ked.

"Search me," he said, inhaling deeply; "the guy in charge isn't exactly
a free information bureau. When it comes to peddling the bull con he's
there, but when you try to pry off a few slabs of cold hard fact it's
his Sunday off."

"But," I persisted, "have you no idea?"

"Well, one thing you can bank on, they'll work the Judas out of us. The
gentle grafter nestles in our midst. This here's a cinch game and we are
the fall guys. The contractors are a bum outfit. They'll squeeze us at
every turn. There was two plunks to the employment man; they got half.
Twenty for railway fare; they come in on that. Stop at certain hotels: a
rake-off there. Stage fare: more graft. Five dollars a week for board:
costs them two-fifty, and they will be stomach robbers at that. Then
they'll ring in twice as many men as they need, and lay us off half the
time, so that we just about even up on our board bill. Oh, I'm onto
their curves all right."

"Then," I said, "if you know so much why did you come with us?"

"Well, if I know so much you just bet I know some more. I'll go one
better. You watch my smoke."

He talked on with a wonderful vivid manner and an outpouring knowledge
of life, so that I was hugely interested. Yet ever and anon an allusion
of taste would betray him, and at no time did I fail to see that his
roughness was only a veneer. As it turned out he was better educated by
far than I, a Yale boy taking a post-graduate course in the University
of Hard Luck.

My reserve once thawed, I told him much of my simple life. He listened,
intently sympathetic.

"Say," said he earnestly when I had finished, "I'm rough-and-ready in my
ways. Life to me's a game, sort of masquerade, and I'm the worst
masquerader in the bunch. But I know how to handle myself, and I can
jolly my way along pretty well. Now, you're green, if you'll excuse me
saying it, and maybe I can help you some. Likewise you're the only one
in all the gang of hoboes that's my kind. Come on, let's be partners."

I felt greatly drawn to him and agreed gladly.

"Now," said he, "I must go and jolly along the other boys. Aren't they a
fierce bunch? Coloured gentlemen, Slavonians, Polaks, Dagoes,
Swedes--well, I'll go prospecting, and see what I can strike."

He went among them with a jabber of strange terms, a bright smile and
ready banter, and I could see that he was to be a quick favourite. I
envied him for his ease of manner, a thing I could never compass.
Pres