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.