“How much?” I asked.
“I've got a little over forty-eight thousand shares,” he said slowly, “and I must have near sixty thousand. It looks as though I'd have to fight for them.”
“Which will cost you about a million and a half at present rates,” I returned.
“I'll give you a million commission, Wilton, if you'll get them for that.”
The King of the Street plainly did not underrate the task he had set.
“Well, Decker isn't any better off than you,” I said consolingly.
“He's ten or fifteen thousand shares worse off than I am.”
“And he's put a fortune into Crown Diamond, and is pretty well loaded with Confidence.”
“True, my boy.”
“And so,” I argued, “he must be nearer the bottom of his sack than you are.”