ow--"

"Oh, I guess it wasn't a bad wheeze."

"It gave me the chance I wanted, Spider."

"Which you sure gripped with both mitts, bo!"

"Now have a cigar--in that coat pocket--"

"Not me, Geoff! Smoke's bad for th' wind, that's why I've took t' gum."
Saying which, the Spider proceeded to take out and open a packet of that
necessary adjunct, and having posted it into his mouth piece by piece,
fell to grim mastication.

"Bo," said he suddenly, "you come away without your roof last night."

"Eh?" said Ravenslee, blinking drowsily, "my what?"

"Your lid, bo."

"You mean my old hat?"

"That's what I'm tryin' t' tell you--an' say, that sure is the hardest
bean cover I ever spotted; made of iron, is it? Where'd you find it?"

"At some dim and distant day it originated in England, I believe."

"Well, that lid would turn a poleaxe, sure; that's why I brought it
back--it's out on the fire escape now."

"Very kind of you, Spider, but--"

"Bo, you're goin' t' need that hat an' a soot o' tin underwear from now
on unless--well, unless you pack y'r trunk an' clear out o' Hell's
Kitchen on th' jump."

"Why so?"

"Well, you certainly handed Bud a whole lot more 'n he's ever had
before, an' it's a full house to a pair o' dooces he ain't lookin' for
no more from you just yet. But then, Bud ain't no pet lamb nor yet a
peace conference, an' it's four aces to a bum-flush he means t' get back
at ye some way--an' get ye good!"

"Oh?" said Ravenslee, yawning.

"And oh some more!" nodded the Spider; "it's sure comin' t' you. When I
got back las' night, there's Bud settin' against th' wall lookin' like
an exhibit from the morgue, fightin' for breath t' cuss you with. 'N'
say, you sure had done him up some, which I wasn't nowise sad or peeved
about, no, sir! Me an' Bud's never been what you might call real
kittenish an' playful together. But it seems you ain't only soaked an'
throttled him good an' plenty, but he's gone an' let out t' you about
that guy Heine--an' consequently you've gotter be kept from opening y'r
mouth--see? Consequently it's you for a sudden an' hasty hike."

"Oh?" said Ravenslee again.

"Twice!" nodded the Spider, "with a F an' a L thrown in--that's what
you'll be, Geoff, if you try t' buck Bud an' th' gang. So here I've
shinnied up y'r fire escape to put ye wise an' lend a hand to make your
swift get-away."

Ravenslee sighed and settled his head more comfortably on his pillow.
"You think I ought to