p> +"A broker, eh?" and Manson looked him full in the eyes. "Think you have +nerve enough for that?" +</p><p> +"Yes, sir. I've got nerve enough. It's money I want." +</p><p> +Manson laughed and shook his head. +</p><p> +"We all want money. That's what we are here for. But there are more +losers than winners." +</p><p> +"What one man loses another one wins," said Fred. +</p><p> +"Of course, but one man sometimes wins from a thousand at one turn, so +you see there are always more losers than winners," and the big broker +went on up to his office, leaving Fred at the foot of the stairs waiting +for Bob. +</p><p> +He was quietly waiting there and watching people come and go when he was +startled by a cry above. He glanced up and saw some one falling from the +upper floor and sprang aside just in time to escape being crushed. It +was a messenger boy from Broker Tracey's office. +</p><p> +"Oh, Lord!" gasped Fred. "He must be killed!" and he sprang forward to +pick him up. +</p><p> +The boy was unconscious. Instantly a dozen brokers were on hand to +render aid. Broker Tracey came running down to see about him and get the +telegram the boy was sent out with. Bob came hurrying down too. +</p><p> +"This is too bad," said Tracey. "I am sorry. He is a good messenger. +Janitor! Janitor!" +</p><p> +The janitor came and by that time the boy had recovered consciousness. +He groaned in agony. The physician, whose office was in the building, +examined him. +</p><p> +"Left arm and leg broken," he said. +</p><p> +"Lord, but I am sorry. Doctor, take charge of him, see him through and +send your bill to me. Tom, my boy, your pay shall go on just the same. +See if anything is wanted, janitor, and get it for him. Where is the +telegram, Tom?" +</p><p> +"In my pocket, sir," said Tom, white as a sheet. +</p><p> +It was found and given to the broker, who turned to Bob and said: +</p><p> +"Please send that off for me, Bob, and if you know of a boy who can make +a good messenger send him to me in the morning." +</p><p> +"Hello, Fred! This is the place for you!" and Bob grabbed Fred by the +arm and forced him around in front of Tracey. "Here's the one you want, +sir–Fred Halsey." +</p><p> +"All right; come here to-morrow morning." +</p><p> +So the next morning Fred went to Tracey's office and was engaged as +messenger. During the day B. & H. went to 87 and Fred as soon as he was +sent on an errand stopped in at the bank and bad his shares sold for +Halsey & Co. +</p><p> +Bob was getting $6 a week as messenger for Tracey and it pleased his +aunt greatly. The next day Tabor gave Bob a statement for Halsey & Co., +showing a net profit of over $1,200, which he placed to their credit. +Fred and Bob were standing under the gallery of the Stock Exchange in +the place allotted to messengers, when Broker Keeley gave a howl and +sprang at the throat of Broker Gaines. They fell to the floor. The old +man turned his eyes toward Fred. They seemed to pop out of his head for +the maniac was choking him. +</p><p> +"I can't stand that!" cried Fred, and the next moment both his hands +were in Broker Keeley's hair. He let go the old man's throat, and a +dozen brokers ran in to separate them and quell the row. +</p><p> +Next day Fred said to Bob: "I met Gaines's typewriter just now and she +said Mr. Gaines had not been to the office since his row with Broker +Keeley. The clerk who is running the office insulted her and she wants +to leave." +</p><p> +"By George!" answered Bob, "Bryant's girl has just asked me to find a +place for her. What did you tell Callie?" +</p><p> +"I told her I would look out for her, and I will." +</p><p> +During the day Fred got a place for Callie with Broker Tabor, and Bob +secured a temporary place for Bertie Clayton in old Broker Bowles's +office. +</p><p> +The day after the two boys met the girls in a restaurant, and Callie +told Fred of a tip she had come across. It was Pacific Mail, and it was +going to be cornered. +</p> + +<p></p> +<hr /> + +<p></p> + +<div class="chapter"> +CHAPTER V.–The Typewriter Girl's Tip.</div> + +<p> +Fred and Bob came away from the restaurant with the two girls, going +toward Wall Street. Fred asked Callie several questions about the deal +she had mentioned. +</p><p> +"I'll make a note of what I can find out," she said to him, "and let you +know after 3 o'clock." +</p><p> +"But be careful and let no one else know it," he replied. +</p><p> +"Oh, I can keep a secret even if I am a girl," and she left him on the +corner of Nassau and Wall to go to the bank. +</p><p> +Fred clutched Bob's arm when the two girls were gone, and said: +</p><p> +"Callie says a big corner in Pacific Mail is being made up in Barron's +office." +</p><p> +"By George! Is it straight, do you think?" +</p><p> +"Yes. She says she'll make notes and give 'em to me. She let it out by +saying if she had any money laid up she could make a pile out of Pacific +Mail. I soon got the whole thing out of her." +</p><p> +"When will you see her again?" +</p><p> +"After three o'clock." +</p><p> +It was a little after three o'clock when Fred saw her come out of the +bank. He went to meet her, and she said to him: +</p><p> +"Bryant is going to do the buying–begins to-morrow. You won't tell any +one that I told you?" +</p><p> +"No; that would never do." +</p><p> +She lived over on the west side, and had a widowed mother and little +brother to support. He walked nearly all the way home with her. Bob went +uptown with Gertie Clayton, and did not see Fred again till the next +morning. +</p><p> +"I am going to buy Pacific Mail, Bob," Fred said to him. +</p><p> +"Go ahead then–for Halsey & Company–the whole pile." +</p><p> +Pacific Mail was going that morning at 52. Fred went to Tabor and asked +him to buy Pacific Mail on 10 per cent margin. Tabor gave a start, +looked keenly at him for a moment, and then asked: +</p><p> +"Why do you buy that stock?" +</p><p> +"I heard a man tell another one it was safe to try it." +</p><p> +"Give me his name." +</p><p> +"No, sir. Will you buy it for me?" +</p><p> +"I'd rather not do it," and he shook his head. +</p><p> +"Oh! Then I'll try somebody else," and Fred went away with a check for +$1,200 in his pocket. +</p><p> +He went over to Bowles' office, and arranged with the old man to buy for +him 230 shares at 52. The old broker had the shares bought inside of ten +minutes. By twelve o'clock Fred saw Bryant buying all that he could get +hold of, but there were thousands and thousands of shares on the market, +and he had bought 10,000 ere there was any signs of life in the deal. +Then it began slowly to advance. It closed with an advance of one point +on the first day. But the next day saw it go up three points, and the +brokers in the Exchange began to hustle. It was an immense concern and +the shares were in every broker's hands. But Bryant gathered them in by +the thousand at a time. On the third day it was up to sixty, and Fred +met Callie at lunch to tell her she had got the thing down fine. +</p><p> +"Oh, if I only had some money to put up!" she said. +</p><p> +"You have got ten per cent interest in my little pile," he said to her. +</p><p> +"What! Just for the tip?" +</p><p> +"Yes." +</p><p> +"Oh, my! I could give you tips almost every day." +</p><p> +"Wall Street is always full of tips," and he laughed. "Such a thing as +this, though, comes but once or twice a year." +</p><p> +"B. & H. was a big thing for some of the brokers," she replied. +</p><p> +"Yes, and a very bad one for a number of them, too." +</p><p> +"Do you know, I think Mr. Gaines was badly squeezed in that deal?" +</p><p> +"Ah! I saw him nearly choked to death by that fellow who lost his head. +If I had not interfered he'd have been killed." +</p><p> +"Oh, was it you?" and she opened wide her blue eyes. +</p><p> +"Yes–why?" +</p><p> +"Why, he has sent down to the office instructing the clerks to try to +find out who it was. His niece, Miss Eva Gaines, called at the office +and spoke to me about it." +</p><p> +Fred opened his eyes in astonishment. +</p><p> +"She is such a sweet girl," added Callie, "I promised to let her know if +I ever found out who it was. Why, he might give you a gold watch or +something. Who knows?" and she laughed merrily as she told him the +story. +</p><p> +"Well, I am surprised," was all he could say. +</p><p> +"What shall I say to her when I see her or write to her?" Callie asked +him. +</p><p> +"Tell her what you please." +</p><p> +They left the little restaurant together and did not meet again till the +same hour the next day. Then Pacific Mail was going at 66 and the +brokers were again in a furor. Coming so soon after the panic caused by +the corner in B. & H. shares, it caused a general interest throughout +the city. +</p><p> +"I wrote to Miss Gaines yesterday," Callie said to him, "and told her +that you–Fred Halsey–was the one who had saved her uncle's life in the +Stock Exchange, and you may expect a sweet-scented note of thanks from +her at any moment." +</p><p> +On returning home from lunch Fred found the excitement in the Exchange +greater than ever, the shares had bounded up to 72. He went to the +office and found Tracey out. +</p><p> +"He is around at the Exchange," the head bookkeeper said to him. "Go and +report to him at once." +</p><p> +Tracey was howling like the rest of them when Fred touched him on the +arm and said: +</p><p> +"I am ready for duty, sir." +</p><p> +"Ah! Find Manson and bring him to me–quick!" +</p><p> +He looked about among the brokers, but failed to find him. Meeting Bob, +he told him Tracey wanted to see Manson. +</p><p> +"He is in his office," Bob replied. +</p><p> +"I'll go after him then," and he darted out of the side door of the +Exchange and hurried around to Manson's office. +</p><p> +"Mr. Manson," he said, "Mr. Tracey told me to bring you to him at once." +</p><p> +"When did he tell you?" +</p><p> +"Just two minutes ago in the Stock Exchange." +</p><p> +Manson arose, put on his hat and went out. Fred followed him, and both +were soon in the midst of the frantic mob of brokers again. Bryant was +the coolest man in the whole crowd. He knew what he was there for and +kept taking all the shares that were offered him. Fred saw Manson and +Tracey meet and go under the gallery for a few moments' consultation. He +kept an eye on them, for he was not sure of their connection with the P. +M. combine. By and by they went out and he followed. In the crowd on the +street he lost sight of them. Then he went back to the office and told +the head clerk. +</p><p> +"Wait here and see if he returns," said the clerk, and he did so. +</p><p> +The broker came back a few minutes before the Exchange closed and sent +Fred to the bank with a big check to deposit. After depositing the check +he turned to look into the president's room. Barron was out, but he saw +through the glass door that Callie was idle. She caught his eye and came +out to speak to him. +</p><p> +"Any news?" he asked. +</p><p> +"No. Mr. Barron told a man just now that he thought P. M. would go to +par to-morrow." +</p><p> +"Then I won't sell to-day." +</p><p> +"Why, no, wait till to-morrow. How much did you put up, Fred?" +</p><p> +"Oh, I had to buy on a margin," he replied. +</p><p> +"Of course. I didn't expect you to do otherwise. Did you put up as much +as fifty dollars?" +</p><p> +"Yes, more," he replied. +</p><p> +"Oh, my!" she exclaimed. "That would get nearly ten shares on ten per +cent, margin. You promised me ten per cent, for the tip, mind you." +</p><p> +"Yes, and you shall have it," he replied, "but don't say a word or you'd +be discharged." +</p><p> +"Oh, I can hold my tongue when I want to," and she turned and went back +into the office. +</p> + +<p></p> +<hr /> + +<p></p> + +<div class="chapter"> +CHAPTER VI.–Broker Bryant's Mistake.</div> + +<p> +When Fred returned to the office the Exchange had closed for the day. +Pacific Mail closed at 76. Bob met him at the foot of the stairs, +grasped his hand and said: +</p><p> +"We've struck it rich, Fred!" +</p><p> +"Yes, but you want to keep mum." +</p><p> +"Of course." +</p><p> +They went home and spent the evening together making calculations. Adah +wanted to know why they were making such a lot of figures, and Bob said +to her: +</p><p> +"Wall Street men have to do a good deal of figuring." +</p><p> +"Yes, so I've heard, but I didn't know the boys did." +</p><p> +Fred laughed, nudged Bob and remarked: +</p><p> +"That's one on you, old man!" +</p><p> +The next day they found that the shares opened at 79–two hours later +they were going at 82. +</p><p> +"I'm going to sell, Bob," said Fred. "It's getting dangerous." +</p><p> +"It may go up to 100." +</p><p> +"We had better stand from under," said Fred, shaking his head. +</p><p> +"Well, let her go." +</p><p> +Fred hastened to Bowles' office and told him to sell. In five minutes it +was done, and they had made over $6,000 on the deal. Manson sent Bob to +Bryant with a note. Somebody had just dumped 3,000 shares on the big +broker and he was in a bad humor when Bob came to him with the note. He +looked down and saw who it was–the boy who had gotten the situation for +his typewriter–and quick as a flash he gave him a kick that sent him +sprawling on the floor. Bob had the note still in his hand when he +scrambled to his feet again. But he did not deliver it. He staggered out +of the Exchange, feeling sick from the effects of the blow, and made his +way back to the office, where he told Mr. Manson what had happened. +</p><p> +"It was an accident, Bob," the broker said. "The excitement in there is +awful, you know." +</p><p> +"No, sir. It was no accident," said Bob. "He hates me because I found a +place for his typewriter who left him because he wanted to make love to +her." +</p><p> +Munson laughed and said: +</p><p> +"That must me a mistake, my boy." +</p><p> +"No mistake about it. The girl is in Bowles' office, and she'll tell you +the same thing. I am going to have him arrested." +</p><p> +"Oh, that won't do." +</p><p> +"I'll make it do." +</p><p> +Bob was mad. +</p><p> +"See here, young man, I'll give you your walking papers if I hear any +more talk like that!" +</p><p> +"Give 'em to me right away then," said Bob. "I'm going to see if a man +can kick the innerds out of a boy just for fun and not pay for it." +</p><p> +Manson was surprised at Bob's spunk. He looked at him in silence for a +minute or two and then said: +</p><p> +"You are mad clear through, eh?" +</p><p> +"You bet I am!" +</p><p> +"Well, wait till I see him before doing anything." +</p><p> +"All right; but you want to see him soon." +</p><p> +"I'll see him after 3 o'clock." +</p><p> +After 3 o'clock Bob, Fred and Broker Manson went over to Bryant's +office. Bryant was at his desk. +</p><p> +"Why did you kick my messenger, Bryant?" Manson asked. +</p><p> +"Was it your messenger?" +</p><p> +"Yes." +</p><p> +"I didn't know who it was. I felt some one pulling my coat-tail and +kicked out. It was no time for fooling. You know, somebody is always +fooling over there?" +</p><p> +"That's a lie," said Bob. "You know I touched your elbow, not your +coat-tail. You looked down in my face, saw who it was and then kicked +me." +</p><p> +Bryant was so astounded at being given the lie so bluntly he sat still +and heard Bob through without uttering a word; then he looked up at +Manson and said: +</p><p> +"There's cheek for you!" +</p><p> +"Cheek!" exclaimed Bob. "Don't say a word about cheek! Your cheek drove +your typewriter out of your office. I got a place for her, and you had +the cheek to go to her new place and raise a row. That is what you +kicked me for. Two members of the Exchange told me to prosecute you and +call them as witnesses–Mr. Turner and Mr. Agnew." +</p><p> +Bryant turned white as a sheet. Those two brokers were his bitterest +enemies. They stood high, and their evidence would down him. +</p><p> +"See here, my boy," he said, "I ought to kick you clean through that +window for your impudence, but I won't. I tell you—" +</p><p> +"Of course, you won't," said Bob, interrupting him. "It's my time to +kick now." +</p><p> +Bryant was cool, pale, and yet in a rage. He saw that he was in a +serious scrape, and Bob, though a boy, was game all through. +</p><p> +"Are you willing for Mr. Manson to settle the matter?" he asked. +</p><p> +"No, sir. He is not my lawyer." +</p><p> +Bryant gave a start. +</p><p> +"Who is pour lawyer?" he asked. +</p><p> +"I haven't engaged one yet, but you can bet I am going to." +</p><p> +"Well, I see you are very mad about it. We can settle it ourselves, I +think, Just tell me what you want me to do." +</p><p> +"Well, I think you ought to be made to break stone over on the Island +for about six months. You need a good lesson and I'd like to see you get +one of that kind." +</p><p> +"The court would probably fine me $50. Will that sum satisfy you?" +</p><p> +"No, sir. You think money is everything. I don't. Just acknowledge that +you are an old hog and beg my pardon, and you may go to the Old Harry +for all I care!" +</p><p> +That was too much for the big broker. He sprang forward and dealt Bob a +stinging slap in the face. But the next moment both Bob and Fred sprang +up like two wildcats. +</p><p> +He tried to defend himself, of course, but those two boys had fought +many a battle in the street and were fighters from way back. They rolled +on the floor together, while Manson kept calling out: +</p><p> +"Boys! Boys! I'll call the police to you!" +</p><p> +They never heard him. If they did they didn't heed him. In half a minute +both eyes were blacked, all the beard from one side of his face gone, +and fully one-half of his hair lay on the floor. And still they went for +him. Suddenly the shrill scream of a woman startled them, and the two +boys desisted to turn and look at the newcomer. +</p><p> +It happened to be Bryant's wife who uttered the scream when she saw what +was taking place. Of course the row ended then and there. Bryant got up, +explained to his wife what it all was about and apologized right then +for his action. Of course Bob accepted it, and the matter was settled, +as the boys thought. But the next day Bob met Fred and told him he had +been discharged by Manson, saying that of course Bryant was responsible +for it. +</p><p> +A couple of days later Fred was the recipient of a handsome gold watch +and chain, a present from Mr. Gaines. +</p><p> +One day Callie came to Fred and told him of a tip she had got hold of. +It was M. & C. Fred went to see Broker Bowles, and asked him to buy +3,000 shares of M. & C. for him. The broker bid in the amount of shares +Fred wanted. The price soon went up to 90, and then Bowles sold him out. +The next day Fred and Bob visited Bowles, who gave them a statement +showing they had made $170,000 profit. +</p><p> +"Mr. Bowles," said Fred, "Risley & Cohn have failed. If their office is +to rent please rent it for five years for Halsey & Co., and buy all the +furniture. Pay a year's rent in advance." +</p> + +<p></p> +<hr /> + +<p></p> + +<div class="chapter"> +CHAPTER VII.–Halsey & Company Open a Bank.</div> + +<p> +"Bob, I'm going to resign," said Fred, when they came out from Bowles' +office. +</p><p> +"Resign what?" +</p><p> +"My place at Tracey's." +</p><p> +"Well, I think you can afford to." +</p><p> +"Yes. We can go in on our own hook now," and he went over to the office +and told the gruff old broker he wanted to quit. +</p><p> +"What's the matter?" Tracey asked. +</p><p> +"Going to open a bank." +</p><p> +"What with, a jimmy?" +</p><p> +"No, a key." +</p><p> +"Going to play craps, I guess. Do you know a boy I can get?' +</p><p> +"Yes, sir." +</p><p> +"Bring him here then and I'll let you off." +</p><p> +In half an hour Fred had a youth on hand who lad been looking for a +place for mouths. He then went downstairs and joined Bob. They agreed to +keep the deal a secret as long as possible. Bob was to wait for Gertie +Clayton, Bowles' typewriter, and warn her to say nothing about it to any +one, while Fred was to wait for Callie as she came out of Barron's bank. +When business closed for the day, Fred saw Callie come up and go up +toward Broadway. He soon joined her. +</p><p> +"Have you heard the news from the deal in M. & C.?" he asked her. +</p><p> +"No. How did is turn out?" +</p><p> +"It sold at 80." +</p><p> +"Did you sell?" +</p><p> +"Yes." +</p><p> +She made a rapid calculation and said: +</p><p> +"You have made a fortune." +</p><p> +"Yes, so we have, but mum is the word." +</p><p> +"Do I get anything?" +</p><p> +"Of course; ten percent." +</p><p> +She gasped, turned pale, and seemed almost ready to faint. +</p><p> +"I have a check for your share in my pocket," he added. +</p><p> +"How much is it?" +</p><p> +"Seventeen thousand." +</p><p> +"Oh, Fred!" +</p><p> +"Do suppose you would turn up your nose at a eager boy now if he were to +come courting he remarked. +</p><p> +"That depends on who he is and how he behaves himself," she replied, +regaining control of herself. +</p><p> +Then a minute or two later she asked: +</p><p> +"What am I to do? Please tell me for my head is all in a whirl." +</p><p> +"Oh, don't lose your head," said he laughing. "Just leave it where you +left the other one and that will be all right. Keep your eyes and ears +open for another tip." +</p><p> +"Why, must I keep on at work?" +</p><p> +"Yes, of course. How can you get any tips if you don't?" +</p><p> +"I'm afraid I can't do much work with so much money in bank." +</p><p> +"Why, that ought to make you work harder. You should not think of +stopping before you have made at least one hundred thousand dollars. +Then you could live in a fine house and keep a carriage." +</p><p> +They went on up the street talking and laughing. He gave her the check +and she put it in her pocket. +</p><p> +"Now, Callie," he said, "I've rented a flat in the block above where you +live and have bought some furniture for it. I want you to select the +carpets, curtains and other things for me, as I don't know what they are +worth, or even what sort to get. I am preparing a surprise for my aunt +and sister." +</p><p> +"Oh, that is good of you! They don't know of your good luck yet?" +</p><p> +"They don't even dream of it." +</p><p> +"Oh, what a surprise it will be to them. Of course I will help you, +Fred. Where are you going to buy?" +</p><p> +"Come along with me," and they went to a big store where he had already +purchased some things. She had good tastes, good judgment and was a +quick buyer. In half an hour she had made the selections; Fred paid the +bill and ordered everything put into the flat as soon as possible. +</p><p> +Then he saw her home, left her at the entrance and made his way across +town toward his aunt's humble abode. She was still at work over the tub, +and, as a matter of course, very tired. +</p><p> +"I'll break all that up in a few days," he said to himself. +</p><p> +Two days later Broker Bowles said to him: +</p><p> +"You can get Risley & Cohn's offices, but the rent is high–$5,000 a +year. They ask $3,000 for the furniture as it stands." +</p><p> +"Take both for Halsey & Company," said Fred. "Pay one year in advance. +I'll give you a check for $8,000," and he did. +</p><p> +"I'll have the lease for you this afternoon," said the old man. +</p><p> +Bob and Fred then went off to engage a sign painter to put up their firm +name in big gold letters on the immense plate glass front of the +offices. +</p><p> +The next day they found their name +</p><p> + "HALSEY & COMPANY, + "Bankers, + "Speculators in Stocks, Bonds, etc." +</p><p> +in big gold letters, the handsomest on the street. Mr. Allison, the man +who had kept the books for Risley & Cohn for fifteen years, had been +engaged for them by Bowles, who told him they were a couple of boys. He +was elderly, bald, with a full, round face known to every broker in Wall +Street. His knowledge of Wall Street was thorough. +</p><p> +"It will create a sensation when it is known who Halsey & Company are," +he remarked to them, as they watched the people admire the sign as they +went by. +</p><p> +"Yes, I guess so. We'll have some fun with 'em. But see here, Mr. +Allison, we are no fools if we haven't got any beards. We want you to +manage the banking end of this thing, and stand ready to collar us when +you see us going wrong. Do you understand?" and Fred faced him as he +spoke. +</p><p> +The old man looked over his glasses at him for a few moments as if +surprised at what he had just heard. +</p><p> +"Well, that shows you have good, old-fashioned horse sense, young man," +he replied. "Most boys of your age think they know it all, and have to +pay dearly for lessons they might have had free." +</p><p> +Just then Broker Tracey came by and stopped to look at the new firm name +on the glass front. Fred went to the door and invited him in. Tracey +looked at him in astonishment and then at the sign again. +</p><p> +"How do you like our new quarters?" Fred asked him. +</p><p> +"Whose quarters?" +</p><p> +"Halsey & Company–Fred Halsey and Bob Newcombe–we are the firm. Mr. +Allison here is our manager." +</p><p> +Tracey glanced at Allison, whom he had known for years, and the old man +said: +</p><p> +"It is true, Sir." +</p><p> +"Got any capital?" Tracey asked. +</p><p> +"Plenty of it," replied Allison. +</p><p> +He turned on Fred and asked: +</p><p> +"What has happened? Where did you get it?" +</p><p> +"What some people lose others gain," Fred replied. "I got a good deal of +fleece out of M. & C. the other day. Did you lose any wool?" +</p><p> +Tracey's face was a picture to look at. He was a loser in that deal to +the tune of some $20,000, and this sudden and unexpected discovery of +where it had gone was a shock to him. +</p><p> +"Well, I'm jiggered!" he exclaimed, looking at Allison. "I've been +thirty years in Wall Street and these are the first boy bankers I ever +saw." +</p><p> +"They are the first I ever saw, too, sir," said Allison, "and I've been +thirty-five years in the Street. They've both got good heads on their +shoulders." +</p><p> +"Just come in here and let me show you something. Mr. Tracey," said Bob, +leading the way into the private office of the former bankers. "I want +to show you some fleece we have on exhibition," and he pointed to a +large bunch of white wool hanging to a hook on the wall above his desk, +labeled: +</p><p> + "JAMES BRYANT, + "M. & C. fleece." +</p><p> +The old broker roared. +</p><p> +"Say, I hope you won't hang mine up that way!" he exclaimed. +</p><p> +"We have too much respect for you to do that sir." +</p><p> +"How about Manson?" +</p><p> +"Oh, we got a good lot off him, but I was once in his employ." +</p><p> +"Well, I'm glad you haven't got mine hung up," and he went out, laughing +heartily. +</p><p> +In an hour the whole Street had the news, and scores of brokers came by +to look in at the two boys. They were all amused, for they laughed and +joked each other about it. +</p><p> +Half an hour later a wave of jolly laughter went through the Street as +the fleece story was told. Bryant was guyed till he had to shut himself +up in his office and refuse to see any one. Manson came in and whispered +to Bob to drop that Bryant's fleece business, adding: +</p><p> +"He has a host of friends in Wall Street, and it will hurt your business +to make an enemy of him." +</p><p> +"He is already my enemy," Bob replied, "and had me discharged from your +employ. I will never let up on him as long as I live." +</p><p> +Just before business closed Bryant rushed into the office and said: +</p><p> +"I want to see the bunch of wool you have here with my name on it." +</p><p> +"Here it is," said Bob, opening the door of the private office and +pointing to the wool hanging against the wall. +</p><p> +Bryant grabbed it and started to the door with it. Bob opened the drawer +of the desk, took out a revolver, and aiming at him, said: +</p><p> +"Here's something to go with it." +</p><p> +Bryant wheeled around and found himself looking down the muzzle of the +revolver. +</p> + +<p></p> +<hr /> + +<p></p> + +<div class="chapter"> +CHAPTER VIII.–Broker Bryant and the Boys.</div> + +<p> +When Broker Bryant saw the muzzle of a revolver staring him in the face +he turned white as a sheet. +</p><p> +"Just drop that fleece on the desk there; if you please," said Bob very +coolly. +</p><p> +He laid it down without saying a word, never once taking his eyes off +the revolver. +</p><p> +"You may go now," Bob said. "You can't get any fleece out of this +office." +</p><p> +"Put up that gun. You are making a fool of yourself," said Bryant +finally. +</p><p> +"Maybe I am. All the same, I'd have made a corpse of you if you had not +dropped that wool." +</p><p> +"What have you got my name on it for?" +</p><p> +"I am having a little fun out of it–that's all." +</p><p> +"You have no right to use my name at all." +</p><p> +"Maybe I haven't. Go to law about it, and let the court decide that +question. I am going to keep it there, for you are the meanest man in +Wall Street. You had a messenger boy discharged from his position of +five dollars a week. It will be a long time before I can have fun enough +with you to satisfy me, Mr. Bryant." +</p><p> +"I did not have you discharged." +</p><p> +"Oh, that's all right." +</p><p> +"But you can ask Manson." +</p><p> +"Yes, I know. We got more of his fleece than we did of yours. I haven't +had much fun with him yet. One at a time and it will last longer." +</p><p> +"You must take my name off that thing there." +</p><p> +"Not at your command I won't." +</p><p> +"Well, I'll see about it," and he turned and went out. +</p><p> +Fred and those in the main office were not aware of what had been going +on between Bob and Bryant in the private office. +</p><p> +"What did he say, Bob?" Fred asked. +</p><p> +Bob told him what had passed between the broker and himself, adding: +</p><p> +"He is the maddest man on earth. I am getting even with him, and am +going to run that fleece business till some court tells me to stop it." +</p><p> +"By George," exclaimed Fred, "if he goes to law about it we'll be the +best advertised firm in the Street." +</p><p> +"That's so," remarked Allison, his broad face wreathed in smiles. "He is +a strong man–has many friends; but Wall Street brokers are always ready +to shear each other." +</p><p> +"Of course they are. Business knows no friendship. It is merciless in +its operations." +</p><p> +Allison looked at him in no little surprise. Such a hard, cynical view +of business coming from one so young almost startled him. +</p><p> +"Where did you pick up that idea?" he asked Fred. +</p><p> +"In the Stock Exchange when I was a messenger boy," was the reply. +</p><p> +"Who gave it to you?" +</p><p> +"Nobody. I got the idea from what I saw going on all around me." +</p><p> +"Well, you have observed closely, young man. It's a harsh judgment, but +correct in the main. I hope, though, that in your success you will not +forget those who are unfortunate." +</p><p> +"I hope so, too, Mr. Allison. It is not my nature to be mean or stingy. +Bob gave the old beggar with the red shawl a dollar yesterday." +</p><p> +"He did, eh?" +</p><p> +"Yes, sir. She's sixty if a day." +</p><p> +"Yes, and has been begging in Wall Street for twenty years. I'd wager a +month's salary she has ten thousand dollars in bank and owns real estate +somewhere on Manhattan island." +</p><p> +"What are you giving me?" and Fred looked the picture of incredulity. +</p><p> +"The straight truth. I have a nephew in a little east side bank above +Grand street, and he says she has a fat account there, and that he has +seen three other bank books in her possession." +</p><p> +"Well, I'll be hanged!" exclaimed Fred. "I thought I knew a thing or +two, but that yarn jiggers me." +</p><p> +The old man laughed and was going to say more when a crowd of boys came +in. Business had closed for the day, and every messenger boy in Wall and +Broad streets had made a rush to see Fred and Bob in their new role as +bankers. Boothblacks and newsboys were among them, and they made the +welkin ring with their shouts. +</p><p> +"Say, give us a loan, Bob." +</p><p> +"Cash a check for me, Fred." +</p><p> +"How much chink have you got, boys?" +</p><p> +"Where did you break in, Fred?" +</p><p> +"How much did you get?" +</p><p> +"Where were the cops?" +</p><p> +"Ah, let up on that, cullies!" sung out Fred. "Come by to-morrow at this +time and get a ticket for a square meal. It's none of your business +where we got it. We've got it and that's enough." +</p><p> +They gave Halsey & Company three cheers and left. Just an they were +about to close the doors Callie Ketcham came in. +</p><p> +"Oh, my, what a grand place it is, Fred!" she exclaimed, as she looked +around the place. "Promise me a situation when you need a typewriter." +</p><p> +"Indeed I won't!" he replied. +</p><p> +"Why?" and she looked at him in surprise. +</p><p> +"Tips!" he whispered. +</p><p> +She laughed and exclaimed: +</p><p> +"Oh, yes, I see!" +</p><p> +"Besides, if you were here all the time I'd do very little business, I +fear." +</p><p> +"Oh, that's some of your talk again. Have you any depositors?" +</p><p> +"No. Just opened to-day." +</p><p> +"May I be one of your depositors?" +</p><p> +"Of course, if you wish. Mr. Allison is the cashier," and he introduced +the old man to her. +</p><p> +"Give me a check, please," she said, and when she got it she filled it +out for $10,000, handed it to the old man, saying: +</p><p> +"I am your first depositor, and am so glad to know it." +</p><p> +"I'll send you a book to-morrow," he said, as he put it away. +</p><p> +"No, don't send it; I'll call for it myself," she replied. +</p><p> +"Very well, Miss Ketcham." +</p><p> +The old cashier was knocked topsy-turvy at receiving a check for such a +sum from a young typewriter. As they were going out Gertie Clayton came +by and said: +</p><p> +"They told me you had opened a bank here, Bob, and I wanted to see if it +was true," and she looked up at the sign on the big plate glass front. +</p><p> +Callie caught her hand, kissed her as girls do, and said: +</p><p> +"Oh, Gertie, it's just too grand for anything in there! Would you +believe it, I am the first depositor on their books!" +</p><p> +"I wish I could put money in the bank, but I can't. It takes all I can +make to keep a roof over our heads." +</p><p> +"Why don't you strike old Bowles for a raise in your salary?" Bob asked +her. +</p><p> +"It is useless. He told me to-day he would not want me after this week." +</p><p> +"The deuce he did! What's the matter?" Bob blurted out. +</p><p> +"I am sure I don't know. He has never found fault with my work, He said +I could go back to Bryant's, as he had said I could always find a place +there." +</p><p> +"Well, don't you go there," said Bob. "I'll see if I can't find another +place for you." +</p><p> +"I am such a trouble to you, Bob." +</p><p> +"Indeed you are not." +</p><p> +Fred and Callie had gone on ahead, and Bob walked with Gertie. They +passed Broker Bryant on Broadway, and Gertie gave a shudder as she saw +him, saying to Bob: +</p><p> +"I am afraid of that man. He looks at me sometimes as though he wanted +to kill me." +</p><p> +"He is bad enough to do it," Bob said. "He hates me like poison, and +would poison me if he could." +</p><p> +"I believe he paid Mr. Bowles to discharge me." +</p><p> +"Why, what good would that do him?" +</p><p> +"He thinks I'll go back to his office if I can't get a place anywhere +else." +</p><p> +"Well, if you can't get a place, you can have deskroom with us and do +chance work. You must not go back to him," and Bob was very earnest in +his way as he spoke. +</p><p> +Bob saw her to her home and then hastened to his own humble domicile. +When he got there he found the sidewalk in front of the tenement piled +up with furniture. Two families were being ejected for non-payment of +rent–$9 each. The landlord was there directing the officers. Bob looked +on for a few minutes, and then quietly handed a ten-dollar bill to each +of the two mothers, saying: +</p><p> +"Go across the street and get rooms. You can get 'em for $8 over there." +</p><p> +They both sprang up and showered blessings on his head and curses at the +landlord. +</p><p> +One day a week later Bob received a tip from Gertie Clayton that Rock +Island shares were going to be cornered. Bob saw Fred about it and they +watched Rock Island. Pretty soon they saw it advance. Then Fred ordered +15,000 shares bought for the firm. The next day a man called and asked +them to lend him $10,000 on a good stock worth double that amount. Fred +asked to see the stock. It was K. & T. Fred took the stock to Mr. +Allison for his advice, and the bookkeeper denounced the stock as a +clever forgery. When the man heard that he made a snatch for the paper, +missed it, and then made a break for the door. Fred darted across his +path and upset him near the door. He fell heavily, striking the plate +glass and shattering it. +</p><p> +"I'm a dead man!" he gasped, rolling over on the floor, the blood +spurting from a cut on the side of his head. +</p> + +<p></p> +<hr /> + +<p></p> + +<div class="chapter"> +CHAPTER IX.–The Doctor and the Young Banker.</div> + +<p> +When Fred saw the red stream spurt from the man's neck he sprang back +and exclaimed: +</p><p> +"It was the glass!" +</p><p> +Bob ran out from another room. So did the clerk, and Mr. Allison came +around from behind the cashier's desk. Others who heard the glass rattle +down on the sidewalk ran in to see what had happened. +</p><p> +"The man is bleeding to death!" cried some one. "Send for a doctor!" +</p><p> +"Call an ambulance!" said somebody, and both were summoned. +</p><p> +But ere either could get there the man was dead. The broken glass had +cut a jugular vein and his life ebbed away inside of three minutes. A +policeman ran in when he saw the crowd before the bank. +</p><p> +"How did it happen?" he asked. +</p><p> +"He fell against the glass and it cut his neck," replied the clerk. +</p><p> +"Did you see it?" +</p><p> +"Yes." +</p><p> +"Then I want you to go with me and tell the story to the coroner. +</p><p> +"We'll all do that," said Allison. +</p><p> +"Did you see it, too?" +</p><p> +"Yes." +</p><p> +"Then I want you, too." +</p><p> +"Very well." +</p><p> +The doctor who had been summoned came in and examined the wound. +</p><p> +"The jugular is severed," he said. "No power on earth could have saved +him." +</p><p> +"Who was he?" the officer asked. +</p><p> +Nobody answered him. +</p><p> +"Does no one in this crowd recognize him?" +</p><p> +They gazed at the dead man, but none knew him. +</p><p> +"Who sent for me?" the doctor asked, looking around. +</p><p> +No one answered him. +</p><p> +"Who pays my fee?" +</p><p> +"You ought to know who told you about it," said the officer. +</p><p> +"Somebody called up to my window to come quick. I didn't see him." +</p><p> +"Doctor, I'll pay the bill," said Fred, "as long as it happened in +here." +</p><p> +"Very well. Ten dollars, please," and the doctor held out his hand for +the money. +</p><p> +Fred handed it to him, saying: +</p><p> +"Be kind enough to get out. You're a hog on two legs." +</p><p> +"What!" and the doctor gasped as if for breath. +</p><p> +"Get out of here, you old hog!" repeated Fred. +</p><p> +The doctor struck at him, his face livid with rage. The officer caught +him by the arm, saying: +</p><p> +"If you raise a disturbance here I shall have to arrest you, sir." +</p><p> +"Did you hear him insult me?" cried the doctor. +</p><p> +"Yes, but you can't fight here." +</p><p> +"If he wants to fight, let him fight a man of his size, not a boy," said +a broker in the crowd. "He is a hog, judging from his actions, and I am +ready to back it up!" +</p><p> +"I'll sue you for slander!" hissed the doctor, as he made his way +through the crowd. +</p><p> +"Sue and be hanged to you! You are a coward as well as a hog!" and the +belligerent broker followed him out to the sidewalk. +</p><p> +The doctor got away in the crowd. The ambulance came, and the body was +removed to the police station to await identification and the action of +the coroner. The doors of the bank were closed, and a number of brokers +remained inside to find out how the thing had happened. Mr. Allison +related how it occurred, and produced the certificate, which they all +examined. But not one of them was willing to say it was a forgery. The +old man was the best posted of them all. +</p><p> +"I would have loaned him $20,000 on that," said a well-known broker as +he examined it. +</p><p> +"You would have lost every penny of it, sir," replied Allison. +</p><p> +"Do you wish to wager anything on it?" the broker asked. +</p><p> +"I have no money to put up." +</p><p> +"Make the bet–I'll put up the money," said Bob. "I am willing to bet on +you." +</p><p> +"Very well, I'll wager $10,000 that this is a forgery, that the company +has never issued a 'Third series' of shares." +</p><p> +"Put up the money," said the broker. "I'll give my check. It can't be +certified now, since the bank is closed." +</p><p> +"You won't stop it if you lose, eh?" Bob asked. +</p><p> +"No, not I." +</p><p> +"Very well, Mr. Allison, put up the money in the hands of any one you +know." +</p><p> +The old man put up the money and Broker Dean put up his cheek. +</p><p> +"Now let's go to Doggett & Holmes' office and see what they say about +it. They are the attorneys for the road and ought to know all about it," +Allison said, and the whole party of about a dozen men went out and down +on Broad street, where they soon climbed up three flights to the law +offices of Doggett & Holmes. +</p><p> +Holmes was in. Doggett had left. He examined the certificate and +pronounced it a forgery, saying: +</p><p> +"No 'Third series' has ever been issued by the company." +</p><p> +"Whoop!" yelled Bob, "I'll bet on my old man every time!" +</p><p> +The crowd roared and Dean was nettled. +</p><p> +"I want to have the statement of the president of the company before I +give up," he said. +</p><p> +"Will the treasurer of the company do?" Holmes asked. +</p><p> +"Yes, of course." +</p><p> +"Well, he is here," and he sent a clerk into another room for a Mr. +Timson, the treasurer of the company. +</p><p> +He came out and very promptly pronounced it a forgery. +</p><p> +"Whoop!" yelled Bob again. "Halsey & Company are bankers and +speculators, and sometimes they bet on a dead sure thing. Say, Fred, +we've got some more fleece to hang up." +</p><p> +The brokers yelled and Dean said to him: +</p><p> +"See here now, boys, none of that. If you get any of my fleece in a deal +you can hang it up on your front door. This is quite a different thing." +</p><p> +"But do you give it up?" Bob asked. +</p><p> +"Oh, yes. You can have the money." +</p><p> +"All right. We can't call it fleece at all. Mr. Allison, one-half is +yours. Shake, old man." +</p><p> +Allison jumped as though he had been shot. +</p><p> +"Do you mean that, Bob?" he asked. +</p><p> +"Of course I do." +</p><p> +"And you–is it all right?" he asked of Fred. +</p><p> +"Of course it is. You saved us $10,000, didn't you?" +</p><p> +"Well, that was my duty. I've been thirty-three years in Wall Street and +never had so much consideration shown me before," and his eyes became +moist and his voice husky. +</p><p> +"I say, boys!" called out another broker, "let's all go and dine +together and have a bottle for each plate. I like these two boys and +think we can learn something from them. Come on, every one of you." +</p><p> +They all laughed, shook hands with Bob, Fred and Allison and went +downstairs and farther down the street to a well-known restaurant. There +they had a royal feast for an hour. Dean became quite merry over his +bottle and admitted that he knew Allison was one of the best posted men +in the street, and was glad that he was to have one-half the amount he +had lost. At that dinner the brokers became acquainted with Halsey & +Company, and found that, though they were boys, they knew a good deal +about taking care of Number One. +</p> + +<p></p> +<hr /> + +<p></p> + +<div class="chapter"> +CHAPTER X.–Fred Buys a Seat in the Stock Exchange.</div> + +<p> +The accident in the banking house of Halsey & Company, by which a man +lost his life, created a good deal of excitement in Wall Street. The +prompt discovery of the forgery had the effect of convincing the Street +that they were not to be victimized even if they were a couple of boys +not yet out of their teens. The janitor of the building very promptly +removed the blood stains and a glazier put up another glass in place of +the one that was broken. The bank bad not been open an hour ere a +carriage drove up in front and a tall, gray-haired man alighted and went +in. +</p><p> +"Ah, you are Mr. Gaines!" said Fred, on seeing him. "Come into the +little office and sit down. I am very glad to see you out again." +</p><p> +"Thank you, my young friend," said the old gentleman, following him into +a little office and seating himself in a comfortable arm-chair. "I have +called to thank you in person for the kind service you rendered me in +the Stock Exchange that day. You saved my life!" +</p><p> +"Mr. Gaines, I am glad I was able to do as I did," said Fred. "You sent +me a watch and chain, which I prize very highly. I am sure I don't +deserve any more credit than what you have already given me." +</p><p> +"Well, I want to show my gratitude, for it is a pleasure to do so. Who +is your broker in the Exchange now?" +</p><p> +"We have no regular broker. We have engaged a different one for each +deal we have made." +</p><p> +"Would you like to have a seat there yourself?" +</p><p> +"Yes, sir, but I am too young, I guess." +</p><p> +"There is no limit as to age. If you are able to buy a seat you can have +one." +</p><p> +"But a seat is worth $30,000." +</p><p> +"Yes. I have a seat. I am never going to use it again. I was badly +squeezed that day in the Exchange, and lost many thousands of dollars. +But I have enough to live and die on, and so intend to sell my seat. If +you can pay $5,000 cash you can pay the balance in five years–$5,000 a +year." +</p><p> +"I'll take it," said Fred. +</p><p> +"Very well. I can get $30,000 in cold cash for it, but don't care to let +the man have it at any price." +</p><p> +Fred gave him the money and the seat was duly transferred. +</p><p> +"I wish you all the success in the world, my good friend," said the old +man, rising and extending his hand to Fred. +</p><p> +"Thank you, sir. I am deeply grateful to you for this favor. May I ask +you a question?" +</p><p> +"Yes, as many as you please," replied the old man, resuming his seat. +"What is it?" +</p><p> +"Is Mrs. Bryant a relative of yours?" +</p><p> +"Yes. She is my niece. Why?" +</p><p> +"Mr. Bryant and I don't love each other much, and I heard the other day +of your relationship to his wife. I didn't believe it." +</p><p> +"Yes, it's true. I heard you had some wool hung up and labeled 'Bryant's +fleece.' Is it true?" +</p><p> +"Yes," and Fred laughed. "I'll show it to you," and he did. +</p><p> +"Bryant has been very sore over it, and so has his wife. I would advise +you to take it down." +</p><p> +"I shall advise Bob to do so. It is his fight, you know." +</p><p> +"Yes, so I heard. Well, good-by. I shall drop in when I come downtown. I +have no office now." +</p><p> +"Oh, you must make this your office!" exclaimed Fred; "we have plenty of +room, for we don't do much business as yet. Our rent is paid up for one +year." +</p><p> +"Well, I guess that's more, than any other firm in Wall Street can say," +and he shook Fred's hand. "I shall be glad to accept your offer, though +I shall not come down often." +</p><p> +He went out and Fred told old Allison that he had bought Gaines' seat in +the Stock Exchange. The old cashier glared in astonishment, saying: +</p><p> +"I'm afraid that you will make a mistake in going in there." +</p><p> +"Why?" +</p><p> +"People get excited there and lose both their heads and fortunes in a +very few minutes." +</p><p> +"Yes, I know. But I got used to that sort of thing when I was a +messenger. It is not new to me." +</p><p> +Broker Gaines had not been gone ten minutes ere Gertie Clayton came in. +She had a frightened look in her face. Bob met her, and she said: +</p><p> +"Oh, I saw it in the papers about the man being killed by the broken +glass. It's awful, isn't it?" +</p><p> +"Yes, indeed. Come to the ladies' room if you have any time to spare," +said Bob, who saw that something had happened. +</p><p> +She followed him, and in the cozy little parlor said to him: +</p><p> +"I can't go back to Mr. Bowles office any more, Bob." +</p><p> +"Why not?" +</p><p> +"He told me this morning that Mr. Bryant's typewriter was sick, and that +I would have to go up to his office to do some work for him. I said I +was not working for Mr. Bryant and did not care to go to his office. He +replied that he and Bryant were in a deal together, and that I must go +and earn my salary." +</p><p> +"The old brute!" exclaimed Bob. "Just stay right here. I can get plenty +of work for you." +</p><p> +"But I have no machine," she replied, and her eyes filled with tears. +</p><p> +"We have got to have one some day and may as well have it now as at any +other time. I'll get the money and you can go and buy one," and turned +and went out to the banking room, got $100 from the cashier and went +back to her. +</p><p> +He found her with her face buried in her hands and sobbing as though her +heart would break. +</p><p> +"Why, what in thunder is the matter, Gertie?" he exclaimed. +</p><p> +"Oh, Bob, I–I–you seem to be the only friend I have in the world." +</p><p> +"Well, I'm much afraid that I'll stand by you till I can't breathe. +Come, brace up. Here's one hundred dollars. Go and buy a machine. Get +the best in the market. If that isn't enough, come back and get more. +I'll let Bowles and Bryant both know that my girl can get on without +them!" and he thrust the roll of bills into her hands as she spoke. +</p><p> +"Bob, am I your girl?" she asked, looking shyly up at him through her +tears. +</p><p> +"Of course you are, unless you don't want to be." +</p><p> +"You won't go back on me when you get rich, will you?" she asked. +</p><p> +"Not much I won't." +</p><p> +"There's my hand then," and she gave him her hand. +</p><p> +He grasped it, squeezed it and did just what any other well-regulated +boy would have done under such circumstances–kissed her on the lips. +</p><p> +"Hello! Spooning, by George!" cried Fred, suddenly entering the room. +"In business hours, too." +</p><p> +Gertie hid her face in her hands, but Bob turned and replied: +</p><p> +"This is very important business for me, Fred, and she—" +</p><p> +"It is very pleasant business, I should say," said Fred, interrupting +him with aggravating coolness. +</p><p> +"Pleasant is no name for it," returned Bob. "We have just engaged to +marry each other in two years." +</p><p> +"Well, it jiggers me! She's a splendid girl. I congratulate you, old +man!" and he grasped Bob's hand and shook it warmly. +</p><p> +The second day after he bought his seat in the Stock Exchange Rock +Island advanced to 90. Bryant was the kingpin in the Rock Island deal. +He saw Fred watching the board which told how the stock stood. Rock +Island stood at 92 when business for the day ended. Next day Bryant +forced the stock up to 95, when Fred dumped his 15,000 shares on the +market. Bryant had to take them. Then the price broke. A panic resulted. +Bowles clutched Fred by the arm. Fred sprang nimbly out of his reach, +and the old man fell prone to the floor, where he lay still like one +dead. +</p> + +<p></p> +<hr /> + +<p></p> + +<div class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XI.–The Great Deal in Rock Island.</div> + +<p> +During the lull that followed the fall of the old broker in the Stock +Exchange the storm seemed to be gathering for a still more destructive +sweep. A few friends took up the old man and bore him out. No sooner had +they passed over the threshold than a roar like that of an angry sea +burst forth. Bulls and bears seemed on the verge of personal violence. +The price went up and down in momentary fluctuations, and men dropped +out and flew from the room as if trying to overtake the fortunes that +had slipped away from them. In the midst of all this din and confusion +Fred Halsey stood where he could see Bryant and mark the effect of the +blow he had given him. Down, down went the stock till 81 was reached. +Then the gavel fell, and the battle was over for that day. Brokers +Manson and Tracey rushed over to Fred and grasped his hand. Neither one +had lost any fleece in the fight. +</p><p> +"It was a terrible blow," said Manson. +</p><p> +"The worst deal in the Exchange since I became a member," said Tracey. +"You did wrong, my boy. You should have unloaded in a more cautious +manner–one or two thousand at a time, As it was, you broke the corner +and ruined half a hundred men." +</p><p> +"They would have been ruined, anyhow," Fred replied. "Bryant would have +dumped his load on 'em at par. I wanted to knock him out, and I think I +succeeded. Will you two come over to my place a while?" +</p><p> +They both declined and Fred went over alone. Allison grasped his hand as +he entered the bank. He had heard the news. Callie, Bob and Gertie were +in the private office when Fred went in to see them. Gertie sprang up, +threw her arms about his neck and kissed him. +</p><p> +"Hello! What's the matter?" he exclaimed. "What's up?" +</p><p> +"Why, I am up–up in the world–up in spirits and the happiest girl that +ever lived!" cried Gertie, and the next moment she was hugging and +kissing Callie. +</p><p> +"Oh, you needn't let up on me," said Fred. "I am not kicking on that +sort of thing. What the deuce is the matter with her, Bob?" +</p><p> +"I have just told her what her tip on Rock Island had made for her," Bob +replied. +</p><p> +"Ah! She will get a nice plum out of the pie. But look here, girls. If +you give us away, there's no telling what may happen. It would do +mischief, and a lot of it, too." +</p><p> +"I won't say a word," said Gertie. +</p><p> +"Nor will I," said Callie. +</p><p> +"Well, let's see if girls really can keep a secret," and then he sat +down and told how he had given Bowles and Bryant a deadly blow, and how +the old man had to be carried out of the Exchange. +</p><p> +"Great Scott!" exclaimed Bob. "I'd have given a thousand to have seen +Bryant when he got it in the neck." +</p><p> +"Oh, he was sick," said Fred. "You'd have to buy a bale of wool to hang +up if you want to display his fleece." +</p><p> +"That would be cruel," said Gertie. +</p><p> +They all laughed and were a happy party. Fred sent out and ordered a +carriage to take them off uptown, saying: +</p><p> +"I don't want to meet any of those fellows to-day." +</p><p> +"What are you afraid of?" Bob asked him. +</p><p> +"I am afraid about ten thousand questions will be asked me." +</p><p> +They rode uptown in a carriage for the first time since the bank was +opened, and the two girls were delighted. The boys saw them to their +homes and then had a quiet talk over the situation. +</p><p> +"Mr. Allison has been guyed unmercifully about his kids, Bob," Fred +said, "and he has stood by us like a father. Let's give him $5,000 +to-morrow as a token of our appreciation of him." +</p><p> +"I am willing," Bob replied. "The old man is our friend." +</p><p> +"Yes, indeed he is." +</p><p> +The next morning, when the old cashier came to the bank, he shook hands +with both of the boys, saying: +</p><p> +"They made it pretty hot for me about my 'kids,' but I guess we have +made it pretty uncomfortable for some of them." +</p><p> +"I think we have, too," Fred replied. "Here's our check to you for +$5,000 for the way you have stood by us." +</p><p> +"The devil!" gasped the old man in dumfounded amazement. "Do you give me +that?" +</p><p> +"Yes, of course." +</p><p> +He grasped their hands again. +</p><p> +"Boys," he said, choking with emotion, "I–I don't know what to say. God +bless me, I don't!" and he jerked out his handkerchief and blew his nose +a half dozen times. +</p><p> +"That's all right, Mr. Allison. We want you to grow up with us." +</p><p> +"Call me pop, boys–call me pop after this–as my other children do," +and the old fellow had to wipe his eyes and his glasses. +</p><p> +It did the two boys good to watch him. They had touched his heart and +the stern old man of business had softened like a woman. But others +began to come in. The papers told how the two boys had squeezed some of +the strongest men in the street and scooped several hundred thousand +dollars of their money, and men who had seen them often before now came +in to look at them again. But Fred and Bob were quite busy in their +little private office engaged in figuring up the result of the deal, +leaving Allison to answer questions and receive congratulations. Over +in the Stock Exchange the syndicate was busy trying to save further +losses. Bryant was on hand, but Bowles was in the hands of his +physician. +</p><p> +"We were betrayed by somebody," Bryant said. "Those boys were posted by +somebody in the deal and used as a blind." +</p><p> +"That is a serious charge to make, Bryant," said one of the syndicate, +"and we'll have to make an investigation to find out if there is any +truth in it. The charge reflects on us all." +</p><p> +"I have no idea who the guilty one is," Bryant replied. "I don't even +know that the charge is true; but I believe that we were downed by a +conspiracy in which one of the syndicate was engaged. Those boys are not +deep enough to do what they did by their own account." +</p><p> +"You forget that Allison is in their employ," said the other. +</p><p> +"I don't think he had anything to do with it." +</p><p> +Just then Fred entered the Exchange in search of a broker he wanted to +see. +</p><p> +Broker Tabor saw him, caught him by the arm and said: +</p><p> +"Here, Halsey, I want to ask you a question." +</p><p> +"Fire away," said Fred. +</p><p> +"How did you get on to that Rock Island deal?" +</p><p> +"Bryant gave it away." +</p><p> +"Eh! What!" +</p><p> +"Bryant gave the snap away," Fred repeated, and just then he saw the man +he was in search of and went over to him. +</p><p> +Tabor returned to where Bryant and other members of the syndicate were +standing and said: +</p><p> +"You were right, Bryant. One of the syndicate did give it away, and +Halsey admits it." +</p><p> +"Ah! Did he name the scoundrel?" Bryant asked. +</p><p> +"Yes. I asked him how he got on to it, and he said 'Bryant gave it +away.'" +</p><p> +Bryant gave a start as if stung and dashed across the room to where Fred +was standing, grabbed him by the collar and hissed in his face: +</p><p> +"Did you say I gave the Rock Island deal away?" +</p><p> +"Yes, but you didn't mean to do it." +</p><p> +"What do you mean?" +</p><p> +Brokers crowded around them. +</p><p> +"On the very day you began buying I was standing near you, and heard you +say, 'I'll take all I can get of that stock.' I knew then you were going +to boom it, so I went off and loaded up for you. Mr. Barron bought the +stock for you in less than thirty minutes after I heard you say that. +Did I get any of your fleece?" +</p><p> +Bryant hurled him from him and turned away. +</p> + +<p></p> +<hr /> + +<p></p> + +<div class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XII.–Fred Makes a Discovery.</div> + +<p> +The great deal in Rock Island made the young bankers and speculators one +of the best known firms in Wall Street. It was known that they had a +vast sum of cold cash on hand, and that they had nerve and good +judgment, and so scores of men came to them to buy and sell for them. +Gertie Clayton received about $36,000 for the tip she had given them, +and she left it on deposit in the bank. +</p><p> +"Bob," she said to him a few days later, "I am not going to do any more +typewriting. I was not made for the business, and never did like it." +</p><p> +"What are you going to do, then?" he asked. +</p><p> +"I'll tell you what I want to do," she replied, "I am engaged to a +handsome young banker and we are to marry in two years. I think it is my +duty to fit myself to be his wife by educating myself so he will be +proud of me when we marry." +</p><p> +"By George, Gertie!" Bob exclaimed, "your head is level. Get out of Wall +Street and I'll come uptown and spoon with you every evening. I'll make +enough for us both." +</p><p> +"You dear, good Bob!" she said. "I knew you would look at it as I do. +You do not know how happy I am. I am going to study music and make +myself an accomplished young lady so our home will not be a dull one." +</p><p> +She told Callie her reasons for giving up typewriting, and the latter +said: +</p><p> +"You are right, Gertie. I would do so, too, were I so fortunate." +</p><p> +Just a few days later Eva Gaines came down with her uncle, the old +broker, and was shown into the ladies' reception room with him. Fred and +Bob received them with great consideration. +</p><p> +"You have been making, things lively in the Street," the old broker +remarked to Fred. +</p><p> +"Yes, sir. I would like to pay you the balance I owe for the seat in +the Stock Exchange." +</p><p> +"Well, I am not in any hurry about it," was the reply. "You can do so if +you wish, and my niece here will leave $10,000 with you to speculate +with for her. That is what we came down to-day for." +</p><p> +Fred looked at her without making any reply. +</p><p> +"I don't think I ought to attempt anything like that yet a while, Mr. +Gaines," he finally said. +</p><p> +"Oh, I just know you could make a fortune for me in a little while," +said Eva. "You are fortunate in everything you do." +</p><p> +"I have been very fortunate of late," he replied, "but I am more free +with my own money than I would dare to be with other people's cash." +</p><p> +"But that is just what I want you to do–use it as you would your own," +she urged. +</p><p> +Fred shook his head. +</p><p> +"I was a messenger with one of the heaviest men in Wall Street before I +went into business for myself," he returned, "and I have never forgotten +what I once heard him say to a lady who wanted him to use her money in +speculation." +</p><p> +"What did he say?" she eagerly asked. +</p><p> +"He said women could not understand business; that with them success was +the only test of merit; that he had invested money for two women and +both had threatened to horsewhip him because their investment was not a +success. He then declared that he would retire from business rather than +handle a woman's money." +</p><p> +The old broker laughed and said: +</p><p> +"Young man, had I been as cautious in my younger days I'd have been +worth many millions to-day." +</p><p> +"But I don't know what to tell you to buy," she persisted. +</p><p> +"Then you had better keep your money. There are plenty of men in Wall +Street who would be glad to take your money and–keep it. But I am not +one of them." +</p><p> +"Well, you will let me leave it in your bank, won't you?" +</p><p> +"Oh, yes. You can be a depositor," and she gave him the check which her +father had given her. He gave it to Allison, who entered her name as one +of the bank's depositors. +</p><p> +When he returned to them Eva remarked that she was sorry he thought her +capable of horse-whipping anybody. +</p><p> +"I have never been able to understand a woman, and to tell you the +truth, I am afraid of anything in petticoats." +</p><p> +The old broker and his beautiful niece laughed till the tears ran down +their cheeks. +</p><p> +"Well, you'll use my money now, won't you?" she asked. +</p><p> +"Yes, if you will tell me what to buy." +</p><p> +"Oh, pshaw!" +</p><p> +A few days after the Gainses left the bank Fred was going along Broad +street when he saw a little crowd on the sidewalk listening to a young +man explaining a gas-saving appliance. Fred took a great interest in the +affair and after a while asked the young man to make a visit to his +office and adjust one to his gaspipe. The young man did so the next day, +and Fred saw it was a good thing. He asked the young inventor what he +would take for the invention. +</p><p> +"I only want to get a living out of it," answered the young man. +</p><p> +"Well, I'll give you $10,000 for it." +</p><p> +"It's your's," said the inventor. +</p><p> +In two hours the papers were signed and the money paid. Then a patent +was applied for and a plant secured for the manufacture of the machines. +</p><p> +Several days later old Broker Bowles dashed into the room. +</p> + +<p></p> +<hr /> + +<p></p> + +<div class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XIII.–Fred Makes an Unbusiness-like Loan.</div> + +<p> +The moment the old man entered the little office Fred sprang to his feet +and confronted him. There was something in the wrinkled old face that +told of a terrible state of mind. +</p><p> +"Mr. Bowles," said Fred, by way of breaking silence. +</p><p> +"Yes, I am Bowles. I have come to see you and get the truth out of you." +</p><p> +"Take a seat," and Bob pushed a chair toward him. +</p><p> +"I want to know who betrayed us in that Rock Island deal?" he asked Bob. +</p><p> +"No one betrayed you, Mr. Bowles. Fred saw Mr. Bryant buy the stock +right along–all that offered–and so we decided that he was going to +boom it. We bought 15,000 shares through Barron. That's all the +betraying that was done." +</p><p> +"That's a lie! It won't do! I know better than that! Tell the truth, or +I'll choke it out of you!" and he glared fiercely at Bob. +</p><p> +"Pitch in and do your choking before you forget it," Bob replied. +</p><p> +The irate old man made a grab at his throat. Bob dodged back, and they +both fell to the floor, their chairs upsetting with quite a clatter. In +an instant Fred grappled the old fellow's legs and dragged him from Bob. +Bob sprang to his feet, seized an inkstand on the desk and dashed its +contents all over the old broker's face and bosom. Some of it got into +his eyes and blinded him. +</p><p> +Just then two brokers came in and separated them. +</p><p> +"Who is it, Halsey?" one of them asked. +</p><p> +"Mr. Bowles. He is away off his balance." +</p><p> +The two brokers laughed at the plight of the old man. His best friend +could not have recognized him covered as he was with ink. As if ashamed +of what he had done, Bowles scrambled to his feet, hurried out of the +office and made a break for his own quarters. But his appearance on the +street caused a sensation. Some boys saw him, and set up a series of +yells that brought a crowd about him in less than half a minute. An +officer ran up, looked hard at him for a moment or two and then collared +him. +</p><p> +"That's all right, officer," the old man said. "Just a little accident, +that's all." +</p><p> +"But you can't draw a crowd and obstruct the street this way," the +officer replied. "Who are you?" +</p><p> +"I am Bowles, the broker. One of the oldest in the Street." +</p><p> +"What! Are you Mr. Bowles?" +</p><p> +"Yes; come to my office and see before more people gather." +</p><p> +The officer went along with him, and when they appeared in the office +the clerks were almost panic-stricken, such a frightful-looking object +was he. The officer remained long enough to make sure he really was the +old broker and then left. In a little while the old man sent for a +carriage and was driven home, where he changed his clothes and got rid +of the ink stains on his face and hair. But the Street got hold of it, +though Fred nor Bob would not say anything about it. Some said the old +man heard they had a bag of wool hung up in their office and went in to +fan them out. They fanned him out and kept his fleece. +</p><p> +Those who were in the Rock Island deal felt very sore over the way it +had turned out, and it was a difficult matter for them to believe that +some one in it had not betrayed them. But Halsey & Company had come up +on top, and though but a couple of boys, the cunning old foxes of the +Street saw that they would have to be reckoned with in the future. The +weeks and months rolled on, and the gas machine was put on the market. +Under the management of the young inventor the mechanical part of it +worked without friction. Bob took charge of the office work, and soon +had one thousand machines placed among the large consumers of gas, at a +rental of from $5 to $10 a month each, producing an income of about +$75,000 a year. Out of that sum they paid the young inventor $7,500 a +year salary. One day Broker Tracey came in and begged Halsey & Company +to sell him an interest in the gas machine, offering $50,000 cash for +one-fourth interest in it. +</p><p> +"Not for $250,000," said Fred. "It is a gold mine, and we think we can +work it by ourselves." +</p><p> +Tracey left, and soon after his departure Mrs. Bryant came in, +accompanied by Eva Gaines. She asked to see Fred. He went to the ladies' +room, and was received with smiles by both ladies. +</p><p> +"Mr. Halsey," said the broker's wife, "I want to borrow $10,000 for +thirty days. I see a chance to make money, but have none to do it with. +Will you let me have it?" +</p><p> +"What security have you to offer?" he asked her. +</p><p> +"None; only my jewelry remains unmortgaged," and her eyes filled with +tears as she spoke. +</p><p> +"Do you want it for yourself or your husband?" +</p><p> +"For myself. He has lost every dollar he had." +</p><p> +"I am going to put that much into it, too," said Eva. "Let her have it +for my sake, Mr. Halsey." +</p><p> +"Will you indorse her note?" +</p><p> +"Yes." +</p><p> +"Very well; I'll let you have the money, Mrs. Bryant," and he made out +the note and they both signed it. He gave the broker's wife the money, +and they left the bank together. +</p> + +<p></p> +<hr /> + +<p></p> + +<div class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XIV.–Fred Proposes to Callie.</div> + +<p> +When the two ladies were gone Fred muttered to himself: +</p><p> +"They made me do an unbusinesslike thing–because they are women. She +brought Eva along to make sure I would not refuse her. True, Eva +indorsed the note, but she is a minor, and so the indorsement is not +worth a cent. I don't believe she has a tip. There's nothing doing in +the Street now that I know anything about. I think it was for the +benefit of her husband, and no one else. Sorry I didn't ask what the tip +was since I have to take all the risks. Ah, here comes Callie!" +</p><p> +Callie came into the little private office unannounced. +</p><p> +"Mr. Bryant is in Bowles' power for $10,000, and a warrant is out for +him. Mrs. Bryant came to the bank to fix it up, and Eva Gaines was with +her. They could not do anything with Mr. Barron and I heard Eva whisper +to Mrs. Bryant: 'Let's go and see Fred Halsey.' I got away as quick as I +could so you may know what to do when they come." +</p><p> +"You came too late, Callie," he said, shaking his head. +</p><p> +"Have they been here?" +</p><p> +"Yes," +</p><p> +"What did they do?" +</p><p> +"They got $10,000 out of me." +</p><p> +"You goose, you! You need a guardian, Fred Halsey!" +</p><p> +"I guess you are right, and I believe I'll apply for one this very day." +</p><p> +"What was Mr. Allison about?" +</p><p> +"He doesn't know a thing about it. I couldn't refuse 'em, they came at +me in such a way. If I had a wife, I think I would be safer in such +matters." +</p><p> +"So do I. You need one badly, young as you are," and she laughed saucily +at him. +</p><p> +"Well, let's call a carriage and drive to the mayor's office. He'll tie +us up hard and fast." +</p><p> +Her big brown eyes opened wide and stared at him. +</p><p> +"Do you mean you want to marry me?" she asked. +</p><p> +"Yes. You have more sense than any girl I know of." +</p><p> +"Fred, if you love me and want me for that reason alone, I'll marry you. +But if you want me simply for business reasons, I won't." +</p><p> +"Callie, you sweet little goose, I've been dead in love with you for six +months, and have asked myself a thousand times, 'Will she have me if I +ask her?' and now I ask you–will you be my wife?" +</p><p> +"Yes, Fred." +</p><p> +"Do you love me?" he asked her impulsively. +</p><p> +"Yes, yes. Oh, Fred, I am so happy now that I know you love me! I was so +afraid you did not." +</p><p> +Fred caught her in his arms and kissed her, saying: +</p><p> +"Let's drive to the mayor's office at once, and—." +</p><p> +"No, that won't do. We both have mothers who love us. They will be glad +to know that we love each other. Let's wait a little while and have a +quiet wedding at my mother's home." +</p><p> +"How long do you want me to wait?" +</p><p> +"Will a month be too long?" +</p><p> +"Hang it, yes. Make it two weeks and it's a go." +</p><p> +"Well, say two weeks, then." +</p><p> +He kissed her again. +</p><p> +"Hello! Spooning!" cried Bob, coming in at that moment. +</p><p> +"Yes," replied Fred. "We got it bad," and he kissed her again. +</p><p> +"Yum-yum!" said Bob. "Wish my girl was here," and he wiped his mouth and +laughed. +</p><p> +"Say, pard," said Fred, "we are going to hitch in two weeks." +</p><p> +"Great Scott! Why such haste?" +</p><p> +"Old age is coming on and we want all there is in life for us, eh, +Callie?" +</p><p> +"You are doing all the talking, Fred," Callie replied. +</p><p> +Bob and Fred laughed, and Callie joined in finally. She was a very happy +girl. +</p><p> +"How about my position at Barron's, Fred?" she asked. +</p><p> +"Give it up, of course. Do you know a poor girl who wants the place?" +</p><p> +"I do," said Bob. +</p><p> +"Who is she?" +</p><p> +"A friend of Gertie's. She's a good one, too." +</p><p> +"Well, let's see her before Callie steps down and out." +</p><p> +"I'll tell Gertie about it to-night." +</p><p> +"Yes." +</p><p> +"Oh, I must see Gertie myself. Let me tell her all about it," said +Callie. +</p><p> +Bob was with Gertie in her home that evening when Callie and Fred +called. The two girls were soon planning for a double wedding, and ere +they parted it was arranged that both should marry on the same evening. +The young inventor of the gas-saving machine was now a frequent caller +at the Halsey residence, for Adah was a beautiful girl, who was fast +developing into a splendid woman. She was the magnet that drew him to +the house. As he was studious, industrious, and withal a genius, Fred +was glad to see an attachment growing up between them. Callie resigned +her place as stenographer and typewriter for Banker Barron, and +succeeded in getting Gertie's friend employed in her place. She and +Gertie then proceeded to make preparations to marry the young bankers +and speculators. +</p><p> +In the meantime Fred was busy in the Stock Exchange, trying to find out +what Broker Bryant was doing. He kept his eyes wide open all the time to +see if he was working on any particular stock. But the burly broker +seemed to have nothing at all to do. Fred noticed that he and old Bowles +no longer spoke as they passed by. +</p><p> +By that he knew Callie had got the story right, and that Bryant had +escaped the old man's clutches only by paying up the last penny he owed +him. He went to the old man and said he wanted to buy futures on P. & K. +</p><p> +"How much and how long?" the old man asked. +</p><p> +"Five thousand shares for ten days." +</p><p> +The trade was made, and Fred then went quietly to work buying up the +7,000 shares that were on the market. He bought at 67, in a few days he +met Bryant on the street and said to him: +</p><p> +"I want to see you privately if you feel like doing any business with +me." +</p><p> +Bryant was quite astonished, and asked: +</p><p> +"Is there any money in it?" +</p><p> +"I think there is." +</p><p> +"Then I am at your service." +</p><p> +Fred had a confidential talk with him, during which the broker admitted +that Bowles had ruined him financially by getting a technical grip on +him. +</p><p> +"Well, I have got a grip on him, I think," Fred explained, "and if you +want your revenge, you can have it." +</p> + +<p></p> +<hr /> + +<p></p> + +<div class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XV.–Conclusion.</div> + +<p> +Fred sold him five hundred shares to give him a starter, the shares +being for himself. In two hours the price went up to 70, and Fred saw +old Bowles growing fidgety. The next day Fred sold five hundred shares +more at 72, they going to himself. Then the brokers began to hustle for +the stock, and found they could not get it. It went up to 82 before the +day closed. Bowles was desperate. +</p><p> +"See here, Halsey," he said to Fred, the day before the ten days were up +on his 5,000 shares, "I want to settle that thing now. I can't get the +stock at all." +</p><p> +"Wait till it is due," Fred suggested. +</p><p> +"To tell you the truth, Mr. Bowles, I haven't got that option. I sold +it to another man." +</p><p> +"To whom did you sell it?" +</p><p> +"To Bryant." +</p><p> +The next day the stock wont up to 90, and at that figure Bryant called +Bowles for 5,000 shares of the stock. It is a rule of the Stock Exchange +that where the stock sold cannot be delivered on demand the difference +between the purchase and delivery prices shall be paid in cash. At 90, +the difference was $23 per share, on 5.000 shares, making $115,000. When +the settlement was made, Fred generously allowed Bryant one-half the +profits. It put him on his feet again. The day after the settlement was +made Mrs. Bryant and Eva Gaines called at the office and asked for Fred. +</p><p> +"I have come to pay my note," she said to him. +</p><p> +"It is not yet due," he replied. +</p><p> +"No, but I have the money and want to pay it," and she laid down a big +roll of bills as she spoke. Fred took the money and gave her the note +she had signed. +</p><p> +"Now, Mr. Halsey," she said, as she tore up the note, "I want to say to +you that as long as I live I shall always have a feeling of lively +gratitude toward you for your kindness to me in this matter. You are the +one in all New York who would have loaned me that money." +</p><p> +"I am not sure of that," he replied, shaking his head. +</p><p> +"I am glad to know that you and Mr. Bryant are friends again," said Mrs. +Bryant. "He said you helped him out in a deal against that odious Mr. +Bowles the other day." +</p><p> +"Yes, we did manage to give the old man the headache, I believe." +</p><p> +"I was so glad when I heard it, for he is the meanest man in New York." +</p><p> +"That's a pretty hard thing to say of any one," Fred remarked, laughing. +</p><p> +They left the bank and Fred was smiling all over as he returned to his +private office. +</p><p> +"What will they think when they hear of the double wedding, I wonder?" +said he to himself. "I ought to have told them all, but it won't make +any difference, I guess. Hanged if I don't believe Eva Gaines would like +to have me call on her. I wouldn't give Callie for a dozen of her. She +is pretty enough, sweet enough and all that. But I think Callie has the +best head of the two, and knows how to take care of money." +</p><p> +At the appointed time the double wedding took place, and the four +families drove to the parsonage in four carriages. The two brides never +looked so beautiful, nor were the young grooms ever so proud as when +they gazed upon them as they met in the parlor of the parsonage. +</p><p> +They drove from the parsonage to Delmonico's for supper, where they +remained two hours at the table. +</p><p> +Young as they were, they did not put on any frills, but drove home after +the supper, and began life like the sensible people they were. +</p><p> +Thus ends the story of how two boys made their fortunes in Wall street. +They soon became one of the strong institutions of the city. +</p><p> +Halsey & Company frequently met with reverses, but their gains were far +ahead of their losses. +</p><p> +By the time they were old enough to vote they were rated as +millionaires, and each was a father. They are now in the prime of life, +and yet still known as the boy bankers. +</p> + +<p></p> + +<hr /> +<p> +Next week's issue will contain "ALOW AND ALOFT; OR, THE DASHING BOY +HARPOONER." +</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Halsey & Co., by H. K. Shackleford + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HALSEY & CO. *** + +***** This file should be named 21963-h.htm or 21963-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/1/9/6/21963/ + +Produced by Richard Halsey + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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K. Shackleford + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Halsey & Co. + or, The Young Bankers and Speculators + +Author: H. K. Shackleford + +Release Date: June 29, 2007 [EBook #21963] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HALSEY & CO. *** + + + + +Produced by Richard Halsey + + + + +HALSEY & Co.; +OR, THE YOUNG BANKERS AND SPECULATORS + +By H. K. SHACKLEFORD + +CHAPTER I.--"I'll Shoot!" + +Mr. Barron, the rich banker in Broad street, was seated at his desk in +his private office one day when the door was opened by the porter, who +said: + +"There's a newsboy out here who says he must see you, sir." + +"Go and tell him to let you know what he wants. If it's a situation, +tell him we have none vacant." + +The porter went back to the outer office. In a minute or two the door +opened again and the newsboy entered and closed the door behind him. The +banker recognized him as the boy who had brought him the afternoon +papers daily for a year back. + +"The bouncer told me to go away, sir," the boy said, doffing his hat as +he spoke, "but I knew my business better than he does. There's a couple +of men putting up a big job on your bank, and I knew if I didn't tell +you about it they'd scoop you for a big pile." + +The banker wheeled his chair around so as to face the boy, and laid his +gold glasses on the desk. + +"Who are they, and how did you find out about it?" he asked. + +"I don't know who they are, but I found it out by overhearing their +talk." + +"What is their plan?" + +"A forged check." + +"Whose name is forged?" + +"I don't know, sir. They had a genuine check and were comparing it to +the forged one. They said it was perfect and would be paid if presented +when the cashier was busy." + +"Ah! I see. That means a little before three o'clock. Now, my boy, do +you think you could point them out to a detective when they come up to +the cashier's window?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Not afraid of them, eh?" + +"No, sir. I am not afraid of anybody." + +The banker smiled, reached over on his desk and tapped a small bell. The +door opened and a messenger appeared. + +"Tell Caruth to come here," the banker said to him. + +The messenger disappeared, and a few moments later the bank detective +came in. + +"Caruth," said the banker, "this boy tells me he overheard two men +plotting to present a forged check to-day. Take him out there with you +and arrest the man he points out to you. Let the man get the money, +though, so as to make a good case against him." + +Caruth looked at the boy and said: + +"I know you by sight. What's your name?" + +"Fred Halsey." + +"Well, go along with him, Fred," the banker said to him. "It may be a +bad business if you make a mistake." + +"Come on, Halsey," and the detective led the way out into the public +hall of the bank. + +Fred followed him, and the two were soon in a crowd of people, who were +coming and going all the time. Caruth took up a position near the +cashier's window where he could see every man who stopped there. Fred +stood by his side and closely scanned the faces of those who came and +went. + +More than an hour passed, and still they stood there on the watch. The +detective was used to it, but Fred had been more active, and he began to +wish the men would come along. Suddenly he nudged Caruth with his +elbow--nudged him good. Caruth leaned over till his face was on a level +with Fred's. + +"That's him--the man in the gray ulster." + +Caruth looked up and saw a man in a gray ulster and with gold glasses +on. + +"Do you see the other one?" he asked. + +"No, I don't see him." + +"Well, look for him. Sure you have the right man now?" + +"Yes. That's one of 'em." + +Caruth did not pretend to look at the man in the line. But he kept him +in view all the time. The man finally got up to the window and presented +a check. The cashier looked at the check and then at the endorsement. He +gave the man a hasty glance and then began counting out a large sum of +money, using bills of large denomination to expedite the counting. He +handed out the money and the man gathered it up and was putting it into +his pocket when Caruth laid a hand on his arm and said: + +"The president of the bank wants to see you in his private office a few +moments." + +Suddenly, and without any warning, the stranger kicked Caruth's feet +from under him, and he fell heavily on the tiled flooring, his head +striking it so hard that he became instantly unconscious. The stranger +made a break for the street entrance. Quick as a flash Fred Halsey +sprang forward in front of him, darted between his legs, and caused him +to fall forward on his face. The man was quick, though, and caught on +his hands. He was on his feet again in an instant. Again Fred darted +between his legs and threw him. This time he rolled completely over and +Fred saw the handle of a revolver protruding from a hip pocket. He +grabbed it, cocked it, and held the muzzle within a foot of the forger's +head, saying: + +"I'll shoot!" + +The man lay still, glaring at the black muzzle of the weapon like one +confronting a ghost. Mr. Barron heard the noise of the three falls, and +rushed out of the office in time to see Fred aim the revolver at the +head of the forger. + +"Arrest that man!" he cried. "He is a forger." + +A forger is the one criminal most hated in Wall Street, and as soon as +it was announced that he was one, the stranger was instantly surrounded +and captured. A policeman came in from the street and put the nippers on +him. + +"Bring him into my office, officer," said the banker. "He has a lot of +the bank's money in his possession." + +The officer took him to the president's room, and Fred followed, with +the pistol still in his hand. He was searched, and the money found in +his pocket. The cashier brought in the check and said he did not believe +it was forged. + +"Send for Mr. Manson and see what he says about it," suggested the +banker. + +Manson was a rich broker, whose name had been forged to the check. He +was found at his office and came over to the bank immediately. Taking +the check, which was for $10,000, he made a close examination of it. + +"I never gave that check to any one," he said. "It is a forgery, but +such a good one that ordinarily I would not be able to detect it +myself." + +"I took it in good faith," said the stranger. "Can you swear it was +forged?" + +"Yes, for I have given out no check for that amount to-day." + +"The date is nothing. Is that your signature?" + +"It is very much like it, but I did not write it, nor did I ever give a +check to any such party." + +"You will swear to that?" Barron asked him. + +"Yes--a thousand times." + +"Then I'll take the responsibility of the man's arrest and prosecution. +You may take him away, officer." + +The policeman led his prisoner out, and a dozen prominent brokers got +around Barron to congratulate him on the arrest. Barron looked around +and saw Fred standing near the door, still holding the revolver in his +hand. + +"Ah! There's the one to whom I am indebted for the arrest," and he went +over to where Fred was standing, extended his hand to him, and added: + +"He not only came and gave me warning, but actually made the arrest +himself. Caruth, our detective, was hurt, and the forger would have +escaped but for this boy here," and he, wrung Fred's hand as he spoke. + +"That's so," remarked a broker, shaking Fred's hand. "I saw the whole +business myself, but didn't know what it meant. Shake, my dear boy," and +he gave him a hearty handshake. A half dozen others followed, and one +said: + +"Here, let's set him up. We want to encourage boys like him," and he +drew a ten-dollar bill from the inside pocket of his vest and laid it on +the desk. "Cover that with as much as you please, gentlemen." + +Seven other laid down similar amounts, and Barton remarked; + +"Whatever you give, gentlemen, I'll double it." + +"Very good," said another, putting down a ten. "We'll all chip in." + +The sum of $130 was laid on the desk while Fred stood there looking on, +with his heart way up in his throat. + +"Now, Fred Halsey," the banker said to the newsboy. "I am going to +double this sum, giving you two hundred and sixty dollars. What are you +going to do with so much money?" + +"Set up a bank of my own," was the prompt reply at which the banker and +the brokers broke into a roar of laughter. + +"Gimme ten dollars," Fred said, "and keep the rest in the bank for me." + +"Very well; here's the ten," and Fred took the bill and went out on the +street, feeling richer than ever before in his life. + + +CHAPTER II.--Halsey & Company. + +Fred Halsey was a sturdy youth of sixteen whose father had died when he +was but ten years old. He was a manly little fellow who knew how to take +care of himself in his career of newsboy. He had laughing blue eyes and +a handsome face, while his mouth showed that he possessed a dauntless +spirit. His mother died long before his father did, and he and his +little sister lived with an aunt--his mother's sister--who was a +childless widow. She was a mother to him and Adah, who was two years +younger than Fred, a pretty blue-eyed little miss with golden hair and +pearly teeth. + +She did washing, and Fred sold papers, while Adah was a cash girl in one +of the big stores on Grand street. Even then it was but a poor living +for them in the great city, where grasping landlords demanded rent money +with the regularity of the almanac. When Fred Halsey went out of the +bank with ten dollars in his pocket and $250 more in the bank behind +him, he had a feeling in his heart he never had there before. The whole +world seemed opened to him. Rich bankers and brokers had shaken hands +with him and praised him for what he had done. + +"And I'm rich now myself," he said to himself, as he darted up toward +Broadway. "Whew! I'm rich! I'm rich!" + +"Hello, Fred!" + +"Hello, Bob! Where are you going?" + +"Up to the telegraph office." + +"I'm going that way, too," and he went along with Bob Newcombe, a +messenger boy in Broker Manson's office, who was his chum and friend, +and about the same age as himself. + +"Sold all your papers?" Bob asked. + +"Yes, all I am going to sell to-day," + +"Made enough to stop on, eh?" + +"Yes." + +Bob laughed and remarked: + +"If I had a hundred dollars I could make three hundred in a week." + +Fred started. + +"How?" he asked. + +"Big deal going on in the Stock Exchange. Heard 'em fixing it up in the +office this morning." + +"What is it?" + +"Corner in B. & H." + +Fred had been selling papers in Wall Street long enough to be familiar +with all the terms used by brokers and bankers. He knew all about "puts" +and "calls," "bulls" and "bears," and had read eagerly the stories of +fortunes won or lost in the mad whirl of speculation down there. + +"Sure you could make it, Bob?" he finally asked of the messenger boy. + +"Of course I am. I've seen it done many a time. When three or four big +brokers club together to boom a stock it booms, and then the lambs lose +their fleece." + +"But wouldn't you be a lamb and lose your fleece, too?" + +"No. I wouldn't buy when it had boomed. I'd buy before and sell when it +went up." + +They entered the telegraph office, and Bob sent off the message he had +brought, after which they went out on the street again. + +"What's B. & H. going at now?" Fred asked. + +"It's going at forty-seven. It will be up to fifty to-morrow when the +Stock Exchange closes." + +"How do you know that?" + +"Mr. Manson is going to buy up all the stock. He has millions behind +him. The stock will go up, up, up, till it topples over on the lambs. +Oh, I've seen it done a dozen times. If I had one hundred dollars, I'd +put it up on ten percent margin--every dollar of it--and scoop in three +hundred dollars inside of a week." + +"Say, Bob, I've got the 'scads.'" + +"Eh! Huh?" and Bob stopped and stared at him. + +"I've got the 'chink,' the 'rhino,' the hundred dollars," and Fred told +him the story of what had taken place in the bank but a short half hour +before. + +Bob was staggered. + +"Git a hundred quick, Fred. Mr. Tabor will buy on a margin for us." + +"Come on. I'll do it," and Fred hurried back to the bank and sent word +in to Mr. Barron that he wanted $100 more of his money. + +It was sent out to him, and he and Bob ran round to Broker Tabor's +office. It lacked but ten minutes of three o'clock. + +"Mr. Tabor, will you buy on a margin for us?" Bob asked the broker. + +"Hello, Halsey!" exclaimed the broker, on seeing Fred. + +"Hello, sir," returned Fred, seeing he was one of the brokers who had +given him the money in Barron's office. + +"Yes. What is it you want bought?" the broker asked Bob. + +"B. & H., sir." + +"All right; where's your money?" + +"Here it is," said Fred, handing him the money. + +"Going into business, eh?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Well, what name shall I use?" and Tabor took up his pen to write a +receipt for the money. + +"Halsey & Co.," said Bob. "I don't know whether Mr. Manson would like to +have me do such a thing, so put it that way. It's Fred's money, too." + +The broker laughed, wrote the receipt, and handed it to Fred, with the +remark: + +"You will soon learn how easy it is to lose money in Wall Street." + +"When a man loses, somebody wins," Fred replied, and Tabor never forgot +the remark, for he had reason to remember it ere he was a year older. +The two boys went out and Bob said, when they reached the sidewalk: + +"I've got to go back to the office, but won't have to stay long as it is +nearly three o'clock. Come along and wait for me." + +Fred went with him and waited downstairs at the street entrance for him +while he was standing there. Manson, whose name had been forged to the +check which Fred had been instrumental in stopping, came down the +stairs, accompanied by a tall, white-haired old man. + +"Ah! There's the boy now, general," said Manson, on seeing Fred. "He +threw the villain twice and then held him with the revolver till others +secured him." + +"Well, really, my lad," said the general, extending his hand to Fred. "I +honor courage wherever I find it. Shake hands with me. I am glad to know +you." + +Fred shook hands with the old man without uttering a word, the meeting +taking him quite by surprise. Just as he was going to speak several +brokers came up and shook hands with the general, and he was forgotten. +In a little while Bob came down, and the two went away together. + +"See here, Fred," Bob said, "we must not say a word about this thing. I +got the tip in the office, you know." + +"Yes, I know." + +"At 47 one thousand will get 21 shares." Bob continued. "Par value is +100. They will try to run it in to that; if they do, we'll make more +than $300." + +"But if it goes backwards or down instead of up, we won't know what hit +us," remarked Fred. + +"That's true. But it's going up," said Bob, with a good deal of +emphasis. "I have seen it done before, and know just how it works." + +They walked up to Broadway and turned toward the City Hall. All the +newsboys knew them, and, as a late edition of the afternoon papers had +an account of the arrest of the forger, in which Fred's name was +mentioned, some of the boys ran to him to ask him about it. The account +said nothing about the money that had been given Fred, so he felt +relieved. Of course he had to stop and tell them about it. While he was +doing so a man came by and asked: + +"Do any of you know a newsboy named Fred Halsey?" + +"Yes, I do," replied Fred very promptly, ere any of the others could do +so. + +"Where can I find him?" + +"Oh, he's around somewhere, He never stops long in one place," and he +winked at the boys as he spoke. + +They all understood at once that Fred did not wish them to give him +away, and not one would have done so under any circumstances. + +"I'd like to give one of you a dollar to find him and point him out to +me." + +"Show us your dollar and I'll tell you how to find him yourself," said +Fred. + +"Here's your money," and the man handed him a dollar bill. Fred took it +and said: + +"That cop over there by the Astor House corner is his dad. Just go over +there and stand there a while and you'll see him come up to the old man. +He meets him there about this time every day." + +The man, who seemed to be in earnest, seemed half inclined to doubt what +Fred had told him. + +"Is that so, boys?" he asked, appealing to the boys. + +"Yes!" the entire crowd sung out. + +He turned away and walked over to the Astor House corner. + +"What's yer givin' 'im, Fred?" one of the boys asked. + +"Whist!" half whispered Fred. "He's a pal of that forger and is looking +for me to do me up. Come on and we'll eat up this dollar," and he led +the way to a fruit stand up beyond the City Hall, where he spent the +money the man had given him for bananas for the boys. + +"Well, that was the slickest thing I ever saw done," said Bob. "Why +don't you have him arrested and sent to join the other fellow?" + +"Got no proof on him." + +"You said he was his pal." + +"Yes, but I couldn't prove it, only my word for it, that's all. He wants +to lay me out for giving the snap away." + +"How do you know he does?" + +"Do you think he wants to thank me, give me a new suit of clothes and +invite me to dine with him at Del's?" and Fred gave the least tinge of a +sneer to his tones as he spoke. + +"Well, hardly," Bob replied, laughing good-naturedly. "It is well enough +to know what the fellow wants, though." + +Fred did not reply, and Bob added: + +"He'll find you out, anyway." + +"Yes, so he will. Better go back and see what he wants. I'll go with +you. He can't do us both up." + +"Come on. Let's go and see if he is there," and the two young friends +turned and made their way back to the Astor House where they had sent +him. + + +CHAPTER III.--The Thief in the Stock Exchange. + +When the two boys arrived at the Astor House corner, they failed to find +the man there. While looking around for him he came up to Fred, laid a +hand on his shoulder and said: + +"It was a neat little game you played on me. Where does the laugh come +in?" + +Fred laughed and asked: + +"Where were you born?" + +"Right here in New York." + +"Must have got lost then. What do you want of me?" + +"I am a detective and have been on the tracks of a band of forgers for +months. I see in the papers that you helped bag one of them to-day. You +gave warning to the bank. That's what I want to see you about. There is +a big reward up for the arrest of the gang. If you can give me any +information that may lead to the arrest of any of them you can have one +half the reward." + +"Not much I won't," Fred replied, shaking his head. "I can arrest the +whole gang myself and get all the reward." + +"That's all nonsense. You can't arrest any man. You're but a boy yet." + +"Yes, that's so. But I got one of 'em to-day. I could call that cop over +here now and get another but I am not ready for you yet." + +"What do you mean?' the man asked, turning pale with a frightened look +in his eyes. + +"I mean I am on to you." + +"How on to me?" + +"Oh, you make me tired. I got your pal to-day. Look out I don't get you +to-morrow." + +The look of amazement on the man's face was a picture. Fred looked up at +him and laughed. Then he turned away and went over across the street, as +if to speak to the policeman there. The man hurried across Broadway, and +was lost in the crowd surging along Park Row. + +"That was a good scare you gave him, Fred," Bob said, as they walked on +up the street. + +"Yes. I knew it would be. I wouldn't tell him how I got onto his game. +That's what he wanted to find out." + +"You have got to look out for him after this." + +"I am going to do that." + +They went up Broadway to Grand street, and then turned toward the +Bowery. Both lived on the east side, above Grand street, in the densely +populated districts where rents were cheap and everybody poor. Adah had +not come in from the store. His aunt was very tired from the labor of a +hard day's wash, and therefore not in the best of humor. + +"What brought you home so soon?" she asked, looking at him. + +"Just to make you stop work. You are killing yourself, aunt." + +"Would you tell me which is the best way to die--of hard work or +starvation?" she asked. + +"Oh, we are not going to die for a long time yet. You'll marry again, +and we'll all be rich." + +She straightened herself up by the side of the tub and glared at him. + +"What's the matter with you, Freddie?" she asked. "Are you sick, child?" + +Fred laughed and said: + +"Not sick, but tired." + +"Well, so am I, and all poor people, as for that matter. Did you give up +selling papers and come home to rest?" + +"No, aunt. I came home to give you a rest. Just look at the color of +that, and tell me what you think of it," and as he spoke he laid a +ten-dollar bill on the corner of a little table near where she stood. + +She glanced at the bill and almost gasped out: + +"Ten dollars! Fred Halsey, where did you get that money?" + +"Downtown, aunt. Does it relieve that tired feeling to look at it?" + +"Whose is it? Why don't you tell me about it?" + +"It's yours, every cent of it, and I've got fifteen more bills of that +size in the bank." + +The good woman dropped down into a chair and glared at her nephew. Fred +went to her, put his arms about her neck, kissed her and said: + +"I've had good luck to-day, aunt. Just read that and you will understand +it all," and he gave her a copy of an afternoon paper in which was the +story of the capture of the forger in Barron's bank. + +"And they gave you this money for what you did?" she exclaimed, when she +had finished reading it. + +"Yes. They just chipped in and gave me a pile of money. I left all in +the bank but this, which I wanted to give to you. And you can have every +cent of the rest whenever you want it--you and sister." + +"Oh, you dear, good boy!" she exclaimed, her eyes filling with tears as +she caught him in her arms. "I knew you would always be good to me." + +"You've been a mother to us, aunt, and I'll never go back on my mother!" + +Adah came home from the store tired and hungry. At supper her aunt told +her of Fred's adventure and good fortune. She sprang up and danced +around the room in her joy and then kissed him a half dozen times. + +It did seem like an enormous sum to her a girl of but fourteen summers. + +"What are you going to do with it, Fred?" she finally asked. + +"Give it to aunt and to use for you and herself." + +They all had pleasant dreams that night. Fred dreamed of the big fortune +made in Wall Street; and Adah dreamed that she was no longer a cash girl +in a big store, but wore fine dresses and rode in a carriage. The next +morning, however, Fred ate early and hurried off downtown to sell +papers, and Adah was at the store at her usual hour. Fred delivered to +all his Wall Street patrons and then sold on the street to passersby all +the morning. He was all around the Stock Exchange, for there he found +the most customers. Inside the Stock Exchange he heard the brokers +yelling like so many lunatics. That was so often the case, however, that +he gave it little thought. But soon he saw Bob Newcombe, Manson's +messenger, come out in a great hurry and dart off down the street. + +"Guess Manson is busy inside," he said to himself as he kept his eyes +open for customers. + +In a few moments Bob came running back. He ran up against Fred. + +"Just go up in the gallery and see how B. & H. is climbing up, Fred," he +said to him. + +"How much has it gone up, Bob?" Fred asked him. + +"Five points, and that means $100 for us," Bob replied. + +"Whew!" and Fred whistled. + +Bob dashed into the Exchange by way of the side entrance on New street +and disappeared from view. + +"Guess I'll go up in the gallery and look on a while," Fred said to +himself. "Here, Mugsey, you can have my papers," and he turned over +about one dozen papers to an ugly little newsboy whom the others called +Mugsey. + +The little fellow was astonished. + +"Do yer give 'em ter me, Fred?" he asked before taking them. + +"Yes. I'm done for the day." + +Fred found quite a crowd of people up in the gallery, and among them a +party of ladies from out of town. They were sightseeing. But there was +nothing new to him up there. He wanted to see Broker Manson and watch +the rise of B. & H. stock. It took him some time to find Manson in the +moving mass of yelling brokers on the floor below. But he finally found +him, and for half an hour never took his eyes off of him. He heard him +offering fifty-three and finally fifty-four for B. & H. It has thus gone +up seven points since the day before. + +"Bob was right," he said. "He knew what he was about. B. & H. is +climbing right up to the top. Hanged if I don't put in another hundred!" +and he ran down and out into the street like a young lunatic. In five +minutes he had put up another hundred dollars with Broker Tabor for +Halsey & Company to buy more B. & H. stock on margin. The stock was +bought immediately at 54 1/2-eighteen shares. + +That done, Fred returned to the Exchange and watched proceedings from +the gallery. He kept his eyes on Broker Manson. The big broker was +buying the stock at a tremendous rate, all that was offered him. People +were coming and going all the time. Fred finally turned to look at a +young girl whose voice sounded like music in his ears. She was close by +his side. She was accompanied by an elderly couple, evidently her +parents. He thought her very beautiful and that she had the most musical +voice he had ever heard. + +She changed positions several times as though looking for somebody on +the floor below. He noticed a tall, well-dressed man keeping close +behind her, peering over her shoulder at the crowd below. Something in +his movements caused Fred to look at him the second time, and to his +amazement he saw him pick the pockets of both the ladies. The thief then +started to leave, but Fred grabbed his coat-tail, saying: + +"Here, I saw that little game. It won't go. Ladies, this man has got +your pocketbooks." + +Quick as a flash the thief grabbed him and lifted him above his head. +Fred saw he was going to be hurled headlong among the brokers below, and +to save himself seized his assailant's coat collar. The two ladies +screamed, and the next moment Fred and the pickpocket fell over the +gallery and went down in a heap on the yelling brokers below. + + +CHAPTER IV.--Fred's First Entrance to the Exchange and Its Results. + +The screams of the ladies caused every broker to look up from the floor +of the Stock Exchange. Like a flash they saw a man and boy come tumbling +down upon them from the gallery. There was a party of four brokers +grouped together immediately under them, and, as a matter of +gravitation, they landed on top of them--on their heads and shoulders. +Hats were crushed and a confused mass of humanity scrambled about on the +floor. The yelling ceased when the shrill screams from the gallery were +heard, and brokers ran forward to help those who had fallen. The +pickpocket struck out desperately, trying to shake off Fred. In doing so +he hit Broker Bryant in the face. Bryant was a hard hitter himself, and +instantly returned the blow--a half dozen or more. + +"Blast you, take that!" he hissed, and he gave him lightning-like blows +till he sank down on the floor unconscious. + +"Won't somebody hold him?" Fred cried out. "He's a pickpocket!" + +"Who is he?" somebody asked Bryant. + +"I don't know and don't care," was the blunt reply. "He hit me in the +face after tumbling down on my head." + +By this time the policeman on duty at the Stock Exchange pushed his way +through the crowd of brokers and called out: + +"What is it? What's the trouble here?" and he looked at the pickpocket, +who was slowly pulling himself together. + +"This man is a pickpocket," said Fred. "He took those ladies' purses up +there, and when I caught him at it he tried to throw me over the +gallery. He did throw me, but I brought him down with me." + +"Good--good!" cried a broker. "Three cheers for the kid!" + +The brokers cheered and then laughed. + +"I am no pickpocket," exclaimed the thief, as soon as he saw the officer +had him. "The boy lies. I merely---" + +"Officer, search him!" cried the elder of the two ladies up in the +gallery. "He has my purse and that of my daughter." + +"Yes, search him! Search him!" called out a dozen at once. + +Brokers held him and the officer searched him. He found the two purses +or pocketbooks in his pockets. + +"That one is mine!" cried the elderly woman. + +"What does it contain, madam?" the officer asked. + +"Money and two diamond rings. You can open it and see for yourself." + +It was opened and her claim verified. + +"Madam, you will have to appear against this man," said the officer, +looking up at the elderly lady, and he led the prisoner out of the Stock +Exchange and into one of the many offices of the building. + +The lady, accompanied by her husband and daughter, appeared in the room +and claimed her property. The young girl, who seemed to be about sixteen +years old, turned to Fred and said: + +"We are indebted to you for recovering our purses. I hope you were not +hurt by the fall?" + +"Only a little bit," he replied. + +"I'm so sorry!" + +"Oh, it's nothing," and he laughed. "It was fun to jerk him over with +me." + +Then she laughed, too, and Fred thought hers the sweetest face he had +ever seen in all his life. + +"What is your name?" she asked him. + +"Fred Halsey." + +"My name is Eva Gaines. I want to remember your name, for I never had +such a fright in all my life." + +"I'll be sure to remember yours," Fred remarked. + +"Why will you? Because you were hurt?" + +Fred looked around and saw that everybody also in the room was listening +to the claiming of the two purses, so he went close up to her and said +in a half whisper: + +"Because you are the most beautiful girl I ever saw." + +"Oh, my!" and her face flushed and eyes sparkled. + +Young as she was, she was woman enough to know that it was honest +admiration on the part of the youth. Fred seemed half frightened over +what he had said and drew back. But she gave him a look and a smile that +told him plainly he had not offended. He was going to say more to her, +but at that moment her father turned to her, saying: + +"Here, daughter, your purse is yours again," and he held it out to her. + +She took it, opened it quickly and glanced at its contents. + +"Young man," said Mr. Gaines, turning to Fred, "you've got the right +stuff in you," and he extended his hand, which Fred grasped and shook. +"I won't forget you. I have a brother who is a member of the Stock +Exchange, and I want send your name to him. What is it?" + +"I have his name, father," said the young girl. + +"Ah, very well, then," and he gave Fred's hand another shake and turned +away. + +But he left a $20 gold coin in it, which Fred's fingers closed over very +promptly. The next moment they were gone. Fred put the goldpiece in his +pocket, while the thought flashed through his mind that the young girl +was all gold herself. The officer took his name and address as a +witness, and then led his prisoner away to the police station. Just as +he was leaving the room a broker called out to Fred: + +"That man will never forgive you for his arrest. He will set some +friends of his after you, so you had better be on your guard." + +"I'm on my guard all the time, sir," Fred replied. + +"What is your name?" + +"Fred Halsey." + +The broker wrote the name on his cuff and then went out of the room. +Fred thought nothing of the incident, and went out a moment or two later +himself, going to the street, hoping to see Bob and find out how B. & H. +was doing. Out on the street he found that nobody had heard of the +pickpocket's arrest in the Exchange building. + +"I am $20 in on that racket, anyhow," he said to himself as he walked +around to the side entrance of the Exchange. "I would like to do as well +every day in the year. Lord, but she is a beauty!" + +He was thinking of the girl. Somebody ran into him and the two came near +going down in a heap together. + +"Hello, Fred! I'm in a hurry!" exclaimed the other. + +It was Bob! + +"Well, don't you know me well enough not to try to run over or through +me? You can save time by running around me every time." + +But Bob was off like a flash, and Fred judged by that B. & H. was +humming, for Manson was booming it and Bob was his messenger. Seeing two +brokers talking near the New street entrance, Fred went over near enough +to hear one say: + +"It will go to 70 to-morrow and somebody will be burnt." + +"Yes, I think so, too," + +The Exchange closed for the day, and Fred went around to meet Bob again. +He met Manson at the foot of the stairs, his face flushed from the +excitement of his tremendous battle in the Exchange. + +"Ah!" the big broker exclaimed. "I see you caught another thief to-day. +Why don't you turn detective? It seems to be your forte." + +"I'd rather be a broker, sir," Fred replied. + +"A broker, eh?" and Manson looked him full in the eyes. "Think you have +nerve enough for that?" + +"Yes, sir. I've got nerve enough. It's money I want." + +Manson laughed and shook his head. + +"We all want money. That's what we are here for. But there are more +losers than winners." + +"What one man loses another one wins," said Fred. + +"Of course, but one man sometimes wins from a thousand at one turn, so +you see there are always more losers than winners," and the big broker +went on up to his office, leaving Fred at the foot of the stairs waiting +for Bob. + +He was quietly waiting there and watching people come and go when he was +startled by a cry above. He glanced up and saw some one falling from the +upper floor and sprang aside just in time to escape being crushed. It +was a messenger boy from Broker Tracey's office. + +"Oh, Lord!" gasped Fred. "He must be killed!" and he sprang forward to +pick him up. + +The boy was unconscious. Instantly a dozen brokers were on hand to +render aid. Broker Tracey came running down to see about him and get the +telegram the boy was sent out with. Bob came hurrying down too. + +"This is too bad," said Tracey. "I am sorry. He is a good messenger. +Janitor! Janitor!" + +The janitor came and by that time the boy had recovered consciousness. +He groaned in agony. The physician, whose office was in the building, +examined him. + +"Left arm and leg broken," he said. + +"Lord, but I am sorry. Doctor, take charge of him, see him through and +send your bill to me. Tom, my boy, your pay shall go on just the same. +See if anything is wanted, janitor, and get it for him. Where is the +telegram, Tom?" + +"In my pocket, sir," said Tom, white as a sheet. + +It was found and given to the broker, who turned to Bob and said: + +"Please send that off for me, Bob, and if you know of a boy who can make +a good messenger send him to me in the morning." + +"Hello, Fred! This is the place for you!" and Bob grabbed Fred by the +arm and forced him around in front of Tracey. "Here's the one you want, +sir--Fred Halsey." + +"All right; come here to-morrow morning." + +So the next morning Fred went to Tracey's office and was engaged as +messenger. During the day B. & H. went to 87 and Fred as soon as he was +sent on an errand stopped in at the bank and bad his shares sold for +Halsey & Co. + +Bob was getting $6 a week as messenger for Tracey and it pleased his +aunt greatly. The next day Tabor gave Bob a statement for Halsey & Co., +showing a net profit of over $1,200, which he placed to their credit. +Fred and Bob were standing under the gallery of the Stock Exchange in +the place allotted to messengers, when Broker Keeley gave a howl and +sprang at the throat of Broker Gaines. They fell to the floor. The old +man turned his eyes toward Fred. They seemed to pop out of his head for +the maniac was choking him. + +"I can't stand that!" cried Fred, and the next moment both his hands +were in Broker Keeley's hair. He let go the old man's throat, and a +dozen brokers ran in to separate them and quell the row. + +Next day Fred said to Bob: "I met Gaines's typewriter just now and she +said Mr. Gaines had not been to the office since his row with Broker +Keeley. The clerk who is running the office insulted her and she wants +to leave." + +"By George!" answered Bob, "Bryant's girl has just asked me to find a +place for her. What did you tell Callie?" + +"I told her I would look out for her, and I will." + +During the day Fred got a place for Callie with Broker Tabor, and Bob +secured a temporary place for Bertie Clayton in old Broker Bowles's +office. + +The day after the two boys met the girls in a restaurant, and Callie +told Fred of a tip she had come across. It was Pacific Mail, and it was +going to be cornered. + + +CHAPTER V.--The Typewriter Girl's Tip. + +Fred and Bob came away from the restaurant with the two girls, going +toward Wall Street. Fred asked Callie several questions about the deal +she had mentioned. + +"I'll make a note of what I can find out," she said to him, "and let you +know after 3 o'clock." + +"But be careful and let no one else know it," he replied. + +"Oh, I can keep a secret even if I am a girl," and she left him on the +corner of Nassau and Wall to go to the bank. + +Fred clutched Bob's arm when the two girls were gone, and said: + +"Callie says a big corner in Pacific Mail is being made up in Barron's +office." + +"By George! Is it straight, do you think?" + +"Yes. She says she'll make notes and give 'em to me. She let it out by +saying if she had any money laid up she could make a pile out of Pacific +Mail. I soon got the whole thing out of her." + +"When will you see her again?" + +"After three o'clock." + +It was a little after three o'clock when Fred saw her come out of the +bank. He went to meet her, and she said to him: + +"Bryant is going to do the buying--begins to-morrow. You won't tell any +one that I told you?" + +"No; that would never do." + +She lived over on the west side, and had a widowed mother and little +brother to support. He walked nearly all the way home with her. Bob went +uptown with Gertie Clayton, and did not see Fred again till the next +morning. + +"I am going to buy Pacific Mail, Bob," Fred said to him. + +"Go ahead then--for Halsey & Company--the whole pile." + +Pacific Mail was going that morning at 52. Fred went to Tabor and asked +him to buy Pacific Mail on 10 per cent margin. Tabor gave a start, +looked keenly at him for a moment, and then asked: + +"Why do you buy that stock?" + +"I heard a man tell another one it was safe to try it." + +"Give me his name." + +"No, sir. Will you buy it for me?" + +"I'd rather not do it," and he shook his head. + +"Oh! Then I'll try somebody else," and Fred went away with a check for +$1,200 in his pocket. + +He went over to Bowles' office, and arranged with the old man to buy for +him 230 shares at 52. The old broker had the shares bought inside of ten +minutes. By twelve o'clock Fred saw Bryant buying all that he could get +hold of, but there were thousands and thousands of shares on the market, +and he had bought 10,000 ere there was any signs of life in the deal. +Then it began slowly to advance. It closed with an advance of one point +on the first day. But the next day saw it go up three points, and the +brokers in the Exchange began to hustle. It was an immense concern and +the shares were in every broker's hands. But Bryant gathered them in by +the thousand at a time. On the third day it was up to sixty, and Fred +met Callie at lunch to tell her she had got the thing down fine. + +"Oh, if I only had some money to put up!" she said. + +"You have got ten per cent interest in my little pile," he said to her. + +"What! Just for the tip?" + +"Yes." + +"Oh, my! I could give you tips almost every day." + +"Wall Street is always full of tips," and he laughed. "Such a thing as +this, though, comes but once or twice a year." + +"B. & H. was a big thing for some of the brokers," she replied. + +"Yes, and a very bad one for a number of them, too." + +"Do you know, I think Mr. Gaines was badly squeezed in that deal?" + +"Ah! I saw him nearly choked to death by that fellow who lost his head. +If I had not interfered he'd have been killed." + +"Oh, was it you?" and she opened wide her blue eyes. + +"Yes--why?" + +"Why, he has sent down to the office instructing the clerks to try to +find out who it was. His niece, Miss Eva Gaines, called at the office +and spoke to me about it." + +Fred opened his eyes in astonishment. + +"She is such a sweet girl," added Callie, "I promised to let her know if +I ever found out who it was. Why, he might give you a gold watch or +something. Who knows?" and she laughed merrily as she told him the +story. + +"Well, I am surprised," was all he could say. + +"What shall I say to her when I see her or write to her?" Callie asked +him. + +"Tell her what you please." + +They left the little restaurant together and did not meet again till the +same hour the next day. Then Pacific Mail was going at 66 and the +brokers were again in a furor. Coming so soon after the panic caused by +the corner in B. & H. shares, it caused a general interest throughout +the city. + +"I wrote to Miss Gaines yesterday," Callie said to him, "and told her +that you--Fred Halsey--was the one who had saved her uncle's life in the +Stock Exchange, and you may expect a sweet-scented note of thanks from +her at any moment." + +On returning home from lunch Fred found the excitement in the Exchange +greater than ever, the shares had bounded up to 72. He went to the +office and found Tracey out. + +"He is around at the Exchange," the head bookkeeper said to him. "Go and +report to him at once." + +Tracey was howling like the rest of them when Fred touched him on the +arm and said: + +"I am ready for duty, sir." + +"Ah! Find Manson and bring him to me--quick!" + +He looked about among the brokers, but failed to find him. Meeting Bob, +he told him Tracey wanted to see Manson. + +"He is in his office," Bob replied. + +"I'll go after him then," and he darted out of the side door of the +Exchange and hurried around to Manson's office. + +"Mr. Manson," he said, "Mr. Tracey told me to bring you to him at once." + +"When did he tell you?" + +"Just two minutes ago in the Stock Exchange." + +Manson arose, put on his hat and went out. Fred followed him, and both +were soon in the midst of the frantic mob of brokers again. Bryant was +the coolest man in the whole crowd. He knew what he was there for and +kept taking all the shares that were offered him. Fred saw Manson and +Tracey meet and go under the gallery for a few moments' consultation. He +kept an eye on them, for he was not sure of their connection with the P. +M. combine. By and by they went out and he followed. In the crowd on the +street he lost sight of them. Then he went back to the office and told +the head clerk. + +"Wait here and see if he returns," said the clerk, and he did so. + +The broker came back a few minutes before the Exchange closed and sent +Fred to the bank with a big check to deposit. After depositing the check +he turned to look into the president's room. Barron was out, but he saw +through the glass door that Callie was idle. She caught his eye and came +out to speak to him. + +"Any news?" he asked. + +"No. Mr. Barron told a man just now that he thought P. M. would go to +par to-morrow." + +"Then I won't sell to-day." + +"Why, no, wait till to-morrow. How much did you put up, Fred?" + +"Oh, I had to buy on a margin," he replied. + +"Of course. I didn't expect you to do otherwise. Did you put up as much +as fifty dollars?" + +"Yes, more," he replied. + +"Oh, my!" she exclaimed. "That would get nearly ten shares on ten per +cent, margin. You promised me ten per cent, for the tip, mind you." + +"Yes, and you shall have it," he replied, "but don't say a word or you'd +be discharged." + +"Oh, I can hold my tongue when I want to," and she turned and went back +into the office. + + +CHAPTER VI.--Broker Bryant's Mistake. + +When Fred returned to the office the Exchange had closed for the day. +Pacific Mail closed at 76. Bob met him at the foot of the stairs, +grasped his hand and said: + +"We've struck it rich, Fred!" + +"Yes, but you want to keep mum." + +"Of course." + +They went home and spent the evening together making calculations. Adah +wanted to know why they were making such a lot of figures, and Bob said +to her: + +"Wall Street men have to do a good deal of figuring." + +"Yes, so I've heard, but I didn't know the boys did." + +Fred laughed, nudged Bob and remarked: + +"That's one on you, old man!" + +The next day they found that the shares opened at 79--two hours later +they were going at 82. + +"I'm going to sell, Bob," said Fred. "It's getting dangerous." + +"It may go up to 100." + +"We had better stand from under," said Fred, shaking his head. + +"Well, let her go." + +Fred hastened to Bowles' office and told him to sell. In five minutes it +was done, and they had made over $6,000 on the deal. Manson sent Bob to +Bryant with a note. Somebody had just dumped 3,000 shares on the big +broker and he was in a bad humor when Bob came to him with the note. He +looked down and saw who it was--the boy who had gotten the situation for +his typewriter--and quick as a flash he gave him a kick that sent him +sprawling on the floor. Bob had the note still in his hand when he +scrambled to his feet again. But he did not deliver it. He staggered out +of the Exchange, feeling sick from the effects of the blow, and made his +way back to the office, where he told Mr. Manson what had happened. + +"It was an accident, Bob," the broker said. "The excitement in there is +awful, you know." + +"No, sir. It was no accident," said Bob. "He hates me because I found a +place for his typewriter who left him because he wanted to make love to +her." + +Munson laughed and said: + +"That must me a mistake, my boy." + +"No mistake about it. The girl is in Bowles' office, and she'll tell you +the same thing. I am going to have him arrested." + +"Oh, that won't do." + +"I'll make it do." + +Bob was mad. + +"See here, young man, I'll give you your walking papers if I hear any +more talk like that!" + +"Give 'em to me right away then," said Bob. "I'm going to see if a man +can kick the innerds out of a boy just for fun and not pay for it." + +Manson was surprised at Bob's spunk. He looked at him in silence for a +minute or two and then said: + +"You are mad clear through, eh?" + +"You bet I am!" + +"Well, wait till I see him before doing anything." + +"All right; but you want to see him soon." + +"I'll see him after 3 o'clock." + +After 3 o'clock Bob, Fred and Broker Manson went over to Bryant's +office. Bryant was at his desk. + +"Why did you kick my messenger, Bryant?" Manson asked. + +"Was it your messenger?" + +"Yes." + +"I didn't know who it was. I felt some one pulling my coat-tail and +kicked out. It was no time for fooling. You know, somebody is always +fooling over there?" + +"That's a lie," said Bob. "You know I touched your elbow, not your +coat-tail. You looked down in my face, saw who it was and then kicked +me." + +Bryant was so astounded at being given the lie so bluntly he sat still +and heard Bob through without uttering a word; then he looked up at +Manson and said: + +"There's cheek for you!" + +"Cheek!" exclaimed Bob. "Don't say a word about cheek! Your cheek drove +your typewriter out of your office. I got a place for her, and you had +the cheek to go to her new place and raise a row. That is what you +kicked me for. Two members of the Exchange told me to prosecute you and +call them as witnesses--Mr. Turner and Mr. Agnew." + +Bryant turned white as a sheet. Those two brokers were his bitterest +enemies. They stood high, and their evidence would down him. + +"See here, my boy," he said, "I ought to kick you clean through that +window for your impudence, but I won't. I tell you---" + +"Of course, you won't," said Bob, interrupting him. "It's my time to +kick now." + +Bryant was cool, pale, and yet in a rage. He saw that he was in a +serious scrape, and Bob, though a boy, was game all through. + +"Are you willing for Mr. Manson to settle the matter?" he asked. + +"No, sir. He is not my lawyer." + +Bryant gave a start. + +"Who is pour lawyer?" he asked. + +"I haven't engaged one yet, but you can bet I am going to." + +"Well, I see you are very mad about it. We can settle it ourselves, I +think, Just tell me what you want me to do." + +"Well, I think you ought to be made to break stone over on the Island +for about six months. You need a good lesson and I'd like to see you get +one of that kind." + +"The court would probably fine me $50. Will that sum satisfy you?" + +"No, sir. You think money is everything. I don't. Just acknowledge that +you are an old hog and beg my pardon, and you may go to the Old Harry +for all I care!" + +That was too much for the big broker. He sprang forward and dealt Bob a +stinging slap in the face. But the next moment both Bob and Fred sprang +up like two wildcats. + +He tried to defend himself, of course, but those two boys had fought +many a battle in the street and were fighters from way back. They rolled +on the floor together, while Manson kept calling out: + +"Boys! Boys! I'll call the police to you!" + +They never heard him. If they did they didn't heed him. In half a minute +both eyes were blacked, all the beard from one side of his face gone, +and fully one-half of his hair lay on the floor. And still they went for +him. Suddenly the shrill scream of a woman startled them, and the two +boys desisted to turn and look at the newcomer. + +It happened to be Bryant's wife who uttered the scream when she saw what +was taking place. Of course the row ended then and there. Bryant got up, +explained to his wife what it all was about and apologized right then +for his action. Of course Bob accepted it, and the matter was settled, +as the boys thought. But the next day Bob met Fred and told him he had +been discharged by Manson, saying that of course Bryant was responsible +for it. + +A couple of days later Fred was the recipient of a handsome gold watch +and chain, a present from Mr. Gaines. + +One day Callie came to Fred and told him of a tip she had got hold of. +It was M. & C. Fred went to see Broker Bowles, and asked him to buy +3,000 shares of M. & C. for him. The broker bid in the amount of shares +Fred wanted. The price soon went up to 90, and then Bowles sold him out. +The next day Fred and Bob visited Bowles, who gave them a statement +showing they had made $170,000 profit. + +"Mr. Bowles," said Fred, "Risley & Cohn have failed. If their office is +to rent please rent it for five years for Halsey & Co., and buy all the +furniture. Pay a year's rent in advance." + + +CHAPTER VII.--Halsey & Company Open a Bank. + +"Bob, I'm going to resign," said Fred, when they came out from Bowles' +office. + +"Resign what?" + +"My place at Tracey's." + +"Well, I think you can afford to." + +"Yes. We can go in on our own hook now," and he went over to the office +and told the gruff old broker he wanted to quit. + +"What's the matter?" Tracey asked. + +"Going to open a bank." + +"What with, a jimmy?" + +"No, a key." + +"Going to play craps, I guess. Do you know a boy I can get?' + +"Yes, sir." + +"Bring him here then and I'll let you off." + +In half an hour Fred had a youth on hand who lad been looking for a +place for mouths. He then went downstairs and joined Bob. They agreed to +keep the deal a secret as long as possible. Bob was to wait for Gertie +Clayton, Bowles' typewriter, and warn her to say nothing about it to any +one, while Fred was to wait for Callie as she came out of Barron's bank. +When business closed for the day, Fred saw Callie come up and go up +toward Broadway. He soon joined her. + +"Have you heard the news from the deal in M. & C.?" he asked her. + +"No. How did is turn out?" + +"It sold at 80." + +"Did you sell?" + +"Yes." + +She made a rapid calculation and said: + +"You have made a fortune." + +"Yes, so we have, but mum is the word." + +"Do I get anything?" + +"Of course; ten percent." + +She gasped, turned pale, and seemed almost ready to faint. + +"I have a check for your share in my pocket," he added. + +"How much is it?" + +"Seventeen thousand." + +"Oh, Fred!" + +"Do suppose you would turn up your nose at a eager boy now if he were to +come courting he remarked. + +"That depends on who he is and how he behaves himself," she replied, +regaining control of herself. + +Then a minute or two later she asked: + +"What am I to do? Please tell me for my head is all in a whirl." + +"Oh, don't lose your head," said he laughing. "Just leave it where you +left the other one and that will be all right. Keep your eyes and ears +open for another tip." + +"Why, must I keep on at work?" + +"Yes, of course. How can you get any tips if you don't?" + +"I'm afraid I can't do much work with so much money in bank." + +"Why, that ought to make you work harder. You should not think of +stopping before you have made at least one hundred thousand dollars. +Then you could live in a fine house and keep a carriage." + +They went on up the street talking and laughing. He gave her the check +and she put it in her pocket. + +"Now, Callie," he said, "I've rented a flat in the block above where you +live and have bought some furniture for it. I want you to select the +carpets, curtains and other things for me, as I don't know what they are +worth, or even what sort to get. I am preparing a surprise for my aunt +and sister." + +"Oh, that is good of you! They don't know of your good luck yet?" + +"They don't even dream of it." + +"Oh, what a surprise it will be to them. Of course I will help you, +Fred. Where are you going to buy?" + +"Come along with me," and they went to a big store where he had already +purchased some things. She had good tastes, good judgment and was a +quick buyer. In half an hour she had made the selections; Fred paid the +bill and ordered everything put into the flat as soon as possible. + +Then he saw her home, left her at the entrance and made his way across +town toward his aunt's humble abode. She was still at work over the tub, +and, as a matter of course, very tired. + +"I'll break all that up in a few days," he said to himself. + +Two days later Broker Bowles said to him: + +"You can get Risley & Cohn's offices, but the rent is high--$5,000 a +year. They ask $3,000 for the furniture as it stands." + +"Take both for Halsey & Company," said Fred. "Pay one year in advance. +I'll give you a check for $8,000," and he did. + +"I'll have the lease for you this afternoon," said the old man. + +Bob and Fred then went off to engage a sign painter to put up their firm +name in big gold letters on the immense plate glass front of the +offices. + +The next day they found their name + + "HALSEY & COMPANY, + "Bankers, + "Speculators in Stocks, Bonds, etc." + +in big gold letters, the handsomest on the street. Mr. Allison, the man +who had kept the books for Risley & Cohn for fifteen years, had been +engaged for them by Bowles, who told him they were a couple of boys. He +was elderly, bald, with a full, round face known to every broker in Wall +Street. His knowledge of Wall Street was thorough. + +"It will create a sensation when it is known who Halsey & Company are," +he remarked to them, as they watched the people admire the sign as they +went by. + +"Yes, I guess so. We'll have some fun with 'em. But see here, Mr. +Allison, we are no fools if we haven't got any beards. We want you to +manage the banking end of this thing, and stand ready to collar us when +you see us going wrong. Do you understand?" and Fred faced him as he +spoke. + +The old man looked over his glasses at him for a few moments as if +surprised at what he had just heard. + +"Well, that shows you have good, old-fashioned horse sense, young man," +he replied. "Most boys of your age think they know it all, and have to +pay dearly for lessons they might have had free." + +Just then Broker Tracey came by and stopped to look at the new firm name +on the glass front. Fred went to the door and invited him in. Tracey +looked at him in astonishment and then at the sign again. + +"How do you like our new quarters?" Fred asked him. + +"Whose quarters?" + +"Halsey & Company--Fred Halsey and Bob Newcombe--we are the firm. Mr. +Allison here is our manager." + +Tracey glanced at Allison, whom he had known for years, and the old man +said: + +"It is true, Sir." + +"Got any capital?" Tracey asked. + +"Plenty of it," replied Allison. + +He turned on Fred and asked: + +"What has happened? Where did you get it?" + +"What some people lose others gain," Fred replied. "I got a good deal of +fleece out of M. & C. the other day. Did you lose any wool?" + +Tracey's face was a picture to look at. He was a loser in that deal to +the tune of some $20,000, and this sudden and unexpected discovery of +where it had gone was a shock to him. + +"Well, I'm jiggered!" he exclaimed, looking at Allison. "I've been +thirty years in Wall Street and these are the first boy bankers I ever +saw." + +"They are the first I ever saw, too, sir," said Allison, "and I've been +thirty-five years in the Street. They've both got good heads on their +shoulders." + +"Just come in here and let me show you something. Mr. Tracey," said Bob, +leading the way into the private office of the former bankers. "I want +to show you some fleece we have on exhibition," and he pointed to a +large bunch of white wool hanging to a hook on the wall above his desk, +labeled: + + "JAMES BRYANT, + "M. & C. fleece." + +The old broker roared. + +"Say, I hope you won't hang mine up that way!" he exclaimed. + +"We have too much respect for you to do that sir." + +"How about Manson?" + +"Oh, we got a good lot off him, but I was once in his employ." + +"Well, I'm glad you haven't got mine hung up," and he went out, laughing +heartily. + +In an hour the whole Street had the news, and scores of brokers came by +to look in at the two boys. They were all amused, for they laughed and +joked each other about it. + +Half an hour later a wave of jolly laughter went through the Street as +the fleece story was told. Bryant was guyed till he had to shut himself +up in his office and refuse to see any one. Manson came in and whispered +to Bob to drop that Bryant's fleece business, adding: + +"He has a host of friends in Wall Street, and it will hurt your business +to make an enemy of him." + +"He is already my enemy," Bob replied, "and had me discharged from your +employ. I will never let up on him as long as I live." + +Just before business closed Bryant rushed into the office and said: + +"I want to see the bunch of wool you have here with my name on it." + +"Here it is," said Bob, opening the door of the private office and +pointing to the wool hanging against the wall. + +Bryant grabbed it and started to the door with it. Bob opened the drawer +of the desk, took out a revolver, and aiming at him, said: + +"Here's something to go with it." + +Bryant wheeled around and found himself looking down the muzzle of the +revolver. + + +CHAPTER VIII.--Broker Bryant and the Boys. + +When Broker Bryant saw the muzzle of a revolver staring him in the face +he turned white as a sheet. + +"Just drop that fleece on the desk there; if you please," said Bob very +coolly. + +He laid it down without saying a word, never once taking his eyes off +the revolver. + +"You may go now," Bob said. "You can't get any fleece out of this +office." + +"Put up that gun. You are making a fool of yourself," said Bryant +finally. + +"Maybe I am. All the same, I'd have made a corpse of you if you had not +dropped that wool." + +"What have you got my name on it for?" + +"I am having a little fun out of it--that's all." + +"You have no right to use my name at all." + +"Maybe I haven't. Go to law about it, and let the court decide that +question. I am going to keep it there, for you are the meanest man in +Wall Street. You had a messenger boy discharged from his position of +five dollars a week. It will be a long time before I can have fun enough +with you to satisfy me, Mr. Bryant." + +"I did not have you discharged." + +"Oh, that's all right." + +"But you can ask Manson." + +"Yes, I know. We got more of his fleece than we did of yours. I haven't +had much fun with him yet. One at a time and it will last longer." + +"You must take my name off that thing there." + +"Not at your command I won't." + +"Well, I'll see about it," and he turned and went out. + +Fred and those in the main office were not aware of what had been going +on between Bob and Bryant in the private office. + +"What did he say, Bob?" Fred asked. + +Bob told him what had passed between the broker and himself, adding: + +"He is the maddest man on earth. I am getting even with him, and am +going to run that fleece business till some court tells me to stop it." + +"By George," exclaimed Fred, "if he goes to law about it we'll be the +best advertised firm in the Street." + +"That's so," remarked Allison, his broad face wreathed in smiles. "He is +a strong man--has many friends; but Wall Street brokers are always ready +to shear each other." + +"Of course they are. Business knows no friendship. It is merciless in +its operations." + +Allison looked at him in no little surprise. Such a hard, cynical view +of business coming from one so young almost startled him. + +"Where did you pick up that idea?" he asked Fred. + +"In the Stock Exchange when I was a messenger boy," was the reply. + +"Who gave it to you?" + +"Nobody. I got the idea from what I saw going on all around me." + +"Well, you have observed closely, young man. It's a harsh judgment, but +correct in the main. I hope, though, that in your success you will not +forget those who are unfortunate." + +"I hope so, too, Mr. Allison. It is not my nature to be mean or stingy. +Bob gave the old beggar with the red shawl a dollar yesterday." + +"He did, eh?" + +"Yes, sir. She's sixty if a day." + +"Yes, and has been begging in Wall Street for twenty years. I'd wager a +month's salary she has ten thousand dollars in bank and owns real estate +somewhere on Manhattan island." + +"What are you giving me?" and Fred looked the picture of incredulity. + +"The straight truth. I have a nephew in a little east side bank above +Grand street, and he says she has a fat account there, and that he has +seen three other bank books in her possession." + +"Well, I'll be hanged!" exclaimed Fred. "I thought I knew a thing or +two, but that yarn jiggers me." + +The old man laughed and was going to say more when a crowd of boys came +in. Business had closed for the day, and every messenger boy in Wall and +Broad streets had made a rush to see Fred and Bob in their new role as +bankers. Boothblacks and newsboys were among them, and they made the +welkin ring with their shouts. + +"Say, give us a loan, Bob." + +"Cash a check for me, Fred." + +"How much chink have you got, boys?" + +"Where did you break in, Fred?" + +"How much did you get?" + +"Where were the cops?" + +"Ah, let up on that, cullies!" sung out Fred. "Come by to-morrow at this +time and get a ticket for a square meal. It's none of your business +where we got it. We've got it and that's enough." + +They gave Halsey & Company three cheers and left. Just an they were +about to close the doors Callie Ketcham came in. + +"Oh, my, what a grand place it is, Fred!" she exclaimed, as she looked +around the place. "Promise me a situation when you need a typewriter." + +"Indeed I won't!" he replied. + +"Why?" and she looked at him in surprise. + +"Tips!" he whispered. + +She laughed and exclaimed: + +"Oh, yes, I see!" + +"Besides, if you were here all the time I'd do very little business, I +fear." + +"Oh, that's some of your talk again. Have you any depositors?" + +"No. Just opened to-day." + +"May I be one of your depositors?" + +"Of course, if you wish. Mr. Allison is the cashier," and he introduced +the old man to her. + +"Give me a check, please," she said, and when she got it she filled it +out for $10,000, handed it to the old man, saying: + +"I am your first depositor, and am so glad to know it." + +"I'll send you a book to-morrow," he said, as he put it away. + +"No, don't send it; I'll call for it myself," she replied. + +"Very well, Miss Ketcham." + +The old cashier was knocked topsy-turvy at receiving a check for such a +sum from a young typewriter. As they were going out Gertie Clayton came +by and said: + +"They told me you had opened a bank here, Bob, and I wanted to see if it +was true," and she looked up at the sign on the big plate glass front. + +Callie caught her hand, kissed her as girls do, and said: + +"Oh, Gertie, it's just too grand for anything in there! Would you +believe it, I am the first depositor on their books!" + +"I wish I could put money in the bank, but I can't. It takes all I can +make to keep a roof over our heads." + +"Why don't you strike old Bowles for a raise in your salary?" Bob asked +her. + +"It is useless. He told me to-day he would not want me after this week." + +"The deuce he did! What's the matter?" Bob blurted out. + +"I am sure I don't know. He has never found fault with my work, He said +I could go back to Bryant's, as he had said I could always find a place +there." + +"Well, don't you go there," said Bob. "I'll see if I can't find another +place for you." + +"I am such a trouble to you, Bob." + +"Indeed you are not." + +Fred and Callie had gone on ahead, and Bob walked with Gertie. They +passed Broker Bryant on Broadway, and Gertie gave a shudder as she saw +him, saying to Bob: + +"I am afraid of that man. He looks at me sometimes as though he wanted +to kill me." + +"He is bad enough to do it," Bob said. "He hates me like poison, and +would poison me if he could." + +"I believe he paid Mr. Bowles to discharge me." + +"Why, what good would that do him?" + +"He thinks I'll go back to his office if I can't get a place anywhere +else." + +"Well, if you can't get a place, you can have deskroom with us and do +chance work. You must not go back to him," and Bob was very earnest in +his way as he spoke. + +Bob saw her to her home and then hastened to his own humble domicile. +When he got there he found the sidewalk in front of the tenement piled +up with furniture. Two families were being ejected for non-payment of +rent--$9 each. The landlord was there directing the officers. Bob looked +on for a few minutes, and then quietly handed a ten-dollar bill to each +of the two mothers, saying: + +"Go across the street and get rooms. You can get 'em for $8 over there." + +They both sprang up and showered blessings on his head and curses at the +landlord. + +One day a week later Bob received a tip from Gertie Clayton that Rock +Island shares were going to be cornered. Bob saw Fred about it and they +watched Rock Island. Pretty soon they saw it advance. Then Fred ordered +15,000 shares bought for the firm. The next day a man called and asked +them to lend him $10,000 on a good stock worth double that amount. Fred +asked to see the stock. It was K. & T. Fred took the stock to Mr. +Allison for his advice, and the bookkeeper denounced the stock as a +clever forgery. When the man heard that he made a snatch for the paper, +missed it, and then made a break for the door. Fred darted across his +path and upset him near the door. He fell heavily, striking the plate +glass and shattering it. + +"I'm a dead man!" he gasped, rolling over on the floor, the blood +spurting from a cut on the side of his head. + + +CHAPTER IX.--The Doctor and the Young Banker. + +When Fred saw the red stream spurt from the man's neck he sprang back +and exclaimed: + +"It was the glass!" + +Bob ran out from another room. So did the clerk, and Mr. Allison came +around from behind the cashier's desk. Others who heard the glass rattle +down on the sidewalk ran in to see what had happened. + +"The man is bleeding to death!" cried some one. "Send for a doctor!" + +"Call an ambulance!" said somebody, and both were summoned. + +But ere either could get there the man was dead. The broken glass had +cut a jugular vein and his life ebbed away inside of three minutes. A +policeman ran in when he saw the crowd before the bank. + +"How did it happen?" he asked. + +"He fell against the glass and it cut his neck," replied the clerk. + +"Did you see it?" + +"Yes." + +"Then I want you to go with me and tell the story to the coroner. + +"We'll all do that," said Allison. + +"Did you see it, too?" + +"Yes." + +"Then I want you, too." + +"Very well." + +The doctor who had been summoned came in and examined the wound. + +"The jugular is severed," he said. "No power on earth could have saved +him." + +"Who was he?" the officer asked. + +Nobody answered him. + +"Does no one in this crowd recognize him?" + +They gazed at the dead man, but none knew him. + +"Who sent for me?" the doctor asked, looking around. + +No one answered him. + +"Who pays my fee?" + +"You ought to know who told you about it," said the officer. + +"Somebody called up to my window to come quick. I didn't see him." + +"Doctor, I'll pay the bill," said Fred, "as long as it happened in +here." + +"Very well. Ten dollars, please," and the doctor held out his hand for +the money. + +Fred handed it to him, saying: + +"Be kind enough to get out. You're a hog on two legs." + +"What!" and the doctor gasped as if for breath. + +"Get out of here, you old hog!" repeated Fred. + +The doctor struck at him, his face livid with rage. The officer caught +him by the arm, saying: + +"If you raise a disturbance here I shall have to arrest you, sir." + +"Did you hear him insult me?" cried the doctor. + +"Yes, but you can't fight here." + +"If he wants to fight, let him fight a man of his size, not a boy," said +a broker in the crowd. "He is a hog, judging from his actions, and I am +ready to back it up!" + +"I'll sue you for slander!" hissed the doctor, as he made his way +through the crowd. + +"Sue and be hanged to you! You are a coward as well as a hog!" and the +belligerent broker followed him out to the sidewalk. + +The doctor got away in the crowd. The ambulance came, and the body was +removed to the police station to await identification and the action of +the coroner. The doors of the bank were closed, and a number of brokers +remained inside to find out how the thing had happened. Mr. Allison +related how it occurred, and produced the certificate, which they all +examined. But not one of them was willing to say it was a forgery. The +old man was the best posted of them all. + +"I would have loaned him $20,000 on that," said a well-known broker as +he examined it. + +"You would have lost every penny of it, sir," replied Allison. + +"Do you wish to wager anything on it?" the broker asked. + +"I have no money to put up." + +"Make the bet--I'll put up the money," said Bob. "I am willing to bet on +you." + +"Very well, I'll wager $10,000 that this is a forgery, that the company +has never issued a 'Third series' of shares." + +"Put up the money," said the broker. "I'll give my check. It can't be +certified now, since the bank is closed." + +"You won't stop it if you lose, eh?" Bob asked. + +"No, not I." + +"Very well, Mr. Allison, put up the money in the hands of any one you +know." + +The old man put up the money and Broker Dean put up his cheek. + +"Now let's go to Doggett & Holmes' office and see what they say about +it. They are the attorneys for the road and ought to know all about it," +Allison said, and the whole party of about a dozen men went out and down +on Broad street, where they soon climbed up three flights to the law +offices of Doggett & Holmes. + +Holmes was in. Doggett had left. He examined the certificate and +pronounced it a forgery, saying: + +"No 'Third series' has ever been issued by the company." + +"Whoop!" yelled Bob, "I'll bet on my old man every time!" + +The crowd roared and Dean was nettled. + +"I want to have the statement of the president of the company before I +give up," he said. + +"Will the treasurer of the company do?" Holmes asked. + +"Yes, of course." + +"Well, he is here," and he sent a clerk into another room for a Mr. +Timson, the treasurer of the company. + +He came out and very promptly pronounced it a forgery. + +"Whoop!" yelled Bob again. "Halsey & Company are bankers and +speculators, and sometimes they bet on a dead sure thing. Say, Fred, +we've got some more fleece to hang up." + +The brokers yelled and Dean said to him: + +"See here now, boys, none of that. If you get any of my fleece in a deal +you can hang it up on your front door. This is quite a different thing." + +"But do you give it up?" Bob asked. + +"Oh, yes. You can have the money." + +"All right. We can't call it fleece at all. Mr. Allison, one-half is +yours. Shake, old man." + +Allison jumped as though he had been shot. + +"Do you mean that, Bob?" he asked. + +"Of course I do." + +"And you--is it all right?" he asked of Fred. + +"Of course it is. You saved us $10,000, didn't you?" + +"Well, that was my duty. I've been thirty-three years in Wall Street and +never had so much consideration shown me before," and his eyes became +moist and his voice husky. + +"I say, boys!" called out another broker, "let's all go and dine +together and have a bottle for each plate. I like these two boys and +think we can learn something from them. Come on, every one of you." + +They all laughed, shook hands with Bob, Fred and Allison and went +downstairs and farther down the street to a well-known restaurant. There +they had a royal feast for an hour. Dean became quite merry over his +bottle and admitted that he knew Allison was one of the best posted men +in the street, and was glad that he was to have one-half the amount he +had lost. At that dinner the brokers became acquainted with Halsey & +Company, and found that, though they were boys, they knew a good deal +about taking care of Number One. + + +CHAPTER X.--Fred Buys a Seat in the Stock Exchange. + +The accident in the banking house of Halsey & Company, by which a man +lost his life, created a good deal of excitement in Wall Street. The +prompt discovery of the forgery had the effect of convincing the Street +that they were not to be victimized even if they were a couple of boys +not yet out of their teens. The janitor of the building very promptly +removed the blood stains and a glazier put up another glass in place of +the one that was broken. The bank bad not been open an hour ere a +carriage drove up in front and a tall, gray-haired man alighted and went +in. + +"Ah, you are Mr. Gaines!" said Fred, on seeing him. "Come into the +little office and sit down. I am very glad to see you out again." + +"Thank you, my young friend," said the old gentleman, following him into +a little office and seating himself in a comfortable arm-chair. "I have +called to thank you in person for the kind service you rendered me in +the Stock Exchange that day. You saved my life!" + +"Mr. Gaines, I am glad I was able to do as I did," said Fred. "You sent +me a watch and chain, which I prize very highly. I am sure I don't +deserve any more credit than what you have already given me." + +"Well, I want to show my gratitude, for it is a pleasure to do so. Who +is your broker in the Exchange now?" + +"We have no regular broker. We have engaged a different one for each +deal we have made." + +"Would you like to have a seat there yourself?" + +"Yes, sir, but I am too young, I guess." + +"There is no limit as to age. If you are able to buy a seat you can have +one." + +"But a seat is worth $30,000." + +"Yes. I have a seat. I am never going to use it again. I was badly +squeezed that day in the Exchange, and lost many thousands of dollars. +But I have enough to live and die on, and so intend to sell my seat. If +you can pay $5,000 cash you can pay the balance in five years--$5,000 a +year." + +"I'll take it," said Fred. + +"Very well. I can get $30,000 in cold cash for it, but don't care to let +the man have it at any price." + +Fred gave him the money and the seat was duly transferred. + +"I wish you all the success in the world, my good friend," said the old +man, rising and extending his hand to Fred. + +"Thank you, sir. I am deeply grateful to you for this favor. May I ask +you a question?" + +"Yes, as many as you please," replied the old man, resuming his seat. +"What is it?" + +"Is Mrs. Bryant a relative of yours?" + +"Yes. She is my niece. Why?" + +"Mr. Bryant and I don't love each other much, and I heard the other day +of your relationship to his wife. I didn't believe it." + +"Yes, it's true. I heard you had some wool hung up and labeled 'Bryant's +fleece.' Is it true?" + +"Yes," and Fred laughed. "I'll show it to you," and he did. + +"Bryant has been very sore over it, and so has his wife. I would advise +you to take it down." + +"I shall advise Bob to do so. It is his fight, you know." + +"Yes, so I heard. Well, good-by. I shall drop in when I come downtown. I +have no office now." + +"Oh, you must make this your office!" exclaimed Fred; "we have plenty of +room, for we don't do much business as yet. Our rent is paid up for one +year." + +"Well, I guess that's more, than any other firm in Wall Street can say," +and he shook Fred's hand. "I shall be glad to accept your offer, though +I shall not come down often." + +He went out and Fred told old Allison that he had bought Gaines' seat in +the Stock Exchange. The old cashier glared in astonishment, saying: + +"I'm afraid that you will make a mistake in going in there." + +"Why?" + +"People get excited there and lose both their heads and fortunes in a +very few minutes." + +"Yes, I know. But I got used to that sort of thing when I was a +messenger. It is not new to me." + +Broker Gaines had not been gone ten minutes ere Gertie Clayton came in. +She had a frightened look in her face. Bob met her, and she said: + +"Oh, I saw it in the papers about the man being killed by the broken +glass. It's awful, isn't it?" + +"Yes, indeed. Come to the ladies' room if you have any time to spare," +said Bob, who saw that something had happened. + +She followed him, and in the cozy little parlor said to him: + +"I can't go back to Mr. Bowles office any more, Bob." + +"Why not?" + +"He told me this morning that Mr. Bryant's typewriter was sick, and that +I would have to go up to his office to do some work for him. I said I +was not working for Mr. Bryant and did not care to go to his office. He +replied that he and Bryant were in a deal together, and that I must go +and earn my salary." + +"The old brute!" exclaimed Bob. "Just stay right here. I can get plenty +of work for you." + +"But I have no machine," she replied, and her eyes filled with tears. + +"We have got to have one some day and may as well have it now as at any +other time. I'll get the money and you can go and buy one," and turned +and went out to the banking room, got $100 from the cashier and went +back to her. + +He found her with her face buried in her hands and sobbing as though her +heart would break. + +"Why, what in thunder is the matter, Gertie?" he exclaimed. + +"Oh, Bob, I--I--you seem to be the only friend I have in the world." + +"Well, I'm much afraid that I'll stand by you till I can't breathe. +Come, brace up. Here's one hundred dollars. Go and buy a machine. Get +the best in the market. If that isn't enough, come back and get more. +I'll let Bowles and Bryant both know that my girl can get on without +them!" and he thrust the roll of bills into her hands as she spoke. + +"Bob, am I your girl?" she asked, looking shyly up at him through her +tears. + +"Of course you are, unless you don't want to be." + +"You won't go back on me when you get rich, will you?" she asked. + +"Not much I won't." + +"There's my hand then," and she gave him her hand. + +He grasped it, squeezed it and did just what any other well-regulated +boy would have done under such circumstances--kissed her on the lips. + +"Hello! Spooning, by George!" cried Fred, suddenly entering the room. +"In business hours, too." + +Gertie hid her face in her hands, but Bob turned and replied: + +"This is very important business for me, Fred, and she---" + +"It is very pleasant business, I should say," said Fred, interrupting +him with aggravating coolness. + +"Pleasant is no name for it," returned Bob. "We have just engaged to +marry each other in two years." + +"Well, it jiggers me! She's a splendid girl. I congratulate you, old +man!" and he grasped Bob's hand and shook it warmly. + +The second day after he bought his seat in the Stock Exchange Rock +Island advanced to 90. Bryant was the kingpin in the Rock Island deal. +He saw Fred watching the board which told how the stock stood. Rock +Island stood at 92 when business for the day ended. Next day Bryant +forced the stock up to 95, when Fred dumped his 15,000 shares on the +market. Bryant had to take them. Then the price broke. A panic resulted. +Bowles clutched Fred by the arm. Fred sprang nimbly out of his reach, +and the old man fell prone to the floor, where he lay still like one +dead. + + +CHAPTER XI.--The Great Deal in Rock Island. + +During the lull that followed the fall of the old broker in the Stock +Exchange the storm seemed to be gathering for a still more destructive +sweep. A few friends took up the old man and bore him out. No sooner had +they passed over the threshold than a roar like that of an angry sea +burst forth. Bulls and bears seemed on the verge of personal violence. +The price went up and down in momentary fluctuations, and men dropped +out and flew from the room as if trying to overtake the fortunes that +had slipped away from them. In the midst of all this din and confusion +Fred Halsey stood where he could see Bryant and mark the effect of the +blow he had given him. Down, down went the stock till 81 was reached. +Then the gavel fell, and the battle was over for that day. Brokers +Manson and Tracey rushed over to Fred and grasped his hand. Neither one +had lost any fleece in the fight. + +"It was a terrible blow," said Manson. + +"The worst deal in the Exchange since I became a member," said Tracey. +"You did wrong, my boy. You should have unloaded in a more cautious +manner--one or two thousand at a time, As it was, you broke the corner +and ruined half a hundred men." + +"They would have been ruined, anyhow," Fred replied. "Bryant would have +dumped his load on 'em at par. I wanted to knock him out, and I think I +succeeded. Will you two come over to my place a while?" + +They both declined and Fred went over alone. Allison grasped his hand as +he entered the bank. He had heard the news. Callie, Bob and Gertie were +in the private office when Fred went in to see them. Gertie sprang up, +threw her arms about his neck and kissed him. + +"Hello! What's the matter?" he exclaimed. "What's up?" + +"Why, I am up--up in the world--up in spirits and the happiest girl that +ever lived!" cried Gertie, and the next moment she was hugging and +kissing Callie. + +"Oh, you needn't let up on me," said Fred. "I am not kicking on that +sort of thing. What the deuce is the matter with her, Bob?" + +"I have just told her what her tip on Rock Island had made for her," Bob +replied. + +"Ah! She will get a nice plum out of the pie. But look here, girls. If +you give us away, there's no telling what may happen. It would do +mischief, and a lot of it, too." + +"I won't say a word," said Gertie. + +"Nor will I," said Callie. + +"Well, let's see if girls really can keep a secret," and then he sat +down and told how he had given Bowles and Bryant a deadly blow, and how +the old man had to be carried out of the Exchange. + +"Great Scott!" exclaimed Bob. "I'd have given a thousand to have seen +Bryant when he got it in the neck." + +"Oh, he was sick," said Fred. "You'd have to buy a bale of wool to hang +up if you want to display his fleece." + +"That would be cruel," said Gertie. + +They all laughed and were a happy party. Fred sent out and ordered a +carriage to take them off uptown, saying: + +"I don't want to meet any of those fellows to-day." + +"What are you afraid of?" Bob asked him. + +"I am afraid about ten thousand questions will be asked me." + +They rode uptown in a carriage for the first time since the bank was +opened, and the two girls were delighted. The boys saw them to their +homes and then had a quiet talk over the situation. + +"Mr. Allison has been guyed unmercifully about his kids, Bob," Fred +said, "and he has stood by us like a father. Let's give him $5,000 +to-morrow as a token of our appreciation of him." + +"I am willing," Bob replied. "The old man is our friend." + +"Yes, indeed he is." + +The next morning, when the old cashier came to the bank, he shook hands +with both of the boys, saying: + +"They made it pretty hot for me about my 'kids,' but I guess we have +made it pretty uncomfortable for some of them." + +"I think we have, too," Fred replied. "Here's our check to you for +$5,000 for the way you have stood by us." + +"The devil!" gasped the old man in dumfounded amazement. "Do you give me +that?" + +"Yes, of course." + +He grasped their hands again. + +"Boys," he said, choking with emotion, "I--I don't know what to say. God +bless me, I don't!" and he jerked out his handkerchief and blew his nose +a half dozen times. + +"That's all right, Mr. Allison. We want you to grow up with us." + +"Call me pop, boys--call me pop after this--as my other children do," +and the old fellow had to wipe his eyes and his glasses. + +It did the two boys good to watch him. They had touched his heart and +the stern old man of business had softened like a woman. But others +began to come in. The papers told how the two boys had squeezed some of +the strongest men in the street and scooped several hundred thousand +dollars of their money, and men who had seen them often before now came +in to look at them again. But Fred and Bob were quite busy in their +little private office engaged in figuring up the result of the deal, +leaving Allison to answer questions and receive congratulations. Over +in the Stock Exchange the syndicate was busy trying to save further +losses. Bryant was on hand, but Bowles was in the hands of his +physician. + +"We were betrayed by somebody," Bryant said. "Those boys were posted by +somebody in the deal and used as a blind." + +"That is a serious charge to make, Bryant," said one of the syndicate, +"and we'll have to make an investigation to find out if there is any +truth in it. The charge reflects on us all." + +"I have no idea who the guilty one is," Bryant replied. "I don't even +know that the charge is true; but I believe that we were downed by a +conspiracy in which one of the syndicate was engaged. Those boys are not +deep enough to do what they did by their own account." + +"You forget that Allison is in their employ," said the other. + +"I don't think he had anything to do with it." + +Just then Fred entered the Exchange in search of a broker he wanted to +see. + +Broker Tabor saw him, caught him by the arm and said: + +"Here, Halsey, I want to ask you a question." + +"Fire away," said Fred. + +"How did you get on to that Rock Island deal?" + +"Bryant gave it away." + +"Eh! What!" + +"Bryant gave the snap away," Fred repeated, and just then he saw the man +he was in search of and went over to him. + +Tabor returned to where Bryant and other members of the syndicate were +standing and said: + +"You were right, Bryant. One of the syndicate did give it away, and +Halsey admits it." + +"Ah! Did he name the scoundrel?" Bryant asked. + +"Yes. I asked him how he got on to it, and he said 'Bryant gave it +away.'" + +Bryant gave a start as if stung and dashed across the room to where Fred +was standing, grabbed him by the collar and hissed in his face: + +"Did you say I gave the Rock Island deal away?" + +"Yes, but you didn't mean to do it." + +"What do you mean?" + +Brokers crowded around them. + +"On the very day you began buying I was standing near you, and heard you +say, 'I'll take all I can get of that stock.' I knew then you were going +to boom it, so I went off and loaded up for you. Mr. Barron bought the +stock for you in less than thirty minutes after I heard you say that. +Did I get any of your fleece?" + +Bryant hurled him from him and turned away. + + +CHAPTER XII.--Fred Makes a Discovery. + +The great deal in Rock Island made the young bankers and speculators one +of the best known firms in Wall Street. It was known that they had a +vast sum of cold cash on hand, and that they had nerve and good +judgment, and so scores of men came to them to buy and sell for them. +Gertie Clayton received about $36,000 for the tip she had given them, +and she left it on deposit in the bank. + +"Bob," she said to him a few days later, "I am not going to do any more +typewriting. I was not made for the business, and never did like it." + +"What are you going to do, then?" he asked. + +"I'll tell you what I want to do," she replied, "I am engaged to a +handsome young banker and we are to marry in two years. I think it is my +duty to fit myself to be his wife by educating myself so he will be +proud of me when we marry." + +"By George, Gertie!" Bob exclaimed, "your head is level. Get out of Wall +Street and I'll come uptown and spoon with you every evening. I'll make +enough for us both." + +"You dear, good Bob!" she said. "I knew you would look at it as I do. +You do not know how happy I am. I am going to study music and make +myself an accomplished young lady so our home will not be a dull one." + +She told Callie her reasons for giving up typewriting, and the latter +said: + +"You are right, Gertie. I would do so, too, were I so fortunate." + +Just a few days later Eva Gaines came down with her uncle, the old +broker, and was shown into the ladies' reception room with him. Fred and +Bob received them with great consideration. + +"You have been making, things lively in the Street," the old broker +remarked to Fred. + +"Yes, sir. I would like to pay you the balance I owe for the seat in +the Stock Exchange." + +"Well, I am not in any hurry about it," was the reply. "You can do so if +you wish, and my niece here will leave $10,000 with you to speculate +with for her. That is what we came down to-day for." + +Fred looked at her without making any reply. + +"I don't think I ought to attempt anything like that yet a while, Mr. +Gaines," he finally said. + +"Oh, I just know you could make a fortune for me in a little while," +said Eva. "You are fortunate in everything you do." + +"I have been very fortunate of late," he replied, "but I am more free +with my own money than I would dare to be with other people's cash." + +"But that is just what I want you to do--use it as you would your own," +she urged. + +Fred shook his head. + +"I was a messenger with one of the heaviest men in Wall Street before I +went into business for myself," he returned, "and I have never forgotten +what I once heard him say to a lady who wanted him to use her money in +speculation." + +"What did he say?" she eagerly asked. + +"He said women could not understand business; that with them success was +the only test of merit; that he had invested money for two women and +both had threatened to horsewhip him because their investment was not a +success. He then declared that he would retire from business rather than +handle a woman's money." + +The old broker laughed and said: + +"Young man, had I been as cautious in my younger days I'd have been +worth many millions to-day." + +"But I don't know what to tell you to buy," she persisted. + +"Then you had better keep your money. There are plenty of men in Wall +Street who would be glad to take your money and--keep it. But I am not +one of them." + +"Well, you will let me leave it in your bank, won't you?" + +"Oh, yes. You can be a depositor," and she gave him the check which her +father had given her. He gave it to Allison, who entered her name as one +of the bank's depositors. + +When he returned to them Eva remarked that she was sorry he thought her +capable of horse-whipping anybody. + +"I have never been able to understand a woman, and to tell you the +truth, I am afraid of anything in petticoats." + +The old broker and his beautiful niece laughed till the tears ran down +their cheeks. + +"Well, you'll use my money now, won't you?" she asked. + +"Yes, if you will tell me what to buy." + +"Oh, pshaw!" + +A few days after the Gainses left the bank Fred was going along Broad +street when he saw a little crowd on the sidewalk listening to a young +man explaining a gas-saving appliance. Fred took a great interest in the +affair and after a while asked the young man to make a visit to his +office and adjust one to his gaspipe. The young man did so the next day, +and Fred saw it was a good thing. He asked the young inventor what he +would take for the invention. + +"I only want to get a living out of it," answered the young man. + +"Well, I'll give you $10,000 for it." + +"It's your's," said the inventor. + +In two hours the papers were signed and the money paid. Then a patent +was applied for and a plant secured for the manufacture of the machines. + +Several days later old Broker Bowles dashed into the room. + + +CHAPTER XIII.--Fred Makes an Unbusiness-like Loan. + +The moment the old man entered the little office Fred sprang to his feet +and confronted him. There was something in the wrinkled old face that +told of a terrible state of mind. + +"Mr. Bowles," said Fred, by way of breaking silence. + +"Yes, I am Bowles. I have come to see you and get the truth out of you." + +"Take a seat," and Bob pushed a chair toward him. + +"I want to know who betrayed us in that Rock Island deal?" he asked Bob. + +"No one betrayed you, Mr. Bowles. Fred saw Mr. Bryant buy the stock +right along--all that offered--and so we decided that he was going to +boom it. We bought 15,000 shares through Barron. That's all the +betraying that was done." + +"That's a lie! It won't do! I know better than that! Tell the truth, or +I'll choke it out of you!" and he glared fiercely at Bob. + +"Pitch in and do your choking before you forget it," Bob replied. + +The irate old man made a grab at his throat. Bob dodged back, and they +both fell to the floor, their chairs upsetting with quite a clatter. In +an instant Fred grappled the old fellow's legs and dragged him from Bob. +Bob sprang to his feet, seized an inkstand on the desk and dashed its +contents all over the old broker's face and bosom. Some of it got into +his eyes and blinded him. + +Just then two brokers came in and separated them. + +"Who is it, Halsey?" one of them asked. + +"Mr. Bowles. He is away off his balance." + +The two brokers laughed at the plight of the old man. His best friend +could not have recognized him covered as he was with ink. As if ashamed +of what he had done, Bowles scrambled to his feet, hurried out of the +office and made a break for his own quarters. But his appearance on the +street caused a sensation. Some boys saw him, and set up a series of +yells that brought a crowd about him in less than half a minute. An +officer ran up, looked hard at him for a moment or two and then collared +him. + +"That's all right, officer," the old man said. "Just a little accident, +that's all." + +"But you can't draw a crowd and obstruct the street this way," the +officer replied. "Who are you?" + +"I am Bowles, the broker. One of the oldest in the Street." + +"What! Are you Mr. Bowles?" + +"Yes; come to my office and see before more people gather." + +The officer went along with him, and when they appeared in the office +the clerks were almost panic-stricken, such a frightful-looking object +was he. The officer remained long enough to make sure he really was the +old broker and then left. In a little while the old man sent for a +carriage and was driven home, where he changed his clothes and got rid +of the ink stains on his face and hair. But the Street got hold of it, +though Fred nor Bob would not say anything about it. Some said the old +man heard they had a bag of wool hung up in their office and went in to +fan them out. They fanned him out and kept his fleece. + +Those who were in the Rock Island deal felt very sore over the way it +had turned out, and it was a difficult matter for them to believe that +some one in it had not betrayed them. But Halsey & Company had come up +on top, and though but a couple of boys, the cunning old foxes of the +Street saw that they would have to be reckoned with in the future. The +weeks and months rolled on, and the gas machine was put on the market. +Under the management of the young inventor the mechanical part of it +worked without friction. Bob took charge of the office work, and soon +had one thousand machines placed among the large consumers of gas, at a +rental of from $5 to $10 a month each, producing an income of about +$75,000 a year. Out of that sum they paid the young inventor $7,500 a +year salary. One day Broker Tracey came in and begged Halsey & Company +to sell him an interest in the gas machine, offering $50,000 cash for +one-fourth interest in it. + +"Not for $250,000," said Fred. "It is a gold mine, and we think we can +work it by ourselves." + +Tracey left, and soon after his departure Mrs. Bryant came in, +accompanied by Eva Gaines. She asked to see Fred. He went to the ladies' +room, and was received with smiles by both ladies. + +"Mr. Halsey," said the broker's wife, "I want to borrow $10,000 for +thirty days. I see a chance to make money, but have none to do it with. +Will you let me have it?" + +"What security have you to offer?" he asked her. + +"None; only my jewelry remains unmortgaged," and her eyes filled with +tears as she spoke. + +"Do you want it for yourself or your husband?" + +"For myself. He has lost every dollar he had." + +"I am going to put that much into it, too," said Eva. "Let her have it +for my sake, Mr. Halsey." + +"Will you indorse her note?" + +"Yes." + +"Very well; I'll let you have the money, Mrs. Bryant," and he made out +the note and they both signed it. He gave the broker's wife the money, +and they left the bank together. + + +CHAPTER XIV.--Fred Proposes to Callie. + +When the two ladies were gone Fred muttered to himself: + +"They made me do an unbusinesslike thing--because they are women. She +brought Eva along to make sure I would not refuse her. True, Eva +indorsed the note, but she is a minor, and so the indorsement is not +worth a cent. I don't believe she has a tip. There's nothing doing in +the Street now that I know anything about. I think it was for the +benefit of her husband, and no one else. Sorry I didn't ask what the tip +was since I have to take all the risks. Ah, here comes Callie!" + +Callie came into the little private office unannounced. + +"Mr. Bryant is in Bowles' power for $10,000, and a warrant is out for +him. Mrs. Bryant came to the bank to fix it up, and Eva Gaines was with +her. They could not do anything with Mr. Barron and I heard Eva whisper +to Mrs. Bryant: 'Let's go and see Fred Halsey.' I got away as quick as I +could so you may know what to do when they come." + +"You came too late, Callie," he said, shaking his head. + +"Have they been here?" + +"Yes," + +"What did they do?" + +"They got $10,000 out of me." + +"You goose, you! You need a guardian, Fred Halsey!" + +"I guess you are right, and I believe I'll apply for one this very day." + +"What was Mr. Allison about?" + +"He doesn't know a thing about it. I couldn't refuse 'em, they came at +me in such a way. If I had a wife, I think I would be safer in such +matters." + +"So do I. You need one badly, young as you are," and she laughed saucily +at him. + +"Well, let's call a carriage and drive to the mayor's office. He'll tie +us up hard and fast." + +Her big brown eyes opened wide and stared at him. + +"Do you mean you want to marry me?" she asked. + +"Yes. You have more sense than any girl I know of." + +"Fred, if you love me and want me for that reason alone, I'll marry you. +But if you want me simply for business reasons, I won't." + +"Callie, you sweet little goose, I've been dead in love with you for six +months, and have asked myself a thousand times, 'Will she have me if I +ask her?' and now I ask you--will you be my wife?" + +"Yes, Fred." + +"Do you love me?" he asked her impulsively. + +"Yes, yes. Oh, Fred, I am so happy now that I know you love me! I was so +afraid you did not." + +Fred caught her in his arms and kissed her, saying: + +"Let's drive to the mayor's office at once, and---." + +"No, that won't do. We both have mothers who love us. They will be glad +to know that we love each other. Let's wait a little while and have a +quiet wedding at my mother's home." + +"How long do you want me to wait?" + +"Will a month be too long?" + +"Hang it, yes. Make it two weeks and it's a go." + +"Well, say two weeks, then." + +He kissed her again. + +"Hello! Spooning!" cried Bob, coming in at that moment. + +"Yes," replied Fred. "We got it bad," and he kissed her again. + +"Yum-yum!" said Bob. "Wish my girl was here," and he wiped his mouth and +laughed. + +"Say, pard," said Fred, "we are going to hitch in two weeks." + +"Great Scott! Why such haste?" + +"Old age is coming on and we want all there is in life for us, eh, +Callie?" + +"You are doing all the talking, Fred," Callie replied. + +Bob and Fred laughed, and Callie joined in finally. She was a very happy +girl. + +"How about my position at Barron's, Fred?" she asked. + +"Give it up, of course. Do you know a poor girl who wants the place?" + +"I do," said Bob. + +"Who is she?" + +"A friend of Gertie's. She's a good one, too." + +"Well, let's see her before Callie steps down and out." + +"I'll tell Gertie about it to-night." + +"Yes." + +"Oh, I must see Gertie myself. Let me tell her all about it," said +Callie. + +Bob was with Gertie in her home that evening when Callie and Fred +called. The two girls were soon planning for a double wedding, and ere +they parted it was arranged that both should marry on the same evening. +The young inventor of the gas-saving machine was now a frequent caller +at the Halsey residence, for Adah was a beautiful girl, who was fast +developing into a splendid woman. She was the magnet that drew him to +the house. As he was studious, industrious, and withal a genius, Fred +was glad to see an attachment growing up between them. Callie resigned +her place as stenographer and typewriter for Banker Barron, and +succeeded in getting Gertie's friend employed in her place. She and +Gertie then proceeded to make preparations to marry the young bankers +and speculators. + +In the meantime Fred was busy in the Stock Exchange, trying to find out +what Broker Bryant was doing. He kept his eyes wide open all the time to +see if he was working on any particular stock. But the burly broker +seemed to have nothing at all to do. Fred noticed that he and old Bowles +no longer spoke as they passed by. + +By that he knew Callie had got the story right, and that Bryant had +escaped the old man's clutches only by paying up the last penny he owed +him. He went to the old man and said he wanted to buy futures on P. & K. + +"How much and how long?" the old man asked. + +"Five thousand shares for ten days." + +The trade was made, and Fred then went quietly to work buying up the +7,000 shares that were on the market. He bought at 67, in a few days he +met Bryant on the street and said to him: + +"I want to see you privately if you feel like doing any business with +me." + +Bryant was quite astonished, and asked: + +"Is there any money in it?" + +"I think there is." + +"Then I am at your service." + +Fred had a confidential talk with him, during which the broker admitted +that Bowles had ruined him financially by getting a technical grip on +him. + +"Well, I have got a grip on him, I think," Fred explained, "and if you +want your revenge, you can have it." + + +CHAPTER XV.--Conclusion. + +Fred sold him five hundred shares to give him a starter, the shares +being for himself. In two hours the price went up to 70, and Fred saw +old Bowles growing fidgety. The next day Fred sold five hundred shares +more at 72, they going to himself. Then the brokers began to hustle for +the stock, and found they could not get it. It went up to 82 before the +day closed. Bowles was desperate. + +"See here, Halsey," he said to Fred, the day before the ten days were up +on his 5,000 shares, "I want to settle that thing now. I can't get the +stock at all." + +"Wait till it is due," Fred suggested. + +"To tell you the truth, Mr. Bowles, I haven't got that option. I sold +it to another man." + +"To whom did you sell it?" + +"To Bryant." + +The next day the stock wont up to 90, and at that figure Bryant called +Bowles for 5,000 shares of the stock. It is a rule of the Stock Exchange +that where the stock sold cannot be delivered on demand the difference +between the purchase and delivery prices shall be paid in cash. At 90, +the difference was $23 per share, on 5.000 shares, making $115,000. When +the settlement was made, Fred generously allowed Bryant one-half the +profits. It put him on his feet again. The day after the settlement was +made Mrs. Bryant and Eva Gaines called at the office and asked for Fred. + +"I have come to pay my note," she said to him. + +"It is not yet due," he replied. + +"No, but I have the money and want to pay it," and she laid down a big +roll of bills as she spoke. Fred took the money and gave her the note +she had signed. + +"Now, Mr. Halsey," she said, as she tore up the note, "I want to say to +you that as long as I live I shall always have a feeling of lively +gratitude toward you for your kindness to me in this matter. You are the +one in all New York who would have loaned me that money." + +"I am not sure of that," he replied, shaking his head. + +"I am glad to know that you and Mr. Bryant are friends again," said Mrs. +Bryant. "He said you helped him out in a deal against that odious Mr. +Bowles the other day." + +"Yes, we did manage to give the old man the headache, I believe." + +"I was so glad when I heard it, for he is the meanest man in New York." + +"That's a pretty hard thing to say of any one," Fred remarked, laughing. + +They left the bank and Fred was smiling all over as he returned to his +private office. + +"What will they think when they hear of the double wedding, I wonder?" +said he to himself. "I ought to have told them all, but it won't make +any difference, I guess. Hanged if I don't believe Eva Gaines would like +to have me call on her. I wouldn't give Callie for a dozen of her. She +is pretty enough, sweet enough and all that. But I think Callie has the +best head of the two, and knows how to take care of money." + +At the appointed time the double wedding took place, and the four +families drove to the parsonage in four carriages. The two brides never +looked so beautiful, nor were the young grooms ever so proud as when +they gazed upon them as they met in the parlor of the parsonage. + +They drove from the parsonage to Delmonico's for supper, where they +remained two hours at the table. + +Young as they were, they did not put on any frills, but drove home after +the supper, and began life like the sensible people they were. + +Thus ends the story of how two boys made their fortunes in Wall street. +They soon became one of the strong institutions of the city. + +Halsey & Company frequently met with reverses, but their gains were far +ahead of their losses. + +By the time they were old enough to vote they were rated as +millionaires, and each was a father. They are now in the prime of life, +and yet still known as the boy bankers. + + +Next week's issue will contain "ALOW AND ALOFT; OR, THE DASHING BOY +HARPOONER." + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Halsey & Co., by H. K. 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