He peeled off a twenty-dollar-bill, and flung it with no good grace down
upon the table.
"There," he said, "that's the last you'll get till the trick is done."
"Thankee, guv'ner; I knowed you'd see sense. A man of your intelligous
intellect, and----"
"That will do," snapped Mortlake. "Do you think I've got nothing to do but
talk to you fellows all day? You thoroughly understand, now, to-morrow
night on the road to Galloway's farm?"
"Yus, and we've got a nice little deserted farm house all picked out,
where we can keep the young rooster on ice," grinned Joey.
"Well, well," shot out Mortlake, "that will be your task. I've nothing to
do with that. Do you understand," he rapped the table nervously, "I know
nothing about it."
"All right, all right; we're wise," Slim assured him confidently. "Don't
you worry. Come on, Joey. Got the money?"
"Have I? Oh, no; I'm goin' ter leave it right here," grinned Joey,
enjoying his own irony hugely.
Still chuckling, he arose and shuffled out, followed by the unsavory
Slim.
Outside, and on the road to the village, Slim began to be obsessed by
doubts.
"Some way, I don't jes' trust that Mortlake," he said. "You're sure that
bill is all right, Joey?"
"Sure? Well, you jes' bet I am. Here, look at it yourself. All right,
ain't it?"
He drew out the bill and handed it to Slim for his inspection.
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