ith
excessively dry significance.

The phrase came back to him now....

"In that case," decided Junius Peabody, aloud, "--in that case there's
no use trying to borrow car fare, and it's too far to walk. I'm stuck."

Some one sniffed beside him, and he turned to stare into a face that
might have been a distortion of his own yellow, haggard image.

"Hello," he said--and then, by natural sequence: "say, you don't happen
to have a flask anywhere handy about you--what?"

His neighbor scowled aggrievedly.

"Do I _look_ like I 'ad a flask?"

The belligerent whine was enough to renew the identity of the mangy
little larrikin whose couch on the sand he had shared. The Sydney Duck,
they called him: a descriptive title which served as well as any. Junius
did not like him very well, but he had lived in his company nearly a
week and he had long forgotten to make effective distinctions. Brandy is
a great democrat.

"It's my notion I'm going to have the fantods," explained Junius. "I
need a bracer."

"My word, I could do with a nip meself just now," agreed Sydney. "'In't
y' got no more credit with Bendemeer?"

Peabody made an effort.

"Seems to me I was thrown out of Bendemeer's last night. Is that right?"

"You was, and so was me and that big Dutchman, Willems--all thrown out.
But it was your fault. You started playin' chuck farthin' among his
bottles with a bunch of copper spikes.... I never see a man 'old his
liquor worse."

"Well, I paid for it, didn't I?" inquired Junius, without heat. "And I
believe you had your share. But what I'm getting at is--if he threw me
out the credit must be gone."

This was simple logic and unanswerable. "Maybe y' got something else
he'll tyke for th' price," suggested Sydney. "Damn 'im--'e's keen enough
to drive a tryde!"

* * * * *

Junius went through the form of searching, but without any great
enthusiasm, nor was Sydney himself notably expectant--a fact that might
have seemed to argue a rather sinister familiarity with the probable
result.

"I did have some cuff links and things," said Peabody vaguely. "I wonder
what's become of them."

"I wonder," echoed Sydney. As if some last possible claim upon his
regard had been dissipated, he let his lips writhe in mockery. "Ah, and
that's a pity too. You got to learn now what it means bein' on the beach
and doin' _without_ drinks--'cept as you kin cadge them off'n 'alf-caste
Chinymen and such. You won