"'Ello, Larry!" grinned the Magpie. "Got yer breath back yet? I felt it
through de windowpane when youse let go at de lamp!"
"'Ello, Slimmy!" returned Jimmie Dale ungraciously, speaking through the
corner of his mouth. "Ferget it!"
"Sure!" said the Magpie unconcernedly. He stared about him, and finally,
drawing a chair up to the table, sat down, motioned the Tocsin to do the
same, and leaned forward amiably. "I didn't mean to throw no scare into
youse," he said, in a conciliating tone. "But I had a little business
wid Mag, an' I was kind of interested in whether she was entertainin'
company or not--see? I didn't know youse an' Mag was workin' together."
"Mabbe," observed Jimmie Dale, as ungraciously as before, "mabbe dere's
some more t'ings youse don't know!"
"Aw, cough up de grouch!" advised the Magpie, with a hint of impatience
creeping into his voice. "Youse don't need to be sore all night! I told
youse I wasn't tryin' to hand youse one, didn't I?"
"Never mind Larry, Slimmy," put in the Tocsin petulantly. "He's down on
his luck, dat's all. He ain't had de price of a pinch of coke fer two
days."
"Oho!" exclaimed the Magpie, grinning again. "So dat's wot's givin'
youse de pip, eh, Larry? Well, den, say, youse can take it from me dat
mabbe youse'll be glad I blew around. I was lookin' fer a guy about
yer size fer a little job to-night, an' I was t'inkin' of lettin' Young
Dutchy in on it, but seem' youse are here an' in wid Mag, an' dat I got
to get Mag in, too, youse are on if youse say de word.
Pages:
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553