He set down his basket in front, and, taking one of the
packages in his hand, called out in a businesslike manner, as on
the day before, "Here's your prize packages! Only five cents!
Money prize in every package! Walk up, gentlemen, and try your
luck!"
He met with a fair degree of success at first, managing in the
course of an hour to sell ten packages. All the prizes drawn
were small, with the exception of one ten-cent prize, which was
drawn by a little bootblack, who exclaimed:
"That's the way to do business, Johnny. If you've got any more
of them ten-cent prizes, I'll give you ten cents a piece for the
lot."
"Better buy some more and see," said Paul.
"That don't go down," said the other. "Maybe there'd be only a
penny."
Nevertheless, the effect of this large prize was to influence the
sale of three other packages; but as neither of these contained
more than two-cent prizes, trade began to grow dull, and for ten
minutes all Paul's eloquent appeals to gentlemen to walk up and
try their luck produced no effect.
At this point Paul found that there was a rival in the field.
Teddy O'Brien, who had applied for a partnership the day before,
came up with a basket similar to his own, apparently filled with
similar packages.
Pages:
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37