"Why didn't I close up yesterday--yesterday I could have made--" He closed his eyes, dizzy with the thought of what he could have netted yesterday. He said to himself that he would wind up everything in the morning. And there would still be a profit, there was still time ... knowing in his heart that disaster had already laid its clutching hand upon his arm. The city was quiet with an unearthly, brooding quiet as he reached the Court, where one light still shone in the window of a returned reveler. Marsh and DeLancy came hurriedly out at the sound of his entrance. "What's wrong?" he cried at the sight of Fred's drawn face. "Everything. The city's full of it," said Marsh. "It leaked out this afternoon, or rather the Gunther crowd let it leak out. Pittsburgh & New Orleans will declare an additional quarterly dividend to-morrow." "It's the end of us," said Fred. "The stock will go kiting up." "We've got to cover," said Bojo. "In a crazy market? If we can!" "It may not be true." "I've got it as direct as I could get it," said Marsh, shaking his head. "Suppose there is a corner and we have to settle around 100 or 150?" said DeLancy, staring nervously away. There was no need for Bojo to ask how deeply involved they were. He knew. "Some one's been buying large blocks of it. That's known," said Marsh, calmer than the rest. "Ten to one it's Gunther's crowd. They had the advance information. Ten to one they've laid the trap and sprung a corner." "No, nonsense! It's not as bad as that. If they're putting out an extra dividend, the stock's going to jump up--for a while. That's all. And then some one else may have a card up his sleeve," said Bojo, fighting against conviction. "Call up Drake," said Fred. Bojo hesitated. The situation called for any measure. He went to the telephone, after long minutes getting a response. Mr. Drake was out of town on a hunting trip; was not expected back until the following night. There remained Drake's agent Skelly, but a quick search of the book revealed no home telephone. "Can you put up more margin?" asked Bojo. DeLancy shook his head. "I can, but it may be better to take the loss," said Marsh. "We'll have to wait and see. Quick work to-morrow! By the way, there's a call for you from Forshay to be at the office by eight o'clock to-morrow. Well, let's get a few winks of sleep if we can. Luck of the game!" "I'm sorry," said Bojo desperately. "Shut up. We're over age," said Marsh, thumping him on the back, but DeLancy went to his room, staring. The moment he was gone Marsh turned to Bojo. "Look here, whatever we do we've got to save Fred. You and I can stand a mauling. Fred's caught." "If we can," said Bojo, without letting him know how serious the situation was for him. "How deep in is he?" "Close to 2,000 shares." "Good heavens, where did he get the money?" Marsh looked serious, shook his head, and made no further reply.