But the advance brought out no profit-taking sales. The redoubtable Leaycraft and the Porteous trio, Fairchild, Paterson, and Goodlock, shook their heads when the Pit offered ninety-four for parts of their holdings. The price held firm. Goodlock even began to offer ninety-four. At every suspicion of a flurry Grossmann, always with the same gesture as though hurling a javelin, always with the same lamentable wail of distress, cried out:

“Sell twenty-five May at ninety-five and a fourth.”

He held his five fingers spread to indicate the number of “contracts,” or lots of five thousand bushels, which he wished to sell, each finger representing one contract.

And it was at this moment that selling orders began suddenly to pour in upon the Gretry-Converse traders. Even other houses⁠—Teller and West, Burbank & Co. , Mattieson and Knight⁠—received their share. The movement was inexplicable, puzzling. With a powerful Bull clique dominating the trading and every prospect of a strong market, who was it who ventured to sell short?