baum,
having the Little Brass God within a foot of his hawkbill nose,
takes the man's address and says he'll let him know if he hears
anything about the thing in demand. Finklebaum thinks that if the
man'll pay one thousand dollars for it, he'll pay five, and that's
why he loses out."

George's interest was now so intense that the boy ceased speaking
and sat regarding him steadily for a moment.

"What do you know about the Little Brass God?" he demanded.

"Nothing," replied George. "Never saw it!"

"Seems to me you're pretty much interested in it, though,"
commented the boy, rising from the bunk and taking a seat before
the fire.

"I was thinking about Old Finklebaum cheating himself by getting
too gay," answered George. "Go on, and tell me about it!"

"So when this man who offers the thousand dollars leaves the shop,"
Thede continued, "Finklebaum chases out to a dealer in antiques to
make inquiries about the Little Brass God. I guess he thinks it's
some East India idol, or something of that kind, and that his
fortune is made."

"Supposing it should be an East India idol!" exclaimed George,

"It may be, for all I know," Thede replied. "Anyhow, while old
Finklebaum was out trying to find out how much his Little Brass God
was worth, little Ikey sold it for a ten dollar note."

"Oh my, oh my, oh my!" laughed George. "I'll bet there was a merry
old time when Finklebaum returned and found the ten dollar note in
the drawer and the Little Brass God gone."

"Such a racket as never was!" declared Thede, laughing at the
recollection of the scene. "I was in the shop," he went on,
"getting out some articles Mother Murphy had been borrowing money
on, and heard all that took place."

"Go on and tell me about it."

"Old Finklebaum said he was just plumb ruined. He said he'd snatch
Ikey bald-headed, and do a lot of other things to him, if he didn't
walk right out into State street and bring back that Little Brass
God. Holy Moses! You ought to have seen how scared Little Ikey
was!"

"Could he describe the man who bought the Little Brass God?"
inquired George in a tone intended to be indifferent.

"Oh, yes!" replied Thede. "Ikey said the man wore a leather jacket
with a red belt around the waist, a fur cap and rings in his ears.
So Ikey was sent out to find the fellow, and I asked Old Finklebaum
what he'd give me if I'd bring back the Little Brass God. He says
he'll give me a hundred dollars the minute I p