If these rumours of an alleged discovery turned out to be entirely unfounded, of course the value of the stones which we held would go up once more, and we might very well sell out for double or treble the sum that we invested.

Don't you see the sequence of events ?" "There seems to me to be rather too much of the 'suppose' in it," remarked Ezra.

"How do we know that such rumours will get about; and if they do, how do we know that they will prove to be unfounded ?" "How are we to know ?" the merchant cried, wriggling his long lank body with amusement.

"Why, my lad, if we spread the rumours ourselves we shall have pretty good reason to believe that they are unfounded.
Eh, Ezra?
Ha! ha! You see there are some brains in the old man yet." Ezra looked at his father in considerable surprise and some admiration.
"Why, damn it!" he exclaimed, "it's dishonest.

I'm not sure that it's not actionable." "Dishonest! Pooh!" The merchant snapped his fingers.