alk through the dark and desolate farm lands human companionship
of any kind was to him as the proverbial straw to the man who rocked the
boat once too often.

Dopey Charlie and The General, alone of all the company, waxed not
enthusiastic over the advent of The Oskaloosa Kid and his priceless
loot. These two sat scowling and whispering in the back-ground. "Dat's
a wrong guy," muttered the former to the latter. "He's a stool pigeon or
one of dese amatoor mugs."

"It's the pullin' of that punk graft that got my goat," replied The
General. "I never seen a punk yet that didn't try to make you think he
was a wise guy an' dis stiff don't belong enough even to pull a spiel
that would fool a old ladies' sewin' circle. I don't see wot The Sky
Pilot's cozyin' up to him fer."

"You don't?" scoffed Dopey Charlie. "Didn't you lamp de oyster harness?
To say nothin' of de mitful of rocks and kale."

"That 'ud be all right, too," replied the other, "if we could put the
guy to sleep; but The Sky Pilot won't never stand for croakin' nobody.
He's too scared of his neck. We'll look like a bunch o' wise ones, won't
we? lettin' a stranger sit in now--after last night. Hell!" he suddenly
exploded. "Don't you know that you an' me stand to swing if any of de
bunch gets gabby in front of dis phoney punk?"

The two sat silent for a while, The General puffing on a short briar,
Dopey Charlie inhaling deep draughts from a cigarette, and both glaring
through narrowed lids at the boy warming himself beside the fire
where the others were attempting to draw him out the while they strove
desperately but unavailingly to keep their eyes from the two bulging
sidepockets of their guest's coat.

Soup Face, who had been assiduously communing with a pint flask, leaned
close to Columbus Blackie, placing his whiskers within an inch or so
of the other's nose as was his habit when addressing another, and
whispered, relative to the pearl necklace: "Not a cent less 'n fifty
thou, bo!"

"Fertheluvomike!" ejaculated Blackie, drawing back and wiping a palm
quickly across his lips. "Get a plumber first if you want to kiss
me--you leak."

"He thinks you need a shower bath," said Dirty Eddie, laughing.

"The trouble with Soup Face," explained The Sky Pilot, "is that he's got
a idea he's a human atomizer an' that the rest of us has colds."

"Well, I don't want no atomizer loaded with rot-gut and garlic shot
in my mug," growled Blackie. "What Soup Face needs is