There's worse things in life than bein' bright on top. Eh? Think
you'd like to get your fingers in it? Might burny-burn. Well, try it
once, if you like." And I ducks my head so he can reach that wavin'
forelock of mine.

"Googly-goo!" remarks Sonny, indicatin' 'most anything you're a mind to
call it.

Anyway, he seems to be entertained. We was gettin' acquainted fast.
Pretty soon he pulls a smile on me. Say, it's the real thing in the
smile line, too--confidential and chummy. I has to smile back.

"That's the trick, Buster!" says I. "Friendly face motions is what wins."

"Goo-oogly-goo!" says he.

"True words!" says I. "I believe you."

We must have kept that up for near half an hour, until he shows signs of
gettin' sleepy. Just before he drops off, though, he was wavin' one of
his hands around, and the first thing I know them soft little pink
fingers has circled about my thumb.

Say, that turned the trick--just that. Ever had a baby grip you that
way? Your own, I mean? If you have, I expect you'll know what I'm
drivin' at. And if you ain't--well, you got something comin' to you.
It's a thing I couldn't tell you about. It's a gentle sort of thrill,
that spreads and spreads until it gets 'way inside of you--under your
vest, on the left side.

When Vee finally comes in to see how we're gettin' along, he's snoozin'
calm and peaceful, with a sketchy smile kind of flickerin' on and off
that rosebud mouth of his, like he was indulgin' in pleasant dreams.
Also, them little pink fingers was still wrapped around my thumb.

"Well, if you aren't a picture, you two!" says Vee, bendin' over and
whisperin' in my ear.

"This ain't a pose," says I. "It's the real thing."

"You mean----" begins Vee.

"I mean I've qualified," says I. "Maybe I didn't show up so strong
durin' the initiation, but I squeaked through. I'm a reg'lar daddy now.
See! He's givin' me the inside brother grip--on my thumb. You can call
Auntie in, if you like."

CHAPTER XVII

A LOW TACKLE BY TORCHY

What I like about livin' out in the forty-minute-if-you're-lucky sector
is that, once you get here, it's so nice and quiet. You don't have to
worry, when you turn in at night, about manhole covers bein' blown
through your front windows, or whether the basement floor will drop into
the subway, or if some gun gang is going to use your street for a
shootin' gallery. All you do is douse the lights and feel sure nothin's
going to happen until break