How do you suppose I bought the James L.Moody for two hundred and fifty, her boats alone worth four times the money?
Because my name stood first in the list.

Well it stands there again; I have the naming of the figure, and I name a small one because of the distance: but it wouldn't matter what I named; that would be the price." "It sounds mysterious enough," said I."Is this public auction conducted in a subterranean vault?
Could a plain citizen--myself, for instance--come and see ?" "O, everything's open and above board!" he cried indignantly.

"Anybody can come, only nobody bids against us; and if he did, he would get frozen out.

It's been tried before now, and once was enough.

We hold the plant; we've got the connection; we can afford to go higher than any outsider; there's two million dollars in the ring; and we stick at nothing.