, you will see! In a year's time Puntafar will be at one hundred
over par."

"A hundred!" repeated Csanta, falling back against the wall in his
astonishment. But he soon recovered himself. He was angry with
Spitzhase for treating him as if he were a fool.

"I tell you what you are," he said; "you are a great boaster. Leave
me; I shall get home by myself." And he dismissed Spitzhase angrily.

The next morning his first word was to ask the waiter for the papers.
His eyes eagerly sought the exchange column, and there, just as
Spitzhase had prophesied, silver currency had dropped two per cent.
Bondavara stood at thirty to thirty-two florins, and what is written
is gospel truth.

"Not one shall I sell!" cried Csanta, clapping his hands.

And then he got up and dressed himself. Here was a stroke of luck. It
was like a fairy-tale; a man had only to leave the window open at
night and next morning his pockets are full of gold.

He was swallowing his breakfast when Spitzhase was ushered in, his
face beaming with triumph.

"Now, what did I tell you?" he cried, as he laid down the paper before
Csanta, pointing with his finger to the exchange column.

The old Greek said not a word of having read the good news; he nodded
his head as he answered, with great composure:

"Is it really true? Well, that is satisfactory."

"I rather think so; by the evening they will be up to thirty-two. Oh,
if I had only some money!"

"Well, here is another note for you. Go and buy yourself a share.
There, don't kiss my hand. I cannot allow it." But he did allow it.

"Don't sell the share," he went on; "keep it for yourself. When the
next instalment comes due I will pay it for you. For God's sake, don't
kiss my hand again! I will do more than that for you. If you kiss my
hand every time I shall have no hands left. Remember that I shall
expect you to show your gratitude in a more tangible manner. You must
let me know the first thing if the head of your bank is going to try
any tricks with the bonds. You will be sure to give me the first news
as to when I should sell. Do you understand me? Good! Now that you
have a share yourself you have an interest in the matter, and if we
sell our shares are we not entitled to a commission?"

Spitzhase kissed every finger of the old man's hand.

"I implore one thing of you, master," he said; "don't betray me to
Kaulmann. If he found out that I betrayed his secrets to any one he
would dismiss me on the sp