e Swiss navy. I see right away he's a Eyetalian, and I'm
anxious to show him I can talk his chatter so--"

"Wait a minute!" I butts in. "Since when have _you_ been able to speak
Eyetalian?"

"What?" he snorts. "Another one, eh? Ain't Miss Vincent been teachin'
me English, French, Eyetalian and what to do with the oyster fork?"

"Is she?" I comes back. "That's all new to me. The last flash I got
you was just takin' up how to enter a room!"

"Well, I'm past that," he explains, "and next week I begin on manners.
Anyhow, I see this boob standin' there, and I says to myself, here's a
chance to pull a little Eyetalian. So with that I stands in front of
him and says, '_Bomb Germo, Senorita--a vostrican salute_!'"

The Kid stops and bangs his fist down on the table.

"What d'ye think the big hick said?" he asks me.

I passed.

"He grins at me, waggles his shoulders and pipes, '_No spika da
Engleesh_!"

"'What d'ye mean _English_!' I says. 'That ain't English, that's
Eyetalian, Stupid! _Bomb Germo Senorita_!'

"'No spika da Engleesh,' he pipes again.

"I grabs him by the shoulder and swing him around.

"'What part of Italy was you born in?' I inquires. 'Hoboken?'

"'No spika da Engleesh!' he grins.

"By this time my goat was runnin' around wild. I grabbed his other
shoulder and looked him in the eye.

"'I'll give you one more chance,' I says; 'cut the comedy now and come
through or you're gonna have some bad luck. _Bomb Germo Senorita_!'

"'No spika da Engleesh!' he says.

"With that, havin' took all a human bein' could stand, I let him fall!"

"Just a minute!" I says, as Scanlan starts for the door. "I want to
ask you a question about the Eyetalian language, as long as you know so
much about it. Just what does _Bomb Germo_ mean?"

The Kid stops and scratches his chin.

"To tell you the truth," he admits, "I don't know!"

At that the door opens and in blows Genaro with the big dignified guy
and "Bomb Germo" arises from the floor again, rubbin' the back of his
head.

"What's a mat?" asks Genaro, lookin' very excited from me to the Kid.
"Why you knock him down Meester Van Ness bureau?"

"Dresser!" corrects Van Ness, puttin' a round piece of glass over one
eye and glarin' at us.

"'Scuse a me!" pipes Genaro, makin' a bow. "Why you knock him down
Meester Van Ness dresser?"

The Kid growls at "Bomb Germo" who hisses back at him like a snake and
backs out of range of that left.

"I aske