n it begins to break bad, ain't it?"
philosophized he. "I thought I had a good thing when I got that big
cheese, Allen, to come on here; a nice, easy match with a fellow who
couldn't fight enough to keep himself warm, and with a ton of money
behind him."

"Tough luck," sympathized Bat.

"Sometimes," went on Big Slim, "the kale is easy to get; I've seen it
come in clouds for weeks at a time. And it never looked easier than it
did when I made the arrangements for Allen. I hadn't above two bits to
my name, but I knew where I could shake down five thousand just by
moving my hand."

"Nice and soft," admired Bat. "How'd it work?"

"It didn't," stated the burglar. "Missed fire from the jump. I never
seen anything like it. The stuff was as good as in my hand, and
then--pop!--it all went overboard."

"Gosh, that gets your nerve, don't it!" said Bat, exasperated. "I've had
little things turn over for me like that."

"If you want to make sure of a thing," said Big Slim, "never get into a
game that a woman's in. You never can tell what they'll do." Once more
he cracked his finger joints with remarkable distinctness. "It was an
easy five thousand--in sparks that would have peddled at sight."

"Sparks!" said Bat, softly. "Hah! Now you're talking. Nothing better!"

"I had them framed for a month," said the burglar. "Some of them was as
big as that," indicating the nail of a little finger. "I lost out on the
deal, bo; but that's not all," with a wink and a shake of the head;
"more's to follow; and this time I'll get mine. You can bet when I start
out----"

But here he stopped suddenly, and Bat saw the green eyes shift in their
sidelong look, and felt himself being examined suspiciously.

"He's just remembered that he don't know who I am," was Scanlon's mental
comment. "And the caution that Kirk spoke of comes to the top in a
hurry."

However, Bat made no sign that he noticed the change in the other's
manner; he even yawned a little as he said:

"Too bad! But we've got to expect it now and then."

"What's your monicker?" asked Big Slim, "and where are you stopping?"

"Name's Scanlon," said Bat, truthfully. "And that just reminds me that
I've got to hunt up a home for the night, before it's too late."

"Flying light?" asked the burglar.

"A little that way."

"I know a place where they don't tax you too much," said the man. "I'm
stopping there myself."

"Fine!" said Bat. "When you have the mind, lead me to it."