e said, in a conciliating tone. "But I had a little business
wid Mag, an' I was kind of interested in whether she was entertainin'
company or not--see? I didn't know youse an' Mag was workin' together."

"Mabbe," observed Jimmie Dale, as ungraciously as before, "mabbe dere's
some more t'ings youse don't know!"

"Aw, cough up de grouch!" advised the Magpie, with a hint of impatience
creeping into his voice. "Youse don't need to be sore all night! I told
youse I wasn't tryin' to hand youse one, didn't I?"

"Never mind Larry, Slimmy," put in the Tocsin petulantly. "He's down on
his luck, dat's all. He ain't had de price of a pinch of coke fer two
days."

"Oho!" exclaimed the Magpie, grinning again. "So dat's wot's givin'
youse de pip, eh, Larry? Well, den, say, youse can take it from me dat
mabbe youse'll be glad I blew around. I was lookin' fer a guy about
yer size fer a little job to-night, an' I was t'inkin' of lettin' Young
Dutchy in on it, but seem' youse are here an' in wid Mag, an' dat I got
to get Mag in, too, youse are on if youse say de word."

"Wot's de lay?" inquired Larry the Bat, unbending a little.

The Magpie cocked his eye, and stuck his tongue in his cheek.

"GOOD-night!" he said tersely. "Nothin' like dat! Are youse on, or ain't
youse?"

"Well, den, wot's in it fer me?" persisted Larrry the Bat.

"More'n de price of a coke sneeze!" returned the Magpie pertinently.
"Dere's a century note fer youse, an' mabbe two or t'ree of dem fer
Mag."

Larry the Bat's eyes gleamed avariciously.

"Aw, quit yer kiddin'!" he said gruffly. "A century note--fer me!"

"Dat's wot I said! Youse heard me!" rejoined the Magpie shortly. "Only
if it listens good to youse now, I don't want no squealin' after the
divvy. I'm takin' de chances, youse has de soft end of it. One century
note fer youse--an' de rest is none of yer business! Dat's puttin' it
straight, ain't it? Well, wot do youse say, an' say it quick--'cause if
youse ain't comin' in, youse can beat it out of here so's I can talk to
Mag."

"Dere ain't nothin' I wouldn't take a chance on fer a hundred plunks!"
declared Larry the Bat, with sudden fervency--and stared, anxiously
expectant, at the Magpie. "Sure, I'm on Slimmy! Sure, I am! Cut it
loose! Spill de story!"

"Well, den," said the Magpie, "I wants--"

"Youse ain't through yet!" interrupted the Tocsin tartly. "I ain't heard
youse askin' me nothin'! I ain't on me uppers like Larry, an' mabbe de
pric