“I’m only going to be with you for a few days,” I answered.  “Mr. Jefferson will be your permanent manager.”

“The hell I will!” spluttered Bunch.  Then he got red in the face, glared at Dodo, and grouched out a “beg pardon!”

“You betcher sweet!” she replied, patting the Pommery.

“Say, John! you know well enough I can’t leave New York for more than two or three days just at this time without having a good excuse to give Alice,” Bunch growled, while Skinski and the Circassian lady put the knives to the chicken livers en brochette.

“How about me!” I snapped back.  “I can’t go out of town at all, except in the day-time.  I’ll have to duck back to Ruraldene after the show every evening or lose my card in the Happy Husbands’ Union.  It’s different with you, Bunch; you’re not married yet.”

“It isn’t different at all,” Bunch whipsawed me.  “And you haven’t any business to expect me to hike over the country with this outfit while you stay at home and read Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress.”

“I won’t read that at all,” I countered; “I’ll read nothing but the ship news to see if you are stranded.”

“Well, I won’t do it!” snorted Bunch.

“You’ll have to do it if you want to win out that wedding money,” I retorted.  “Is this the way you thank me for what I’ve done for you?”

“Done for me, nothing!” Bunch bit back.  “I put up as much coin as you did, and now you want me to do all the work!”

“Work!” I echoed; “what work is it to count money, eh, Skinski?”

“Counting money is a hot pastime, isn’t it, Dodey?” he answered.

“You betcher sweet!” responded the fair lady, gazing dreamily at the empty flagon of Pommery.

“Well, take my word for it,” snarled Bunch, “I don’t hanker for that sort of amusement.  If there’s any train-hopping to be done, it’s up to you, John.  It’s your game, not mine.”

“Say, are you going to welsh on me now that we’ve passed over our contract to Skinski?” I asked hotly.

“No, I’m not going to welsh,” Bunch came right back, “but I’m only a silent partner in this concern, so you for the Bad Lands to do the barking for the show.”

“Why didn’t you flash this stingy talk on me before we got started?” I wanted to know.  “It’s a shine play to wait till you get me all tied up with these artists here!”

Skinski and Dodo both took a bow.

“I didn’t,” Bunch cackled, “You framed up the whole thing, and now you’re sore because I won’t leave home and friends to plug your game.”

“It’s as much your game as mine!”

“It isn’t!”

“It is!”

“Rats!”

“Make it twice on the Rats!”

In two seconds more I suppose we would have come to blows, but just then a well-known voice behind us gurgled, “Hayo, John! why, I hadn’t any idea you were here!  And Bunch, too!  I’m so glad to see you!”