All right—I’ve just written to Cable; & when he gives me his date I want him to furnish it to you & Gilder also, so you can work the N.Y. end of the enterprise.

Now, as to that Imperial Dictionary: if you are boss off it, & can furnish it to me any cheaper than Osgood can, fire away & do it; but if he can furnish it to me cheapest, just inform him that he has ordered it for me—& you can send the bill to him or me, which you please.

But if you ain’t boss of said Dictionary, consider that I apologize, & take it all back, & never meant any harm in the first place. And as it was a personal friend of yours & mine who told me you were boss of that Dictionary, I will see that he apologizes too. I will also make him eat the Dictionary; if I find I can afford that kind of a meal for him.