'About the china trade, sir?'
'Yes, about the china trade.'
'Wholesale or retail, sir?'
'I want to get at somebody who knows all about the manufacture of china.'
'Ah, the manufacture, sir,' said Close, in a tone that indicated this was another matter altogether; 'the manufacture, sir; yes, sir, I really do not know who could tell everything about the manufacture of china, sir, but I know of a man who could put you on the right track.'
'Very well; that is quite as good.'
'I would see Mr. Melville, if I were you, sir—Mr. Melville, of the great Scranton China Company.'
'And what is his address?'
'His address is——' And here the old man stooped over and wrote it on a card. 'That will find him, sir. If you can drop a note to Mr. Melville, sir, and say you want to learn who knows all about the production of china, he will be able to tell you just the man, sir. He is in the wholesale china trade himself, sir.'
'Would he be in at this hour, do you think?'