surance, and offering the information to Cleggett out of the
side of his mouth which had not been involved in his question to Lady
Agatha, "goes by th' monakers of Dopey Eddie and Izzy the Cat."

"Picturesque," murmured Cleggett.

"Picture--what? Picture not'in!" said Elmer, huskily. "The bulls got
not'in' on them boys. Them guys never been mugged. Them guys is too
foxy t' get mugged."

"I infer that you weren't always so foxy," said Cleggett, eyeing him
curiously.

The remark seemed to touch a sensitive spot. Elmer flushed and
shuffled from one foot to the other, hanging his head as if in
embarrassment. Finally he said, earnestly:

"I wasn't no boob, Mr. Cleggett. It was a snitch got ME settled. I was
a good cracksman, honest I was. But I never had no luck."

"I intended no reflection on your professional ability," said Cleggett,
politely.

"Oh, that's all right, Mr. Cleggett," said Elmer, forgivingly.
"Nobody's feelin's is hoited. And any friend of th' little dame here
is a friend o' mine." The diminutive, on Elmer's lips, was intended as
a compliment; Lady Agatha was not a small woman.

"Elmer," said Lady Agatha, "tell Mr. Cleggett how the mistake occurred."

Oratory was evidently not Elmer's strongest point. But he braced
himself for the effort and began:

"When th' skoit here says she wants the big boob punched I says to
m'self, foist of all: 'Is it right or is it wrong?' Oncet youse got
that reform high sign put onto youse, youse can't be too careful. Do
youse get me? So when th' skoit here puts it up to me I thinks foist
off: 'Is it right or is it wrong?' See? So I thinks it over and I
says to m'self th' big boob's been pullin' rough stuff on th' little
dame here. Do youse get me? So I says to m'self, the big boob ought to
get a wallop on the nut. See? What th' big gink needs is someone to
bounce a brick off his bean, f'r th' dame here's a square little dame.
Do youse get me? So I says to the little dame: 'I'm wit' youse, see?
W'at th' big gink needs is a mont' in th' hospital.' An' the little
dame here says he's not to be croaked, but----"

But at that instant Teddy, the Pomeranian, sprang towards the uncovered
hatchway that gave into the hold, barking violently. Lady Agatha, who
could see into the opening, arose with a scream.

Cleggett, leaping towards the hatchway, was just in time to see two men
jump backward from the bottom of the ladder into the murk of the hold.
They ha