ht be giving him a bad
character--for business purposes.

"We're not intending to charter any boat." said Clancy.

"No harm done, anyway," said the red-haired person. "I've given you a
straight tip about Hogan, though, and you can bank on it."

"Much obliged," returned Clancy.

A little later he and Hill got up from the table, settled their bill,
and left the restaurant.

"How about takin' a walk?" Hill asked. "The way that red-headed chap
throwed me into the man I thought was dad, kinder made me feverish."

"All right," agreed the motor wizard cheerfully, "we'll walk. It's
always a good thing to walk a mile or so after you've had your supper."

They strolled down the main street, Clancy doing his best to cheer up
his melancholy companion. Presently they turned a corner and started
along a thoroughfare that was bordered on both sides with eucalyptus
trees. A figure stepped suddenly out of the black shadow of one of the
trees and posted itself in front of Clancy, barring his path.

"Owen Clancy?" the figure asked.

"Yes," Clancy answered, thinking the voice sounded rather familiar.

"Well, I'm back again, and---"

"Burton!" the motor wizard exclaimed.

"Yes, Burton," the other returned. "I've had it rubbed into me by Gerald
Wynn and Bob Katz till I reckon I can't stand it no longer. I'm ready to
help you, now, and this time I mean it."

"What's happened to cause this great change, Burton?" Clancy asked
skeptically.

"Wynn and Katz are trying to beat me out of my share of the fifteen
thousand," was the reply. "If I help you, Clancy, maybe, between us, we
can beat out the pair of them. What do you say?"

CHAPTER IX.

A SPLIT IN THE GANG.

Clancy had no confidence whatever in Burton.

"I'm willing to hear what you've got to say, Burton," he said, "but
whether I believe you or not, is another question."

"You'll believe me, fast enough," was the confident response. "Down the
street, a little way, is a place where we can talk."

They walked down the street to a bench. The bench was in an obscure
place, and the gloom of the eucalyptus trees surrounded it. Here, after
they had seated themselves, Burton began his remarks.

"I've been treated like a dip by Wynn and Katz," said he, "and I'm going
to be square with you, Clancy, just to get even with them. When we
lifted the fifteen thousand, at the time you were shot, we laid a bee
line for Los Angeles. We've been there ever since, up to last Sunday
mor