As Jack had figured, Mr. Hockins’ arrival proved a good thing in the end for both Mrs. Price and her daughter Millie. CHAPTER XIV. A POINTER--WORTH WHAT? “I wish I had half your luck, Jack,” said Ed one morning shortly after the young messenger had scooped in that $5,000 on L. S. stock. “I suppose you are referring to what I made the other day.” “Yes; and I can’t see how you did it.” “I’m not surprised. I gave you the tip to buy as many shares as you could put up the margin for. Did you do it? No; you were afraid to risk even a ten-dollar note on a good thing. Well, you lost your chance.” “I lost more than that,” said Ed, with a mournful look. “What did you lose?” “Fifteen plunks.” “In what way?” “Well, after you told me you had collared five thousand dollars on L. S. I went home and kicked myself around the block.” “That was right. You deserved it. If you’d only bought two shares of L. S. as I told you to at first, you might have made seventy-five dollars clear profit.” “That’s what I said to myself. I felt I’d been a chump. You made a bunch of easy money while I hadn’t made a sou. Well, along came Denny McFadden, and I told him what a calf I’d been. He asked me if I had any money. I told him I had fifteen dollars. Then he offered to put me next to something that beat stocks all hollow. I knew what he meant, and fought shy. But he talked me into going around to a certain pool-room with him, just to see how the thing was worked.” “You needn’t go any further, Ed,” said Jack. “I know what you’re going to say. Denny got you to wager your fifteen dollars on some horse before you left. Isn’t that it?” “Yes; I put the whole thing on Custard Pie, a long shot, one hundred to one. Denny said he had a tip that the nag was slated to win next day. He’d been over at the track and claimed he knew all about it. It was the same as picking up the money, and when I got the fifteen hundred I was to give him five hundred for the tip.” “Ed, you’re easy. I thought you knew what Denny is by this time. As for racing, don’t you know that race-tracks are open gambling-places, maintained in defiance of the State Constitution because of a law passed corruptly?” “I know pool-rooms are maintained in defiance of the law, but at the tracks you can bet all you want. I don’t see why----” “I’m not going to argue the matter, Ed. I’m interested in the stock market, not in the race-track. Now, I’ll tell you what I’ll do for you the next time I catch on to a good thing: I’ll put up twenty-five dollars for you in connection with my own venture. That’ll give you a small stake if I win.” “If you do that, Jack, you’re a brick,” said Ed, brightening up. “I’ll do it, all right.” And there the matter dropped for the time being. In spite of the well-meant advice of Oliver Bird and Mr. Bishop, Jack was itching another crack at the market. All the same, it wasn’t his idea to go at the thing blindfolded. He hardly expected to pick up another tip like the last.