Part 27 (1/2)
”But don't some of them make slats of money? Answer me that.”
”They don't make no money what sticks to 'em.”
”What do you mean by that, Bob? I don't understand.”
”I mean that they lose it the same way they make it, so it don't stick to 'em. Do you see?”
”Yes, I see. But how's a feller like me goin' to make any money, Bob, if he don't bet any?”
”Now, Tom, you're gettin' to somethin' I've been thinkin' about, and I'll let you into the secret. You see, Tom, I don't believe in horse bettin' the way you do, but I ain't afraid to take chances all the same.”
”What is it, Bob?” interrupted Tom, eager to get into the secret.
”Wall Street,” replied Bob, striking the att.i.tude of a money king.
”Do you mean it, Bob?” asked young Flannery, incredulously.
”Of course I mean it, Tom. There's piles of money down there.”
”I know there is, Bob, but how are fellers like you 'n' me going to get it?”
”Why, by speculatin', of course. How does any of 'em make it?”
”Them fellers are all rich, Bob. They didn't go down there the same as what we would go, with only five dollars,” replied Tom.
”They didn't, did they? Well, tell me if Jay Gould, and the old man Sage, and half a dozen more of them big fellers, didn't go into Wall Street without a cent?”
”I can't tell you, Bob; I never heard anybody say,” answered Tom, humbly.
”Well, Tom Flannery, I should think you would find out such things.
Don't you never want to know anything?”
”I ain't been thinkin' about Wall Street, and them fellers you speak about, Bob,” apologized Tom. ”But I wish you'd tell me about 'em, for I'd like to know how they made their money.”
”Well, I'll tell you some other time,” said Bob, with a.s.sumed ease. As a matter of fact, however, he did not know himself, but was not willing to admit so much to Tom. He therefore decided to change the subject at once before getting cornered.
”Now, Tom,” he continued, ”I'll tell you what it is. I've jest thought what we'll do, you 'n' me and Herbert.”
”What is it, Bob?”
”Well, you see we got knocked out of our breakfast this morning, Tom, so I think the best thing we can do is to have a big dinner tonight.”
”I think so too, Bob,” said Tom, eagerly.
”You see, 'twould be a celebration of the way we worked the detective business.”
”So 'twould, Bob. That's a good idea, I think.”
”I think so, too, Tom, and we'll have a regular first cla.s.s lay out.”