Part 10 (1/2)
”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 gla.s.s 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 gla.s.ses at him for a few moments as if surprised at what he had just heard.
”Well, that shows you have good, old-fas.h.i.+oned 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 gla.s.s 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.”