he devil?" said Jeff, ignoring the insult.

"Just so. Name's White--and so's he: Billy White, S. M. and G. P."

"I don't just remember them degrees," said Jeff.

"Aw, keep still and you'll hear more. They stand for Some Man and Good
People. Well, as I was a-saying, Billy he seemed to think it wasn't you.
He stuck to it that Buttinski--that's what he calls you--was in a garden
just when the bank was robbed."

Johnny contemplated the apple tree over his head. It was a wandering and
sober glance, but a muscle twitched in his cheek, and he made no further
explanation about the garden.

"And then I remembered about Nigger Babe throwin' you off, and I began
to think maybe you didn't crack the safe after all. And there was some
other things--little things--that made Billy and Jimmy Phillips--he was
takin' cards in the game too--made 'em think maybe it was Lake; but it
wasn't no proof--not to say proof. And there's where I come in."

"Well?" said Jeff, as Johnny paused.

"Simple enough, once you knowed how," said Johnny modestly. "I'd been
reading lots of them detective books--Sherlock Holmes and all them
fellows. I got Billy to have his folks toll Lake's sister away for the
night, so she wouldn't be scared. Then me and Billy and Jimmy Phillips
and Monte, we broke in and blowed up Lake's private safe. No trouble at
all. Since the bank-robbin' every one had been tellin' round just how it
ought to be done--crackin' safes. Funny how a fellow picks up little
scraps of useful knowledge like that--things you'd think he'd remember
might come in handy most any time--and then forgets all about 'em. I
wrote it down this time. Won't forget it again."

"Well?" said Jeff again.

"Oh, yes. And there was the nice money--all the notes and all of the
gold he could tote."

Jeff's eye wandered to the new saddle.

"I kept some of the yellow stuff as a souvenir--half a quart, or maybe a
pint," said Johnny. "I don't want no reward for doin' a good deed....
And that's all."

"Lake is a long, ugly word," said Jeff thoughtfully.

"Well, what do you say?" prompted Johnny.

"Oh, thank you, thank you!" said Jeff. "You showed marvelous
penetration--marvelous! But say, Johnny, if the money hadn't been there
wouldn't that have been awkward?"

"Oh, Billy was pretty sure Lake was the man. And we figured he hadn't
bothered to move it--you being the goat that way. What made you be a
goat, Jeff? That whole performance was the most idiotic break