h yit. Seems lak to me you ain't properly
counted up yore blessin's a-tall. Ain't the near-beer--" he sank his
voice discreetly, although there was no one to overhear "ain't the
near-beer an' the _still nearer_ beer goin' fetch you in a right peart
lil' income? I'll say they is. An' ain't you goin' do mighty well on
yore own account out of yore share of the commission frum Gumbo
Rollinses' Flyin' Jinny?"

"Hole on, hole on! How come Gumbo Rollins?"

"W'y tha's all fixed," stated Jeff. "Gumbo he'll be out there 'fore
sunup on the 'p'inted day wid his ole Flyin' Jinny an' his ole
grind-organ an'--"

"Tain't nothin' fixed," demurred the astonished and indignant AEsop.
"'Tain't nothin' fixed 'thout I fixes it. Ain't I had pestermints 'nuff
las' yeah settlin' up, or tryin' to, wid that Rollins? Ain't I told him
then that never ag'in would I--"

"Oh, tha's settled," announced Jeff soothingly.

"Who settled it?"

"Me."

"You?"

"Yas, me--out of pyure frien'ship fur you. Lissen, Brother Lovin', an'
give due heed. I comes to you d'rect frum Gumbo Rollins. He's done seen
the error of the way he acked tow'ds you that time. He's cravin' that
all the grudges of the bygone past shall be disremembered. Here's whut
he's goin' to do: He's goin' give yore organization the reg'lar cut, an'
'pon top of that he's goin' hand you, pussonally an' private, a special
extra five pur cent, on all he teks in; that comes ez a free-will
offerin' to you. He's goin' 'bandon his plan to run ez a independint
attraction on the Eighth down back of the market-house. He's goin' be
wid you heart an' soul an' Flyin' Jinny. All he asts, through me, is
that he kin have the right to set her up on the purtic'lar spot w'ich
he's got in mind out there on them show-ground lots. An' finally an'
furthermo' he's done commission me to hand you ten dollars, unbeknownst
to anybody, jes' to prove to you that his heart's in the right place an'
that he's wishful fur to do the square thing." He felt in his pockets,
producing a crumpled bill. "An' here 'tis!"

AEsop pouched the currency on the flank where he carried his personal
funds before his commercial instinct inspired him to seek out the
motives actuating the volunteer peacemaker. Experience had taught him to
beware of Greeks bearing gifts--not of the gifts particularly, but of
the Greeks.

"Well," he said, "ef Gumbo Rollins aims to be honest an' open an'
abovebode wid us, w'y that puts a diff'unt face on it