when I lost my hat in a fight.
There was I bare-headed in the street, and it was Bob to the rescue.
He took me to one side from the push and told me what to do. I was a
bit timid of his advice. I had just come out of jail, where I had been
three days, and I knew that if the police "pinched" me again, I'd get
good and "soaked." On the other hand, I couldn't show the white
feather. I'd been over the hill, I was running full-fledged with the
push, and it was up to me to deliver the goods. So I accepted Bob's
advice, and he came along with me to see that I did it up brown.

We took our position on K Street, on the corner, I think, of Fifth. It
was early in the evening and the street was crowded. Bob studied the
head-gear of every Chinaman that passed. I used to wonder how the
road-kids all managed to wear "five-dollar Stetson stiff-rims," and
now I knew. They got them, the way I was going to get mine, from the
Chinese. I was nervous--there were so many people about; but Bob was
cool as an iceberg. Several times, when I started forward toward a
Chinaman, all nerved and keyed up, Bob dragged me back. He wanted me
to get a good hat, and one that fitted. Now a hat came by that was the
right size but not new; and, after a dozen impossible hats, along
would come one that was new but not the right size. And when one did
come by that was new and the right size, the rim was too large or not
large enough. My, Bob was finicky. I was so wrought up that I'd have
snatched any kind of a head-covering.

At last came the hat, the one hat in Sacramento for me. I knew it was
a winner as soon as I looked at it. I glanced at Bob. He sent a
sweeping look-about for police, then nodded his head. I lifted the hat
from the Chinaman's head and pulled it down on my own. It was a
perfect fit. Then I started. I heard Bob crying out, and I caught a
glimpse of him blocking the irate Mongolian and tripping him up. I ran
on. I turned up the next corner, and around the next. This street was
not so crowded as K, and I walked along in quietude, catching my
breath and congratulating myself upon my hat and my get-away.

And then, suddenly, around the corner at my back, came the bare-headed
Chinaman. With him were a couple more Chinamen, and at their heels
were half a dozen men and boys. I sprinted to the next corner, crossed
the street, and rounded the following corner. I decided that I had
surely played him out, and I dropped into a walk again. But around the