ke!"

"Oh, I know I'm--rotten!" sobbed the lad. "I know you ain't got no use
for me any more, but I'm sorry, Geoff, I'm real sorry. I know a guy
can't forgive a guy as gives a guy away if that guy's a guy's friend. I
know as you can't forgive me. I know as you'll cut me out for good after
this. But I want ye t' know as I'm sorry, Geoff--awful sorry--I--I ain't
fit t' be anybody's friend, I guess."

"I think you need a friend more than ever, Spike!"

"Geoff!" cried the boy breathlessly. "Say--what d' you mean?"

"I mean the time has come for you to choose between M'Ginnis and me. If
I am to be your friend, M'Ginnis must be your enemy from now on--wait!
If you want my friendship, no more secrets; tell me just how M'Ginnis
got you into his power--how he got you to break into my house."

Spike glanced up through his tears, glanced down, choked upon a sob, and
burst into breathless narrative.

"There was me an' Bud an' a guy they call Heine--we'd been to a rube
boxin' match up th' river. An' as we come along, Heine says: 'If I was
in th' second-story-lay there's millionaire Ravenslee's wigwam waitin'
t' be cracked,' an' he pointed out your swell place among th' trees in
th' moonlight. Then Bud says: 'You ain't got th' nerve, Heine. Why, th'
Kid's got more nerve than you,' he says, pattin' my shoulder. An' Heine
laughs an' says I'm only a kid. An' Geoff, I'd got two or three drinks
into me an' th' end was I agreed t' just show 'em as I had nerve enough
t' get in through a winder an' cop something--anything I could get. So
Bud hands me his 'lectric torch, an' we skin over th' fence an' up to
th' house--an' Heine has th' winder open in a jiffy, an' me--bein'
half-soused an' foolish--hikes inter th' room, an' you cops me on th'
jump an'--an' that's all!"

"And M'Ginnis has threatened to send you up for it now and then, eh?"

"Only for a joke. Bud ain't like me; he'd never split on a pal--Bud
wouldn't gimme away--"

"Anyway, Spike, it's him or me. Which will you have for a friend?"

"Oh, Geoff, I--I guess I'd follow you t' Kingdom Come if you'd let me.
I do want t' live straight an' clean--honest t' God I do, Geoff, an' if
you'll only forgive--"

Spike's outstretched, pleading hands were caught and held, and he was
lifted to his feet.

"My Arthur-Spike, art going to the office this morning?"

"Sure I am; my eye ain't--ain't s' bad, after all, is it? Anyway, I feel
more like what a man should feel like now, an'--Gee