Part 2 (1/2)
”Eh! Huh?” and Bob stopped and stared at him.
”I've got the 'c.h.i.n.k,' 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.
”h.e.l.lo, Halsey!” exclaimed the broker, on seeing Fred.
”h.e.l.lo, 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.