everything but Sis, and then he turns for a good
hard look at me.

I grins kind of foolish and nods. Then I jumps behind Dicky and begins
to wigwag over his shoulder for Mr. Robert to keep it up. I didn't know
whether he would or not. I wa'n't sure but what he'd think I'd turned
batty, by the motions I was goin' through; but he's a sport, Mr. Robert
is. He didn't know what was on the card; but he takes a chance.

So Dicky waltzes him over to the pair by the window, and makes Mr.
Robert and Mallory acquainted, and jollies 'em both, and all three of
'em talk football to Mallory, who blushes worse than ever and don't
know which way to turn. They keep that up until Dicky pulls out his
watch, grabs Sis by the arm, and hollers that they've got to make a
break for the Washington Limited. Sis is shakin' good-by with both of
'em at once, when she thinks of somethin' funny.

"Oh, Mr. Robert!" says she. "I want to know which of you is who here,
don't you know. Is it you that works for Skid, or Skid that works for
you?"

"Chee!" thinks I. "That upsets the soup kettle."

Mr. Robert looks at Mallory, and Mallory looks at him. There was no
breakin' away; for she has hold of a hand apiece. Both of 'em makes a
start; but Mr. Robert gets the floor. "Why," says he, "I guess we're
both working for the Corrugated, only one of us works a little harder
than the other."

"Ah!" says Sis, givin' Mallory a smile that was worth payin' money to
see. "I thought so."

The next minute they makes a dash for an elevator goin' down, and that
part of it was over. We'd worked the bluff all the way through, and Sis
has lugged off the idea that Mallory was at the top of the bunch.

But there was Mr. Robert, waitin' to talk Dutch to us.

Mallory he starts in to say that he's sorry for seemin' so cheeky; but
that's about all he can say.

"Ah, cheese it!" says I, buttin' in. "What do you know about it? It was
me put up the game, and if Mr. Robert had loafed another half an hour at
the club like he usually does, there wouldn't have been any mix up. Say,
you leave this to me."

Mallory didn't want to leave it like that; but Mr. Robert was holdin'
the door open for him, so he couldn't do anything else. When we had it
all to ourselves, the boss ranges me up in front of him for the court of
inquiry session.

"Well?" says he, real solemn.

I takes all that in and gives him the wink. "Say," says I, "didn't I
have my nerve with me, though?"

He kind