show it above average. We got barely enough menthium to
replace what we used in capturing him."

"We ought to have taken Carnes and left Bird alone," snorted Carson.
"Even a wooden-headed detective ought to have given us a better supply
than Bird yielded."

"We are bound to meet with disappointments once in a while. I had
marked Bird down long ago as soon as I could get a chance at him."

"Well, you ran that show, Slavatsky, but I'll warn you that we aren't
going to let you pull off another one like it. I take no more crazy
chances, even on your orders."

* * * * *

The hunchback rose to his feet, his eyes glittering ominously.

"What do you mean, Carson?" he asked slowly, his hand slipping behind
him as he spoke.

"Don't try any rough stuff, Slavatsky!" warned Carson sharply. "I can
pull a tube as fast as you can, and I'll do it if I have to."

"Gentlemen, gentlemen!" protested the third man rising, "we are all
too deep in this to quarrel. Sit down and let's talk this over. Carson
is just worried."

"What is there to be worried about?" grunted the dwarf as he slid back
into his chair. "Everything has gone nicely so far and no suspicion
has been raised."

"Maybe it has and then again maybe it hasn't," growled Carson. "I
think this Bird episode to-night looks bad. In the first place, it
came too opportunely and too easily. In the second place Bird should
have yielded more menthium, and in the third place, did you notice his
hands? They weren't the type of hands to expect on a man of his type."

"Nonsense, they were acid stained."

"Acid stains can be put on. It may be all right, but I am worried.
While we are talking about this matter, there is another thing I want
cleared up."

"What is it?"

"I think, Slavatsky, that you are holding out on us. You are getting
more than your share of the menthium."

Again the dwarf leaped to his feet, but the peace-maker intervened.

"Carson has a right to look at the records, Slavatsky," he said. "I am
satisfied, but I'd like to look at them, too. None of us have seen
them for two months."

The dwarf glared at first one and then the other.

"All right," he said shortly and limped to a cabinet on the wall. He
drew a key from his pocket and opened it and pulled out a
leather-bound book. "Look all you please. I was supposed to get the
most. It was my idea."

"You were to get one share and a half, while Willis, Frink and I got
one s