Landry was at him in a second. Twenty voices shouted "sold," and as
many traders sprang towards him with outstretched arms. Landry,
however, was before them, and his rush carried Paterson half way
across the middle space of the Pit.

"Sold, sold."

Paterson nodded, and as Landry noted down the transaction the hand
on the dial advanced again, and again held firm.

But after this the activity of the Pit fell away. The trading
languished. By degrees the tension of the opening was relaxed.
Landry, however, had refrained from selling more than ten
"contracts" to Paterson. He had a feeling that another advance would
come later on. Rapidly he made his plans. He would sell another
fifty thousand bushels if the price went to ninety-four and a half,
and would then "feel" the market, letting go small lots here and
there, to test its strength, then, the instant he felt the market
strong enough, throw a full hundred thousand upon it with a rush
before it had time to break. He could feel--almost at his very
finger tips--how this market moved, how it strengthened, how it
weakened. He knew just when to nurse it, to humor it, to let it
settle, and when to crowd it, when to hustle it, when it would stand
rough handling.

Grossmann still uttered his plaint from time to time, but no one so
much as pretended to listen. The Porteous trio and Leaycraft kept
the price steady at ninety-four and an eighth, but showed no
inclination to force it higher. For a full five minutes not a trade
was recorded. The Pit waited for the Report on the Visible Supply.