"Oh, that goes without saying. I managed to pull through and reached good warm-hearted Chicago with nine hotel clerks on my staff, all acting as treasurers, assistant treasurers, auditors, ticket-sellers, bookkeepers and financial agents, each one wondering why the box office department was receiving accessions to its ranks in the face of such bad business."
"An' did they never tumble to the little joker?"
"Well, I candidly admit it required the exercise of considerable tact to keep them in complete ignorance of the true situation."
"Of that I have not the slightest doubt."
Handy was silent a moment.
"Fogg, did you ever worry over a promoter's prospectus of a proposed financial scheme prepared for the edification of the public with the laudable intention of separating people from their money?"
"Some," answered Fogg, slightly mystified at the change Handy had given to the conversation.
"That being the case, you can call to mind how eloquently the promoter labors to convince prospective investors how they can get in on the ground floor and lay the foundation of a fortune to be made out of a hole in the ground?"
"I've heard of such things."
"Do you know how it was done?"