y, "including what he
did to me and the _Montana_. I suppose you read about it--everybody else
did."

They walked leisurely, but Mr. Fogg's door remained closed. They waited
in the office of the hotel. He did not appear.

"By Judas!" rasped the man, "another two-spot torn up and thrown into
the discard along with you! And I helped 'em do it to you! I'm coming
across, Mayo! That telephone business was a mighty friendly trick to
help me force him. I appreciate it! I was on board the _Montana_ that
night you and she got yours! My name is Burkett--Oliver. I was there,
though you didn't see me."

"I heard you were there, afterward," stated Captain Mayo, grimly.
"Captain Wass mentioned you!"

"And probably didn't give me much of a reputation. I can't help that!
You needn't put one bit more trust in me, Captain Mayo, than you want
to. I don't ask you to have any respect for me. But I want to tell you
that when a man promises to back me and then turns round and dumps me
so as to cover his own tracks, he will get his if I'm able to hand it to
him! I'm generally dirty. I'm especially dirty in a case like that!"

"If you show me any favors, Mr. Burkett, I suppose I'll have to depend
on your spite against Fogg instead of your affection for me. You see,
I'm perfectly frank. But I have been fooled too much to place any trust
in anybody."

"I don't ask you to trust me. I know how the _Montana_ job was done. I'm
not going to tell you right now. I'm going to make sure that I have been
thrown down by Fogg. And if I have been--if he means it--I'm going to
use you so that I can get back at him, no matter how much it helps you.
I can be pretty frank myself, you understand!"

They were silent and looked at each other.

"Well?" inquired Burkett, sourly.

"Well, what?" asked Mayo, with as little show of liking.

"What about this police business--about your complaint against me?"

"I'm not going to say anything about the case! You're free, as far as
I'm concerned. I am ashore here to make a raise of money or credit. I
can't spend any time in court, bothering with you."

"I reckon you got your satisfaction out of that beating-up you gave me.
I rather began to like you after that," said Burkett, pulling one corner
of his mouth into a grin that was a grimace. "I'm going to stay at this
hotel."

"Fogg will see that our affair just now was a bluff. He will have you
into camp once more."

"You've got to take your chances on it, Mayo