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 kill you! You'll have a chance with Ptomaine—for a second! Look at him, you big four flusher, don't he look tasty?"

I grabbed his arm and swung him half-ways around so's he could see the impatient Ptomaine outside, loomin' up in the dusk like the rock of Gibraltar. Daniels gazed, frowned and throwed off my arm.

"If you think I have any intention of engaging in a brawl with a tenth-rate pugilist, you're crazy!" he says. "Stand aside!"

"Listen, Daniels," I says, plantin' myself in front of him as he tried to pass into the casino, "you had your fun with me, now it's my turn! Either you come down to the camp and fight Ptomaine or I'll bring him right up here on this porch. I"

"Oh, come on then!" he butts in savagely. "After I've sent all of this alleged gentleman boxer's retainers back to him on a shutter, I'll do the same for him!"

With that he vaults the railin' and me after him.

It was a strange procession which started down to the camp on the beach in the dazzlin' moonlight. Daniels stridin' ahead of us and not a word spoken all the ways down till I asked Ptomaine if he told anybody outside the casino what we was goin' to do.

"Only Rita King," grins Ptomaine. "I told her I was goin' to knock her rich boy friend for a row of bath houses!"

"You dumb-bell!" I hissed. "She'll tell the world and the bunch from the casino will rush down and stop it!"

"Then we better start now!" says Ptomaine, "I'll begin by breakin' his nose!"