Chapter 14
CHAPTER XIV. BACK TO RIVERMOUTH One of the rungs of the chair had cut a nasty gash above Ben's ear, from which the blood streamed freely, but the boy didn't feel the wound and the excitement. He jumped to his feet and sprang upon the broker, who still held the back of the chair in his hands, and pulled the big man backward on the floor.
The broker recovered himself and tackled the lad viciously. Over and over they rolled upon the floor of the exchange, and a crowd of spectators and other brokers rushed up to separate them. While the struggle was in progress, an eyewitness helped Nathan Kibosh to his feet, and explained the attack made upon him, and how he had escaped by the boy's intervention.
Until Ben and the belligerent broker were pulled apart and rose to their feet with all the evidence of a lusty scrap upon them, Mr. Kibosh was unaware that it was Ben, his own employee, who had saved him from perhaps a fatal knockout. As none of the principals in the affair had been seriously injured, the troubles patched up after a fashion by members of the exchange. The combatants were brushed off, and then Mr. Kibosh took Ben into a neighboring drugstore to have his head fixed up.
I shan't forget your interference on my behalf, said the grain broker with some feeling to his messenger. "'Brown might have brained me if it hadn't been for your presence of mind and activity. As it is, it's a wonder we got off so well. That man is an athlete. Ordinarily he's a good enough fellow, but he's a nasty customer when he's out of sorts. I shouldn't care to tackle him every day,' smiled Ben as they walked up Broad Street toward the office.
"'I'm afraid there wouldn't be much left of you if he got a good whack at you.' "'I'm not anxious to test him again,' admitted Ben. "'It was cowardly in him to take that chair to an old gentleman like you. "'In fact, a man of his strength has no right to resorting to anything outside of his fists.' "'You're a good, nervy boy, Ben.
"'It was a fortunate day for me I made your acquaintance. "'The trouble with Brown was he was long on a falling market, "'and he lays the blame of the break-in-July futures to me. He's lost a good deal of money, so I suppose I ought to excuse this exhibition of temper. At any rate, he ought to thank you for saving him from the commission of a serious crime.
Oh, he's welcome. I'm satisfied as long as I pulled you out of the trouble with the whole skin. That was the end of the affair, which fortunately did not get into the newspapers. When Ben got his salary envelope, on the ensuing Saturday he found his pay had been raised to $18. When he thanked Mr. Cabosh for the raise, the broker told him he was well worth the additional money.
On the following Monday, Nathan Cabosh further testified his gratitude for the boy's brave act by presenting him with a fine gold watch and chain, the former appropriately engraved. Things seem to be coming my way with a rush, murmured Ben after he left the private office with his present in his vest pocket. Kansas Central is now up to $76,000, which makes me $44,000 a head. I wonder if I dare hold on for an even $50,000.
Why not? This stock won't go down again in a hurry, now that the gold people are going to run it? Ben met Tom as usual that afternoon. Willard Brown nowadays worked an hour more later than the two boys, so they didn't enjoy as much of his company as they formerly did.
I sold out of my KC today, were the first words Ben had from his chum. I cleaned up $750 above all expenses. That was a dandy tip you gave me and I'm going to make it up to you someday. Don't you worry about that, Tom. How about your little block of KC?
When are you going to realize? I don't know. Probably not before it reaches 82 or 83. I wouldn't take any such chance as that. It might tumble at any minute.
I don't believe it will. If I were you on cash-in, said Tom earnestly, well, think about it. Hello, where'd you get the watch-chain? Have you been investing in a turn-up? No, the boss made me a present of this, and he pulled out the fine gold chronometer. Phew, that's a peach! Must have cost $150.
How came he to get such a liberal turn-on? I did him a small favor, upon which Ben narrated the scrap with Broker Brown at the produce exchange. Well, you weren't that watch, all right. It's lucky you didn't get a broken head yourself.
I got a gentle reminder of one, which is enough for me. And Ben showed Tom the strip of sticking plaster which decorated his head just above his left ear. If your mother heard about you being in such a mix-up, she'd have a fit.
I guess she would, but she isn't likely to hear. It'll be all healed up by the time I get my vacation. Ben watched Kansas Central with a careful eye for the rest of the week, and he finally concluded to dispose of his stock. He gave the order to his broker to that effect on the succeeding Monday,
and on the following morning he was made happy by a check for $49,200, which of course included the $3,200 margin he had put up as security. This amount plus the $800 still to his credit in the bank gave him around $50,000 capital. That was a pretty good showing for a country boy not six months yet in New York. Even Tom Sanders himself, whose passbook at the Seaman's Bank showed a balance of about $800,
had reason to congratulate himself on his luck. The month of July passed away, and the 1st of August was at hand. Business had grown slack in Wall Street and its neighborhood, and both Ben and Tom had a good bit of time at their disposal. Saturdays after twelve they were at Liberty,
and having joined a baseball team they put in that afternoon at a field on the outskirts of Manhattan Borough with the rest of the nine. They had become quite expert at the game, and found much pleasure as well as benefit from the healthful exercise. One day during the first week in August Nathan Kibosh called Ben into his private office.
I suppose you've been looking forward to a short vacation when you could go back to Rivermouth and visit your mother? Yes, sir. Well, you can take the next two weeks. Thank you, sir. On Saturday the cashier will pay you three weeks' salary. I shall expect you to report at the office on the 22nd.
I very much obliged to you, sir. I hope you have found my work satisfactory since I came here. Quite so. I have no fault whatever to find with you. As soon as an opportunity presents itself, I shall promote you to the counting room, as your talents are far above the requirements of a messenger. Of course, Tom expected to return to Rivermouth at the same time Ben did,
so when Ben told him he was going home on the following Saturday afternoon, Tom lost no time in striking his employers for his vacation. He got it all right, and the next Saturday afternoon saw them both on board a New York Central train en route for Rivermouth. End of chapter 14
