Unable to extort a word from Jim that would lead to the arrest of his jocker, the officers dragged the staggering, heart-broken lad back to his cell and locked him up.  When from sheer exhaustion he fell asleep late in the night, he dreamed that Kansas Shorty’s grinning face was pressed against his steel-barred cell door.  “Jim, Jim,” he could distinctly hear the scoundrel say mocking him in his helplessness, “come on, Jim, let us go and peddle needle cases and loot more houses.”  Jim leaped from his bunk at Kansas Shorty’s throat, as if he were a wounded tiger, to strangle with his bare hands the fiend who had so wantonly spoiled his life, but he only gripped the cold steel bars of his cell and awakened, then as he sank back upon the edge of the prison-bunk, he realized that now it was too late—­and he burst into bitter tears.

[Illustration:  Behind bars]

CHAPTER X.

“Slippery, the Yegg.”

After Slippery, the Yegg, and Joe had parted company with Kansas Shorty and Jim, they walked leisurely southward upon the railroad track.  For some time their conversation lagged, as Slippery was absorbed in thoughts centering upon the boy who was walking by his side.  Slippery had up to this moment lived strictly in accord with the laws laid down by the “Code of Crime”, the rules of which, although not printed and bound into a costly volume, nor even written, are nevertheless strictly observed by those who defy law and order.

A tradition of this unwritten code was to the effect that a “wise” yegg must never have a minor hoboing with him about the country, as not only would the youngster be of little value when committing a crime and a most decided handicap in making a getaway, but the greatest of danger lay in the fact that should they be arrested, the boy would be more than likely to not only reveal all he knew of the latest exploit of the yegg and tell everything he had seen and heard since their first day’s comradeship, but he would undoubtedly turn state’s evidence, and help to send the yegg to the penitentiary for a long term.  Slippery also weighed the chances which he faced should he by misfortune “ramble” into other “brethren of the gun” who happened to be abroad in the land, especially along oft-traveled routes like those between St. Paul and Chicago, as they would not only frown upon a yegg who had offended the ethics of their clan by having a road kid traveling with him, but they would quickly spread the fact broadcast throughout the land to the detriment of the heretofore good reputation Slippery had enjoyed amongst the numerous members of the “Fraternity of the Dark Lantern.”

As a result of these reflections he decided to rid himself of Joe’s company as soon as possible, and the easiest and fairest method he could think about to pull himself out of this dilemma was to find a job for the boy upon one of the many farms which were scattered along the right of way.