Paul Choy knew that among his father's cash and assets transferred from the Ho…Pak to the Victoria had been many stock certificates and a list of securities held by various stockbrokers。 One was for 150；000 Struan shares。 Jesus； he thought； if I'm right the old man might get dumped。 If Gornt presses the raid the old man could get caught。
〃Good idea； Ishwar。 I'll call you back！〃 At once he had phoned his father but he could not reach him。 He left messages wherever he could and began to wait。 His anxiety grew。 Just before ten he heard Gornt's secretary answer the phone。 〃Yes？ 。。。 Oh； one moment please。 。。。 Mr。 Gornt？ A person…to…person call from Zurich。 。。。 You're through。〃
Once more he had tried to reach his father； wanting to give him the urgent news。 Then Gornt had sent for him。 〃Mr。 Choy； would you please run this over to my solicitor at once。〃 He handed over a sealed envelope。 〃Give it to him personally。〃
〃Yes sir。〃
So he had left the office。 At every phone he had stopped and tried to reach his father。 Then he had delivered the note； personally； watching the solicitor's face carefully。 He saw glee。 〃Is there a reply； sir？〃 he asked politely。
〃Just say everything will be done as ordered。〃 It was a few minutes past ten。
Outside the office door and going down in the elevator Paul Choy had weighed the pluses and the minuses。 His stomach twisting uneasily； he stopped at the nearest phone。 〃Ishwar？ Say； I've an urgent order from my uncle。 He wants to sell his Struan stock。 150；000 shares。〃
〃Ah； wise wise； there are terrible rumors speeding around。〃
〃I suggested you and Soorjani's should do it for him。 150；000 shares。 He asks can you do it instantly？ Can you do that？〃
〃Like a bird on the wing。 For the Esteemed Four Fingers we will go forth like Rothschilds！ Where are the shares？〃
〃In the vault。〃
〃I will need his chop at once。〃
〃I'm going to get it now but he said to sell at once。 He said to sell in small blocks so as not to shock the market。 He wants the very best price。 You'll sell at once？〃
〃Yes； never fear； at once。 And we will get the best price！〃
〃Good。 And most important； he said to keep this secret。〃
〃Verily； Young Master； you may trust us implicitly。 And the stock that you yourself wished to sell short？〃
〃Oh that 。。。 well that'll have to wait 。。。 until I've credit heya？〃
〃Wise very wise。〃
Paul Choy shivered。 His heart was pounding now in the silence and he watched his father's cigarette； not the angry face； knowing those cold black eyes were boring into him； deciding his fate。 He remembered how he had almost shouted with excitement when the stock had begun to fall almost immediately； monitoring it moment by moment； then ordering Soorjani to buy back in just before close and feeling light…headed and in euphoria。 At once he had phoned his girl； spending nearly 30 of his valuable U。S。 dollars telling her how fantastic his day had been and how much he missed her。 She said how much she missed him too and when was he ing back to Honolulu？ Her name was Mika Kasunari and she was sansei； third…generation American of Japanese descent。 Her parents hated him because he was Chinese； as he knew his father would hate her because she was Japanese except they were both American； both of them； and they had met and fallen in love at school。
〃Very soon； honey；〃 he had promised her ecstatically； '〃guaranteed by Christmas！ After today my uncle'll surely give me a bonus。 。。。〃
The work that Gornt gave him for the rest of the day he breezed through。 Late in the afternoon Goodweather Poon had phoned to say his father would see him in Aberdeen at 7：30 P。M。 Before he went there he had collected Soorjani's check made out to his father。 615；000 HK less brokerage。
Elated； he had e to Aberdeen and given him the check； and when he told him what he had done he was aghast at the extent of his father's rage。 The tirade had been interrupted by Phillip Chen's phone call。
〃I'm deeply sorry I've offended you； Hon… 〃
〃So my chop is yours； my wealth is yours heya？〃 Four Finger Wu shouted suddenly。
〃No； Honored Father；〃 he gasped； 〃but the information was so good and I wanted to protect your stock as well as make money for you。〃
〃But not for you heya？〃
〃No； Honored Father。 It was for you。 To make you money； and help repay all the money you invested in me 。。。 they were your shares and it's your money。 I tried to ca… 〃
〃That's no fornicating excuse！ You e with me！〃
Shakily Paul Choy got up and followed the old man onto the deck。 Four Finger Wu cursed his bodyguard away and pointed a stubby finger at the befouled muddy waters in the harbor。 〃If you weren't my son；〃 he hissed； 〃if you weren't my son you'd be feeding the fish there； your feet in a chain； this very moment。〃
〃Yes； Father。〃
〃If you ever again use my name； my chop； my anything without my approval you're a dead man。〃
〃Yes； Father；〃 Paul Choy muttered； petrified； realizing that his father had the means； the will and the authority to put that threat into effect without fear of retaliation。 〃Sorry； Father。 I swear I'll never do that again。〃
〃Good。 If you'd lost one bronze cash you'd be there now。 It's only because you fornicating won that you're alive now。〃
〃Yes； Father。〃
Four Finger Wu glared at his son and continued to hide his delight at the huge windfall。 615；000 HK less a few dollars。 Unbelievable！ All with a few phone calls and inside knowledge； he was thinking。 That's as miraculous as having ten tons of opium leap ashore over the heads of the Customs boat！ The boy's paid for his education twenty times over and he's here hardly three weeks。 How clever 。。。 but also how dangerous！
He shivered at the thought of other minions making decisions themselves。 Dew neh loh moh then I would be in their power and surely in jail for their mistakes and not my own。 And yet； he told himself helplessly； this is the way barbarians act in business。 Number Seven Son is trained as a barbarian。 All gods bear witness； I did not wish to create a viper！
He looked at his son； not understanding him； hating his direct way of speaking； the barbarian way and not in innuendo and obliquely like a civilized person。
And yet 。。。 and yet better than 600；000 HK in one day。 If I had talked to him beforehand I would never have agreed and I would have lost all that profit！ Ayeeyah！ Yes； my stock would be down all that fortune in one day 。。。 oh oh oh！
He groped for a box and sat down； his heart thumping at that awful thought。
His eyes were watching his son。 What to do about him？ he asked himself。 He could feel the weight of the check in his pocket。 It seemed unbelievable that his son could make that amount of money for him in a few hours； without moving the stock from its hiding place。
〃Explain to me why that black…faced foreign devil with the foul name owes me so much money！〃
Paul Choy explained the mechanics patiently； desperate to please。
The old man thought about that。 〃Then tomorrow I should do the same and make the same？〃
〃No； Honored Father。 You take your gains and keep them。 Today was almost a certainty。 It was a sudden attack； a raid。 We do not know how the Noble House will react tomorrow； or if Gornt really intends to continue the raid。 He can buy back in and be way ahead too。 It would be dangerous to follow Gornt tomorrow； very dangerous。〃
Four Finger Wu threw his cigarette away。 〃Then what should I do tomorrow？〃
〃Wait。 The foreign devil market's nervous and in the hands of foreign devils。 I counsel you to wait and see what happens with the Ho…Pak and the Victoria。 May I use your name to ask the foreign devil Gornt about the Ho…Pak？〃
〃What？〃
Patiently Paul Choy refreshed his father's memory about the bank run and possible stock manipulation。
〃Ah； yes； I understand；〃 the old man said loftily。 Paul Choy said nothing； knowing he did not。 〃Then we 。。。 then I just wait？〃
〃Yes； Honored Father。〃
Four Fingers pulled out the check distastefully。 〃And this fornicating piece of paper？ What about this？〃
〃Convert it into gold； Honored Father。 The price hardly varies at all。 I could talk to Ishwar Soorjani； if you wish。 He deals in foreign exchange。〃
〃And where would I keep the gold？〃 It was one thing