But when Gretry had put the balls in the triangle, the two men did not begin to play at once. Jadwin had asked the question that had been uppermost in the minds of each during dinner.

“Well, Sam,” he had said, by way of a beginning, “what do you think of this Government report?”

The broker chalked his cue placidly.

“I expect there’ll be a bit of reaction on the strength of it, but the market will go off again. I said wheat would go to sixty, and I still say it. It’s a long time between now and May.”

“I wasn’t thinking of crop conditions only,” observed Jadwin. “Sam, we’re going to have better times and higher prices this summer.”

Gretry shook his head and entered into a long argument to show that Jadwin was wrong.

But Jadwin refused to be convinced. All at once he laid the flat of his hand upon the table.