“But five shillings a tip won’t bring in much, I should think, unless the yellowtail you speak of are very numerous,” objected Huey.
“The five bobs, as you say, do not amount to much; hardly pay the advertising. The profit is another branch of the business. It stands to reason that the mugs who go to turf prophets are about the muggiest of mugs there are. This is what makes the business such a soft thing. Suppose a race is coming off with eleven horses entered and five of them possible winners; then to five different mugs you give five different ‘extra special’ tips, in consideration of which you are to stand in free for half the winnings. One mug wins and shares, and swears by you ever after, or at least till you have cleaned him out. As for the others, you smooth them down as per usual—horse could have done it easy, his time at private trials was seconds under, but stable was not on the job!”
“It seems to me that this kind of thing is what is called swindling?”
“You can call it that if you like,” said Soft Sam, smiling. “Most people call it business, and very good business too. There is only one thing you have to get to make a start.”
“And what is that?” asked Huey, with a tone of misgiving, as he remembered the diminished state of his finances.
“A name. The mugs like a good name. Let me think,” and the old gentleman paused. “Fred Archer was called the ‘Tinman,’ that will do as well as another, and it sounds ’cute. Now come along, lads, let’s make a start. We must have a fresh rig-out to begin with.”
With this the old man led the way, and in a few minutes conducted the young men to the interior of a tailoring establishment much patronized by the fancy. At the suggestion of Soft Sam an order was left for a complete outfit of the latest fashion in sporting garments. No payment was asked for; the presence of the old gentleman appearing to smooth all difficulties.
On leaving the shop Soft Sam said—
“You can pay them when you are in funds. The price will be pretty stiff, but after this they will always serve you on the same terms; and remember this, and paste it in your hat: If you have only one friend in the world let him be a tailor.”