go, Spider?"

"I don't think--I know! Your number's up, Geoff--it's you against th'
field, an', bo--they're some field!"

"You think there's real danger, then?" enquired Ravenslee, staring up at
the fly-blown text with shining eyes.

"As real as--death, bo!"

"Not so long ago I regarded Death as my best friend--"

"How much?" demanded the Spider, suspending mastication.

"Nothing, Spider, a mere passing thought."

"Well, I'm tellin' ye they'll get ye sure--it'll be th' water or a
forty-four bullet, or a blackjack or a knife--but you'll get it one way
or another!"

"Sounds cheering!"

"An' it ain't over-pleasant t' be sandbagged."

"No, Spider."

"Nor t' feel a lead pipe wrapped round th' back o' y'r bean."

"No indeed, Spider."

"Nor yet t' feel a stiletta diggin' between y'r shoulders or over y'r
collar bone."

"Worst of all, Spider."

"Well, you'd best pack y'r little trunk an' fade away, bo!" Ravenslee
sat up suddenly and looked at the Spider with eyes very bright and wide.

"Not for all the gangs that ever ganged!" said he softly.

"Eh?" exclaimed the Spider, staring, "what's yer game?"

"I'm going to try to buck this gang clean out of existence."

"You are, eh?"

"I am."

"Bo," sighed the Spider, shaking his head, "you ain't a ordinary
fool--you're a damned fool!"

"And you're going to help me, Spider!"

"Not me, bo, not me--I'm only just an ordinary fool!"

"Well, we'll let it go at that!" said Ravenslee, and lying back, he
yawned again.

"Don't do that, bo, don't do that!" exclaimed the Spider. "I'm thinkin'
what you'll look like after you've been floatin' around in th' river--a
week, say! You'd best get out o' Hell's Kitchen, bo--don't stop to ask
where to, but--go there."

"My Spider," said Ravenslee, shaking his head, "in Hell's Kitchen I
should have to leave all that makes life worth while, so--I shall stay,
of course, and chance the--er--river and things."

"Well, I guess it's your trouble, not mine."

"But I want it to be yours too, Spider. You see, I'm counting on you to
help me smash this gang."

"Bo, it looks like you're goin' t' do a hell of a lot o' countin'--an'
then some more, before you count me in on this fool game. Say"--he
paused to stare at Ravenslee, keen-eyed and with jaws clamped
rigid--"you ain't a fly-cop--one o' these sleuthy gum-shoe men, are ye?"

"No."

"Well, you ain't one o' these fool amateur guys doin' the dare-devil
detective act like you