The inspection was concluded, and the goods pronounced very handsome.
“Now what do you ask for those?”
At another look from the partner, Hal named the price, a trifle lower than the mark.
“That’s reasonable,” said the customer. “I think I’ll take the whole lot;” and Hal’s triumph rose to high-water mark as the junior smiled across to him. A good piece of work for so early in the morning, for this was a man who bought heavily and paid well, but had never brought his patronage to Fenimore & Co. before.
“But wait a moment,” he said, “are these all you have?”
“All we have,” said Hal, “and we had the only invoice. We sold a smaller lot to Pollard & Leighton, and I assure you no one else will have them.”
“Ah! Pollard & Leighton have them? Then I do not care to take them, and as I see nothing else that I require, I will bid you good morning,” and with a bow he left the store.
The junior partner hardly waited for him to be out of hearing.
“And a nice piece of work you’ve made of it for a fellow almost twenty-one, and coming into the firm before long! He didn’t ask you if any of the goods had been sold, and you needn’t have gone out of your way to tell him; but even if you must needs do that, it was quite another thing to give names. We’ve lost that man now, I suppose.”