a place IS this, Barzilla?' whispers Jonadab,
scared.

"'Sh-h-h!' says I. 'Land knows. Just set quiet and hang on to your
watch.'

"'But--but I want to find Kelly,' says he.

"'I'd give somethin' to find a back door,' says I. 'Ain't this a
collection of dock rats though! If this is a part of your dream,
Jonadab, I wish you'd turn over and wake up. Oh land! here's one
murderer headin' this way. Keep your change in your fist and keep the
fist shut.'

"A more'n average rusty peep, with a rubber collar on and no necktie,
comes slinkin' over to us. He had a smile like a crack in a plate.

"'Say, gents,' he says, 'have you made your bets yet? I've got a dead
straight line on the handicap,' says he, 'and I'll put you next for a
one spot. It's a sure t'ing at fifteen to three. What do you say?'

"I didn't say nuthin'; but that fool dream was rattlin' round in
Jonadab's skull like a bean in a blowgun, and he sees a chance for a
shot.

"'See here, mister,' he says. 'Can you tell me where to locate Mr.
Kelly?'

"'Who--Pete?' says the feller. 'Oh, he ain't in just now. But about that
handicap. I like the looks of youse and I'll let youse in for a dollar.
Or, seein' it's you, we'll say a half. Only fifty cents. I wouldn't do
better for my own old man,' he says.

"While the Cap'n was tryin' to unravel one end of this gibberish I spoke
up prompt.

"'Say,' says I, 'tell me this, will you? Is the Kelly who owns
this--this palace, named Jimmie--James, I mean?'

"'Naw,' says he. 'Sure he ain't. It's Pete Kelly, of course--Silver
Pete. But what are you givin' us? Are you bettin' on the race, or ain't
you?'

"Well, Jonadab understood that. He bristled up like a brindled cat.
If there's any one thing the Cap'n is down on, it's gamblin' and
such--always exceptin' when he knows he's won already. You've seen that
kind, maybe.

"'Young feller,' he says, perkish, 'I want you to know that me and my
friend ain't the bettin' kind. What sort of a hole IS this, anyway?'

"The rubber collared critter backed off, lookin' worried. He goes acrost
the room, and I see him talkin' to two or three other thieves as tough
as himself. And they commenced to stare at us and scowl.

"'Come on,' I whispered to Jonadab. 'Let's get out of this place while
we can. There ain't no Jimmie Kelly here, or if there is you don't want
to find him.'

"He was as willin' to make tracks as I was, by this time, and we headed
for the door in the partition. Bu