“Which he is willing to offer,” continued Beechnut, “to either B. or C.”
“That is, either to you or me,” said Stuyvesant.
“Yes,” said Phonny, “I understand so far. But what is that about priority.”
“Priority,” said Beechnut, “means precedence in respect to time.”
“That is harder to understand than priority,” said Phonny.
“The question is,” continued Beechnut, “which must be considered as first in order of time, the one who had the offer first, or the one who accepted first.”
“The one who accepted first,” said Phonny.
“You are not to decide the question,” said Beechnut. “I was only explaining to you what the question is. You must carry the paper to Mr. Wallace and get his opinion.”
“But Beechnut,” said Phonny, “why don’t you tell him all about it, just as it was, instead of making up such a story about A. B. and C. and priority.”