Part 53 (1/2)

Jones was stumped and so was La.r.s.en--even Jimmie had no idea. We all looked at Charlie when he said, ”I remember seeing a good display of garden seeds once.”

”Well,” I said, ”what was it?”

”As near as I can describe it, it was fixed like this,” said Charlie.

”The floor of the window was covered with soil divided into little plots. Each plot had a single variety of seeds arranged on top of it in orderly rows. In the center of each plot was a 'talking' sign something to this effect:

GIANT BEANS

A 5 package is sufficient for fifty square feet of soil. They should, under normal conditions, produce ---- pints of beans, worth at retail $3.75.

”I don't remember the price, the ground s.p.a.ce, nor the production,”

confessed Charlie, ”but that's the general idea. The five cents' worth of seeds (or whatever the amount was) was visualized. The amount of ground they required was then given, and, after that, the average production and its value. At the rear of the window all kinds of gardening tools were arranged--each one price-ticketed, of course.”

”That's splendid,” I said, enthusiastically. ”We'll appoint you a committee of one to find out what seeds to buy and all about them.”

”I don't know the first thing about gardening,” objected Charlie, ”and will be more than glad if you'll let some one else do it.”

I was about to insist when, in an undertone, he added, ”Believe me, Mr.

Black, I've a very real reason for asking you to excuse me.”

”Very well,” I replied, somewhat nettled. ”Jones can do it.”

I wondered why Charlie was so earnest in wis.h.i.+ng to be excused!

”Well,” I said briskly, ”that disposes of one thing. What else can we do this spring to boost business?”

”The fish are biting,” said La.r.s.en. ”Stigler has a sign in his window that says so.”

”I intended stocking fis.h.i.+ng tackle this season!” I exclaimed. Then, after a pause, ”And we'll do it, too. I'll not let Stigler put anything over on me.”

”He's always sold 'em, so I understand,” said Charlie, ”so perhaps you will want to consider him and his trade as you did Traglio.”

I saw a twinkle in his eye as he spoke, for he knew my contempt for Stigler. ”Oh, that's different,” said I, lamely.

”In that case,” continued Charlie, dryly, ”I suggest we sell fis.h.i.+ng tackle--and do it right away. If I can help I will, for I do know something about fis.h.i.+ng.”

Just then I thought of Barlow and his grip on the farming implement trade, and, at the same instant, I saw a way of applying his principles to fis.h.i.+ng, so I said, ”Here's a plan for boosting fis.h.i.+ng tackle. We'll have Martin find out right away what pools and rivers there are in our locality. We'll also find out what kind of fish can be caught therein.

All this information we'll have in black and white so that we all can learn it.”

As I talked the plan enlarged and took definite shape.

”Then,” I continued eagerly, ”we'll find out the best ways to get to all these fis.h.i.+ng grounds--fis.h.i.+ng waters, I mean,” I said, as they all began to laugh. ”In addition to that, we'll find out where to stay; where to pitch a tent if necessary, where supplies can be bought, and anything else that will help the fisherman to know where to go, what to catch, where to live while there, and, most important of all for us, what kind of tackle to use to catch the fish he's after.”

”In other words,” I said, triumphantly, ”we'll make ourselves experts on fis.h.i.+ng, so that people wanting to know when the ice is off the lake, or when the season is 'on' or 'off'--where fis.h.i.+ng is reported good or poor; or what flies are in the market--will naturally gravitate to our store.”

They all became enthusiastic over the plan, and Charlie promised to have the data all ready by the end of the week.

Jimmie then asked what we purposed doing about baseball goods and other sporting goods. We decided, much to his disappointment, that, while we ought to have them, we couldn't manage it that year.