Page:The Plutocrat (1927).pdf/108

 "Is that so?" Tinker said. "Well, New York certainly is a big town! Stone, Tinsdale and Company handle a lot of business, and the figures for what the Illinois alone did through them last year would surprise you. I'm president of the Illinois is how I happen to know. I was telling Mr. Weatheright about those figures last night, and he was surprised. You met Mr. Weatheright yet?"

"No. I don't know him."

"I'll be glad to introduce you," said Tinker cordially. "He's a mighty interesting man—plain, too. You'd never know he was a big man from him. No airs or putting on at all; just as simple and ordinary as you or me. There's a number of other well-known men on this boat, too, Mr. Ogle; though I don't s'pose I need to be tellin' you that, because of course you know it yourself from the passenger list. What I like about a steamship, it's just the same as a railroad train—you get acquainted with everybody and everybody's friendly and easy-goin'. I've had conversations with as many as a hundred people, I expect, these three days since we came on board. My wife and daughter, though, they've been under the weather. This is the first meal they been able to take in the dining-room." He looked solicitously at