ar corner, faced about, and waited for the next move.

"There they are," cried the midget enthusiastically, "black as
midnight, fat as butterballs and ready for work." To be sure, the
little salesman could not see up to the level of the cage floor, but
his sales talk never ceased. "How much am I offered, men," he called
out in a voice simulating an auctioneer. "How much for the two?"

"Now you jist cut out yer comedy until I can squint 'em over," said
Fisheye impatiently. "Kin ye move 'em around a little, Mister?"

Welborn reached his hand through the bars and clucked to the little
scared bruins. Hesitatingly they crept up to the extended hand and
then sat up. They were surely butterballs as the midget proclaimed.

"You can't tell which is Amos and which is Andy. Can you, Fisheye?"
challenged the salesman.

"Naw! I don't know 'em by name but that un is the oldest. In twins or
even litters thar's one that's oldest. That un is the oldest, he
starts to doin things fust. Now you jist tell me all over again,
what's yer proposition about me owning these little b'ars?"

"Well, it is as I said. Mr. Welborn here will take your note for an
even hundred for both bears. The note will be due Christmas. We can go
right over to the ticket wagon and have Lew draw the note, payable at
the Wabash Valley Trust Company for an even hundred, and the cubs are
yours. And here's another thing," David motioned Fisheye over to
another wagon and out of Mr. Welborn's hearing. "Here's the rest of
the plan. I am going to offer this man Welborn ninety dollars for your
note. He won't be bothered by having to send it to the bank, and he'll
take my offer. There's where I come in; I make a ten spot without any
investment."

"How come?" squawked the amazed Fisheye. "Ye don't own no bars, ye
ain't out no cash, en ye draw a sawbuck. Now jist why can't this
mountain man take ninety dollars in folding money offen me and cut out
all this bankin' stuff. I don't want any note at the Wabash Valley
nohow. They'd jist harass me into payin' it. Jist cut all that out and
let him take the foldin' money."

"Well, maybe he will," sighed the super salesman. "But I thought as
cheap as they were, I ought to have a ten spot out of it. But I resign
in your favor. It's all among us folks anyhow. Just you go over and
spot him the ninety and see if you win."

Fisheye went back of a neighboring cage to search himself for the
needed cash. The salesman turned to Welborn w