, it isn't a very cheerful thing, and my cousin was
just about as cheerful as it was. He'd stand there and listen, and wipe
and listen, and not say anything, while the fellow'd talk and talk and
look at that towel that hadn't been washed since the shop opened. Then
he'd look at my cousin and say some of the things over again in a
discouraged sort of a way, and commence to miss connection and slip
cogs, and pretty soon he'd sneak off, and my cousin would give one more
wipe on the paleozoic towel, and then walk back and say a few things to
the press-boys that would knock chunks out of the imposing-stone. Now,
what I want to know is if we can go to that fellow with his sleeves
rolled up and get the second round of the first issue or the first round
of any old issue without the money down."

Van Dorn's remarks slackened the tension somewhat, and after
considerable banter all around, Perner explained that they would only
want accommodation on a hundred thousand copies or so of the first round
of the first issue for a few days until subscriptions began to flow in.
Frisby, he reminded them, had found no difficulty in getting a million
copies without a dollar, and Perner felt sure that, with the present
competition, almost any of the big printing-houses would hug their
knees, as Barry had put it, to get the work. There would be some small
bills for stationery and composition right at the start, perhaps some
for the engraving. These they would discount and settle on presentation.

"We'll have to pay our advertising man's salary, too," he said, "and
with this scheme we want to get a good, energetic man and start him out
soliciting at the earliest possible moment. He can get enough contracts
on the basis of even a million circulation to pay for all the rounds of
the first issue, and we can use those contracts as a basis of credit,
too, if we have to."

This remark created a visible sensation and a fresh regard for Perner's
business experience and energy, which was gradually becoming the
backbone of the whole enterprise. Barrifield meantime had pulled himself
together and was smoking with his usual deliberation.

"Boys," he said, "we've got the biggest thing on earth. We could win
either way, hands down--either with premiums or cash for names. But we
want to be certain--certain! We don't want any possibility of failure.
And to make assurance doubly sure, I am in favor of using both."

This made something of a sensation. Perner