“I don’t believe it,” put in Weston emphatically. “It never could be put through.”
“I have one million dollars that says it could,” returned Ames calmly. “Will you cover it?”
Weston threw up his hands in token of surrender. “Not I!” he exclaimed, scurrying for cover.
Ames laughed. “Well,” he said, “suppose we look into the scheme and see if we don’t want to handle it. It simply calls for a little thought and work. The profits would be tremendous. Shall I explain?” He stopped and glanced at the Beaubien for approval. She nodded, and he went on:
“I have lately been investigating the subject of various food supplies other than wheat and corn as possible bases for speculation, and my attention has been drawn strongly to a very humble one, potatoes.”
A general laugh followed this announcement. But Ames continued unperturbed:
“I find that in some sections of the West potatoes are so plentiful at times that they bring but twenty cents a bushel. My investigations have covered a period of several months, and now I have in my possession a large map of the United States 96 with the potato sections, prices, freight rates and all other necessary data indicated. The results are interesting. My idea is to send agents into all these sections next summer before the potatoes are turned up, and contract for the entire crop at twenty-five cents a bushel. The agents will pay the farmers cash, and agree to assume all expenses of digging, packing, shipping, and so forth, allowing the farmer to take what he needs for his own consumption. Needless to say, the potatoes will not be removed from the fields, but will be allowed to rot in the ground. Those that do reach the market will sell for a dollar and a half in New York and Chicago.”
“In other words,” added Fitch, “you are simply figuring to corner the market for the humble tuber, eh?”
“Precisely,” said Ames.
“But––you say you have all the necessary data now?”