21.   After considerable thought and several interviews at other online companies, Abrahamson boomeranged back to Cooley Godward.

22.   After the dust settled, these hardy online companies remained on the field.

23.   But few expected that the chief executive of an online trading company would be the one to generate one of the biggest margin calls ever.

24.   But he said that BarnesandNoble.com had managed to survive while hundreds of other online companies did not, and that all their stocks had plummeted.

25.   But it also required maintaining financial sobriety while other online companies threw lavish parties featuring popular rock bands and limitless sushi.

26.   But some brokers already are worried that the online companies are cutting into their commissions.

27.   But online companies can carry the idea a step further.

28.   But the online companies seem to have gained a bigger slice of the smaller travel pie.

29.   But the way the online companies package and sell those products and services, MusicNet officials said, is essentially up to them.

30.   Cramer also is taking a more active management role at the troubled online publishing company, of which he is the largest shareholder.