me again in the morning."

"The stock may go up by morning," interposed the former teacher of Oak
Hall. "It went up day before yesterday, two points. Better bind the
bargain right now."

"No, I'll wait until morning."

"Well, when can I see you, Mr. Fordham?" asked the other, trying to
conceal his disappointment.

"I'll be around about ten o'clock--I don't get up very early."

"Very well, I'll call at that time then," said Job Haskers. "But you
might as well sign for it now," and again he held out the paper and the
pen.

"No, I'll wait until to-morrow morning," answered Mr. Fordham, as he
arose. "It's time I retired now. I--I'm not as strong as I once was."

"I am sorry to hear that. Well, I'll be around in the morning, and I am
sure you will realize that this is a good thing, after you have thought
it over," said Job Haskers, with calm assurance, and then he and the
elderly man left the room. Dave and Roger saw them separate in the main
hall of the hotel, the old gentleman going upstairs, and Job Haskers out
into the storm.

CHAPTER V

A TRAP FOR JOB HASKERS

"What do you think of it, Dave?"

"I think Job Haskers is up to some game, Roger."

"Selling worthless stocks?"

"Yes, or else stocks that are next door to worthless."

"I wonder who the old gentleman can be? He looks as if he might have
money. That diamond ring he wears must be worth several hundred
dollars."

"Supposing we ask Mr. Passmore about him?" suggested Dave.

"That's the idea."

The youths found Mr. Passmore in a protected corner of a side porch,
smoking. Most of the storm was now over, but it still rained.

"Tired of bowling, eh?" said Bert's father, who was a wholesale dealer
in rugs.

"Mr. Passmore, we want to ask you some questions," said Roger. "Do you
know an elderly gentleman here by the name of Fordham?"

"Fordham? Yes, I've met him. Nice man, too, but rather feeble."

"Is he alone here?" asked Dave.

"Practically. He has a son that comes to see him once in a while. Did
you want to see him?"

"We have seen him, and we were wondering if we hadn't better have a talk
with him," explained Dave.

"We'll tell you how it is," put in Roger, who knew Mr. Passmore well.
And then he and Dave related the particulars of what they had seen, and
told something of what Job Haskers was.

"Hum! This might be worth looking into," mused the rug dealer. "Of
course, these stocks may be all right. But it looks rather fishy to