Chapter LI

They had not gone far until Gud was arrested. His thumb print was taken and he was cast into jail. As he did not know how to change his thumb print, he wished to know why he had been arrested, in order to judge whether it would be honorable to escape. So he inquired of one of his fellow prisoners. And the prisoner listened to Gud's story and made answer: "You have been arrested because you drove a high-powered chariot without being possessed of a large amount of money. The catalog of crime which such a combination engenders is tedious and fulsome."

"But what is the remedy?" asked Gud, for he did not like to remain a criminal.

"Money," replied the prisoner, "you should make money. If we could get out of this place I would show you how, for I am by trade a money-maker."

"Very well," said Gud, and he commanded the walls of the jail to fall down, and he and the money-maker walked out over the fallen walls and proceeded to the money-maker's den.

But Gud soon tired of the tedious process of copper engraving; and going out for a stroll about the town he came upon the booth of a fortune-teller.

"I wish you would tell me a fortune," said Gud, "for I am badly in need of one."

"But for that I charge money," said the fortune-teller.

"Why?" asked Gud.

"Because, I know what is going to happen."

"So do I," said Gud.

"Liar!" cried the fortune-teller. "If you knew what was going to happen, and had any insight whatsoever into future events, you would not be standing idly here, for you would be in the Street."

"Thanks for the suggestion," replied Gud, "I will go there immediately."

When Gud reached the Street he found many bulls there and bears and lambs, and men who were busy watering their stock. And Gud found there also a private secretary who was watching the tape. And Gud said: "Why do you watch the tape with eager eyes?"

And she answered and said to Gud: "Because I wish to know what figures are on the tape as quickly as any one else."

"And how would you like to know more quickly?"

"Indeed," she cried, "if one could, he would soon own the earth."

"It is easy," said Gud. "All you have to do is to read these figures before they appear instead of afterwards."

"Can you do that?"

"Why certainly! It is easy to read the future, if you know how."

And so Gud showed her how to read the future, and she showed Gud how to cash in on the readings, and presently they owned the earth.