of him, and we
were the best of chums during my stay in the city.

CHAPTER XII

HOW A SMART OPERATOR WAS SQUELCHED--THE GALVESTON FLOOD

A little while after this "Stub" Hanigan, another operator, invited Dick
and me to go down to a chop house with him for lunch, and we accepted. I
say chop house when in reality it was one of those numerous little
hotels that abound all over New York where one can get a good meal for
very little money. Hanigan was a rattling good operator, but he was very
young and had a tendency to be too fresh on occasion.

He ordered us a fine lunch and while we were sitting there discussing
the good things, a big awkward looking chap came into the dining-room.
He was accompanied by a sweet, pretty looking little woman. She was a
regular beauty, and it needed but a glance to see that they were bride
and groom, and from the country. They had all the ear marks so apparent
in every bride and groom. They hesitated on the threshold a moment, and
the groom said very audibly:

"Dearest, this is the finest dining-room in the world," and "Dearest"
beamed on her liege lord in a manner that was very trustful and sweet.
Hanigan, idiot that he was, laughed outright. Dick and I both gave him a
savage kick under the table, but it didn't have any effect.

The head waiter brought the couple over and sat them down at our table,
and, say--that woman was as pretty as any that ever came down the pike.
Towards the end of the meal, Hanigan took his knife and fork and began
to telegraph to Stanley and me, making all sorts of fun about the
country pair. Now that is a pretty dangerous business, because there is
no telling who may be an operator. Dick growled at him savagely under
his breath and told him to shut up. Nay! Nay! Mr. Hanigan wouldn't shut
up worth a cent. Finally he made some scurrilous remark, and then
another knife and fork came into play. Mr. Bridegroom was doing the
talking now, and this is what he said to Hanigan:

"I happen to be an operator myself, and have heard and understood every
word you said. As long as you confined yourself to innocent remarks
about country brides and grooms, I haven't minded it a bit. In fact, I
have rather enjoyed it. But now you've gone too far, and in about five
seconds I'm going to have the pleasure of smashing your face."

Then, before we had time to do a thing, biff; and Hanigan got it
squarely on the jaw. We hustled him out of there as soon as we could,
but M