“Mr. Hoffer,” says Mark Tidd, “when you g-get back to your store there’ll be a m-man there by the name of Jehoshaphat P. Skip, who’ll want to buy your stock.”
“So?” says Mr. Hoffer.
“Yes,” says Mark. “We’ve bought it ourselves just to b-beat him, and I’ll tell you why.”
Then he set to and told Mr. Hoffer all about it just like he had told Hamilcar Janes. When he was through Mr. Hoffer shook his head in that mild way of his and says:
“That wass not goot. He iss not a fair man. Me, I will haff no dealing with him whatever. So.”
“M-maybe you’ll help us a little?” says Mark.
“I vill help. Ja, I will do what I can.”
“Well, then, just tell him nothing about this option. Tell him you have nothing to d-do with the sale, though, and he’ll have to see— Who’s your best lawyer here?”
“A young man, also a goot man, I think. He iss from college only a leetle while. His name it is Hamilton.”
“Well, you tell Skip Hamilton is handling the deal and to go to him. D-don’t tell him another word.”