CHAPTER IX.
I Go Aboard and We Unfurl the Jolly Roger.
“We must act, and act at once!” said the Captain, his voice thrilling with intensity. “This piece of property will be gone befo’ night! All it takes is a paltry three thousand dolla’s, and within ninety days—no man can say what its value will be. We can plat it, and within ten days we may have ouah money back. Allow me to draw on you fo’ three thou—”
“But,” said I, “I can make no move in such a matter at this time without conference with Mr.—”
“Very well, suh, very well!” said the Captain, regarding me with a look that showed how much better things he had expected of me. “Opportunity, suh, knocks once—By the way, excuse me, suh!”
And he darted from the office, took the trail of Mr. Macdonald, whom he had seen passing, brought him to bay in front of the post-office, and dragged him away to some doom, the nature of which I could only surmise.
This took place on the morning of my first day with Elkins & Barslow. I was to take up the office work.
“That will be easy for you from the first,” said Jim. “Your experience as rob-ee down there in Posey County makes you a sort of specialist in that sort of thing; and pretty soon all other things shall be added unto it.”
The Captain’s onslaught in the first half-hour admonished me that a good deal was already added to it. On that very day, too, we had our first conference with Mr. Hinckley. We wanted to handle securities, said Mr. Elkins, and should have a great many of them, and that was quite in Mr. Hinckley’s line. To carry them ourselves would soon absorb all our capital. We must liberate it by floating the commercial paper which we took in. Mr. Hinckley’s bank was known to be strong, his standing was of the highest, and a trust company in alliance with him could not fail to find a good market for its paper. With an old banker’s timidity, Hinckley seemed to hesitate; yet the prospects seemed so good that I felt that this consent was sure to be given. Jim courted him assiduously, and the intimacy between him and the Hinckley family became noticeable.