“When you get the public appetite sharpened, you begin to put out your stock on the curb in a small way. You must have real nice engraved certificates; none of your filled-in stuff. Of course the wise guys know there is nothing behind it but hot air, but some of them will take a chance on it. They always do. Hundred dollar shares will sell for four or five or six on the curb. That’s enough when you can issue all you want. It’ll pay expenses. You hire a nice office—nothing showy; and engage a polite old geezer with white hair to take in the visitors’ cards. And so on. Then I’ll have Amasa Gore approached. . . .” “Do you think for a moment you’re going to sting _him_?” said Harry. “Nothing like it! He’ll be invited to share in the profits! . . . Suppose the stock is selling on the curb at six, see? He’ll be offered a thousand shares out of the treasury, or as much as he wants, at three, see? Then it will be announced that Amasa Gore is taking an active interest in Manhattan Cab, and will be elected as vice-president at the next directors’ meeting. The stock will jump to ten or twelve then, and he’ll sell out on the q.t. You know he does that all the time. He told me so himself.” “And when it becomes known that he has sold?” said Harry. “Oh, anybody that wants, can have Manhattan Cab then,” said Joe with a grin. “I’ll be short on the stock, myself.” “Where will you get yours?” asked Harry. “After the company’s incorporated, I’ll have a set of directors of course. I’ll have them vote me a thousand shares out of the treasury stock for my services in promoting the company. Then I mean to put some real money into it, too. When the stock is first put out on the curb, I’ll be the buyer, see? To create a market. I’ll get it cheap. I’ll have two or three thousand shares when the time comes to sell.” “It listens good,” said Harry. “Oh, I’ve only given you the rough outlines. I’ve got the details all planned out.” “But you’re not nineteen yet,” objected Harry. “Your face is too smooth. You couldn’t command attention.” “Lord! what do you think I am!” said Joe. “I’m not going to appear in this personally. It would queer me, after. This isn’t going to be my last deal on the street. I’ll get fellows to act for me. You don’t think I’d undertake to sell Amasa Gore any stock, do you? He don’t look on me in that light. And you know how sore it makes him when anybody disarranges his ideas. . . . No, I want you to put me onto somebody who will take on the promotion of the company, after I’ve got my thousand shares. I want a young fellow with plenty of vim and go; enthusiastic, but not _too_ smart. What they call idealistic, see? It’ll be my job to fire up his steam. A fellow with a name that is known in the street, if possible.” “There is Silas Moore Bristed,” suggested Harry. “That’s a good-sounding name. I’ve heard it before.”