The vacillating market went on, and Don's gang continued to rock the Terran Electric stock. Then as the market was about to close for the day, Don said: "Sell 'em short!"
Terran Electric stock appeared on the market in great quantities. Its value dropped down and down and down, and Kingman, appraised of the fall by Walt, who magnified it by not less than two to one, apparently got frantic again, for he said:
"We're running short. Drop your Terran stock to bolster the I. C. job!"
"Oh, lovely," said Don.
"You said that."
"I repeat it. Look, fellows, gather all the T. E. Preferred and I. C. Preferred you can. Walt, tell him that Terran Electric is dropping fast, so he'll scuttle more of his stuff, and we'll pick it up slowly enough so that we won't raise the market. How're we fixed for I. C. Preferred?"
"Not too bad. Can we hit him once more?"
"Go ahead," said Don.
"Kingman," said Walt. "Kingman! Hell's loose. The Interplanetary Bureau of Criminal Investigations has just decided to look into the Interplanetary Communications angle. They want to know who's trying to grab control of a public carrier!"
Minutes later, Wes said: "Oh, Brother Myrtle. That did it. He just gave orders to drop the whole thing short!"