nothin' but good whisky an' brandy that the liquor
houses failed to declare when the world went dry. Then there's real,
honest-to-gosh European stuff run in from Mexico; now you're in, Casey,
I'll tell yuh the snap. When I said easy money, I was in my right mind.

"You can count on highjackers leavin' yuh half your load; mebby a
little more, if yuh set purty. They don't aim t' force yuh out uh the
business. They grab what the traffic'll bear, an' let yuh go on an
make a profit so you'll stay.

"Now there's a card you can slip up your sleeve for this game. Yuh load
in the best stuff first--see? Anything real special you wanta put in
kegs with double sides an' ends which you fill with moonshine. Yuh
never can tell--they might wanta sample it. Smilin' Lou did once--an'
you notice to-night he left the kegs be. So they get a good grade of
whisky from the liquor houses. And they pass up the best, imported
stuff that can be got to-day. We'll have regular customers for that;
and you can gamble they'll pay the price!" He laughed at some secret
joke which he straightway shared with Casey.

"You noticed I got my gas-tank behind--a twenty-gallon tank at that.
Well, what if I tell yuh that right under this front seat there's a
false bottom to the tool-box and under that--well, suppose you're
settin' on forty pints uh French champagne? More'n all that, this
cushion we're settin' on has got a concealed pocket down both
sides--for hop. So yuh see, Casey, a man can make an honest livin' at
this game, even if he's highjacked every trip. Now you're in, I can
show yuh all kinds uh tricks."

The muscles, along Casey's jaw had hardened until they looked bunched.
His eyes, fixed upon the winding trail in front of him, were a pale,
unwinking glitter.

"Who says I'm in? Yuh ain't heard Casey Ryan say it yet, have yuh? Yuh
better wait till Casey says he's in b'fore yuh bank on 'im too strong.
Casey may be an easy mark--he may be the officious goat pro tem of
every darn' bootlegger an' moonshiner an' every darn' cop that crosses
his trail; but you can ask anybody if Casey Ryan don't do 'is own
decidin'!

"Before you go any further, young feller, I'll tell yuh just how fur
Casey's in your game--an' that's as fur as Barstow. When Casey says
he'll do a thing he comes purty near doin' it. I ain't playin' no
bootleg game, young feller; White Mule an' me ain't an' never was trail
pardners. Make me choose between bootleggers an' cops,