t is true; but under
circumstances that impressed some of their characteristics upon us. The
very last we saw of them they were shuffling away in the darkness along
a railroad track, after promising that eventually they would wreak dire
vengeance upon Billy, who had just trounced them.

Now as they came unexpectedly upon the two sleepers they did not
immediately recognize in them the objects of their recent hate. They
just stood looking stupidly down on them, wondering in what way they
might turn their discovery to their own advantage.

Nothing in the raiment either of Billy or Bridge indicated that here was
any particularly rich field for loot, and, too, the athletic figure
of Byrne would rather have discouraged any attempt to roll him without
first handing him the "k.o.", as the two would have naively put it.

But as they gazed down upon the features of the sleepers the eyes of one
of the tramps narrowed to two ugly slits while those of his companion
went wide in incredulity and surprise.

"Do youse know dem guys?" asked the first, and without waiting for a
reply he went on: "Dem's de guys dat beat us up back dere de udder side
o' K. C. Do youse get 'em?"

"Sure?" asked the other.

"Sure, I'd know dem in a t'ous'n'. Le's hand 'em a couple an' beat it,"
and he stooped to pick up a large stone that lay near at hand.

"Cut it!" whispered the second tramp. "Youse don't know dem guys at all.
Dey may be de guys dat beats us up; but dat big stiff dere is more dan
dat. He's wanted in Chi, an' dere's half a t'ou on 'im."

"Who put youse jerry to all dat?" inquired the first tramp, skeptically.

"I was in de still wit 'im--he croaked some guy. He's a lifer. On de way
to de pen he pushes dis dick off'n de rattler an' makes his get-away.
Dat peter-boy we meets at Quincy slips me an earful about him. Here's
w'ere we draws down de five hundred if we're cagey."

"Whaddaya mean, cagey?"

"Why we leaves 'em alone an' goes to de nex' farm an' calls up K. C. an'
tips off de dicks, see?"

"Youse don't tink we'll get any o' dat five hun, do youse, wit de dicks
in on it?"

The other scratched his head.

"No," he said, rather dubiously, after a moment's deep thought; "dey
don't nobody get nothin' dat de dicks see first; but we'll get even with
dese blokes, annyway."

"Maybe dey'll pass us a couple bucks," said the other hopefully. "Dey'd
orter do dat much."

Detective Sergeant Flannagan of Headquarters, Chicago, slouched