When, next morning, Jenvie, Hamlin and Stetson read the above in the Times, they were filled with consternation.
"I feared that man Sedgwick from the first," said Jenvie. "Our first account of him, that 'he must be a prize-fighter,' was true. He has knocked us out, and he has made no more noise about it than does a bull-dog when he takes a pig by the ear."
"What are we to do?" asked Hamlin.
"We must take in enough stock to cover our shortage at once," said Jenvie, "even if we have to pay £1 per share for it."
So a messenger was sent to the office of the broker through which the stock had been shorted, to buy at any price up to £1.
He returned with the information that the stock could be had, but the price was £6 per share.
Then the three men realized for the first time the trap which had been set for them, and how fatal had been its spring. The messenger was at once sent out again, this time to the office of the company. He found the secretary, who referred him to the —— Bank, from which the dividends were to be paid. There he found stock for sale, but the price demanded was £6 per share.
He returned home and made his report. The three men gazed at each other with blank looks of despair.
"Thirty thousand shares at £6 will take all we have," said Hamlin.
"And I shorted 10,000 shares besides," said Jenvie.