.
What I want is money."

"Oh, well, Tip, I'm sorry for you and your troubles. Here's a
dollar for you. I wish I could make it more."

Fred Ripley drew out the greenback, passing it over. Tip took
the money, studying it curiously.

"Ye're sorry just a dollar's worth---is that it? Well, old pal,
ye'll have to be more sorry'n that. I'll let ye off fer ten dollars,
but hand it over quick!"

Fred's first impulse was to get angry, but it didn't take him
more than an instant to realize that it would be better to keep
this fellow quiet.

"I haven't ten dollars, Tip---on my honor," he protested, hesitatingly.

"On yer---what?" questioned Scammon, with utter scorn.

"I haven't ten dollars."

"How much have ye?"

There was something in Tip's ugly eyes that scared the boy. Fred
went quickly through his pockets, producing, finally, six dollars
and a half.

"I'll give you six of this, Tip," proposed Fred, rather miserably.

"Ye'll give me _all_ of it, ye mean," responded Scammon. "And ye'll
meet me to-morrow aft'noon with five more---something for interest,
ye know."

"But I won't have five dollars again, as soon as that," argued
Fred, weakly.

"Yes, you will," leered Tip. "You'll have to!"

"What do you mean?" demanded Fred, trying to bluster, but making
a failure of the attempt.

"It'll take five more to give me lock-jaw," declared Scammon.
"I'm jest out of prison, and I mean to enjoy myself restin' a
few days before I settle down to a job again. So, to-morrow,
turn up with the five!"

"I don't know where to get the money."

"Find out, then," sneered the other. "I don't care where you
get it, but you've got to get it and hand it over to me to-morrow,
or it'll be too late, an' Gridley'll be too hot a place for 'ye!"

"I'll try," agreed Ripley, weakly.

"Ye'll do more'n try, 'cause if ye fail me ye'll have no further
show," declared Tip, with emphasis.

"See, here, Scammon, if I can find another five---somehow---that'll
be the last of this business? You won't expect to get any more
money out of me?"

"The five that you're goin' to bring me tomorrow will be in full
payment."

"Of all possible claims to date?" Fred insisted.

"Yes, in full---to date," agreed Scammon, grinning as though he
were enjoying himself.

"And there'll never be any further demands?" questioned Fred.

"Never again!" Scammon asserted, with emphasis.

"You promise that, solemnly?"

"On my honor," promised the jai