“Well, we’ll let it go at that!” said Ravenslee, and lying back, he yawned again.

“Don’t do that, bo, don’t do that!” exclaimed the Spider.  “I’m thinkin’ what you’ll look like after you’ve been floatin’ around in th’ river—­a week, say!  You’d best get out o’ Hell’s Kitchen, bo—­don’t stop to ask where to, but—­go there.”

“My Spider,” said Ravenslee, shaking his head, “in Hell’s Kitchen I should have to leave all that makes life worth while, so—­I shall stay, of course, and chance the—­er—­river and things.”

“Well, I guess it’s your trouble, not mine.”

“But I want it to be yours too, Spider.  You see, I’m counting on you to help me smash this gang.”

“Bo, it looks like you’re goin’ t’ do a hell of a lot o’ countin’—­an’ then some more, before you count me in on this fool game.  Say”—­he paused to stare at Ravenslee, keen-eyed and with jaws clamped rigid—­“you ain’t a fly-cop—­one o’ these sleuthy gum-shoe men, are ye?”

“No.”

“Well, you ain’t one o’ these fool amateur guys doin’ the dare-devil detective act like you read about in th’ magazines, are ye?”

“No more than you are one of these dirty gang loafers you hear about around O’Rourke’s—­and that’s why you’re going to help me root ’em out.”

“Sufferin’ Pete!” sighed the Spider, “here I keep tellin’ you I ain’t on in this act, an’ here you keep on ringin’ me in frequent all the same.”

“Because you are a man, Spider Connolly, and white all through, and because to smash up this gang is going to be man’s work.”

“Well, it sure ain’t no job for Sophy the Satin-skinned Show-girl—­nor yet for two nice, quiet little fellers like you an’ me.”

“We shan’t be quite alone, Spider.”

“That’s some comfortin’, anyway!”

“There will be Joe Madden, for one.”

“Joe Mad—­” The Spider very nearly bolted his wad of chewing gum, then he rose and stood staring at Ravenslee, very round of eye.  “So you know Joe Madden, the best all-round champion that ever happened, eh?”

“I box with him every day.”

“Hully Chee!” exclaimed the Spider, and chewed fervently in silent astonishment.  Suddenly he lifted his head and stood as one that hearkens to distant sounds, and crossing stealthily to the window, climbed out.

“What’s the matter?”

“Mother Trapes, bo.  She’s just rollin’ out o’ th’ feathers, an’ she’s quite enough for me—­always has me fazed to a frazzle.  If she caught me here it ‘ud be th’ gimlet eye for mine—­so here’s where I fade away.”

“Anyway, come and have tea here with me to-night, Spider, unless you think I am—­er—­too dangerous to visit just now on account of M’Ginnis—­”

“Dangerous?” repeated the Spider, scowling, “bo, when I get a call t’ free food with a guy like you, danger gets lost in th’ shuffle an’ forgotten—­I’ll be there.  Now here’s your bean cover—­catch!  S’ long!” And nodding, Spider promptly vanished down the fire escape.