Page:Hugh Pendexter--Tiberius Smith.djvu/225

 hold his tristful tears as he dealt out the teeth, seven necklaces going to the delighted John.

"‘Guess I ain't a favorite, eh?' chuckled Tib, as the chief pressed forward and patted us each in turn. "‘Maybe,' said I, 'only, Henry is the shrewdest trader in the street, and if he can forge a mortgage on any one's turtles he'll get back with a rush.'

"And to our annoyance he borrowed two parrots and a monkey and caught Amalgamated Dog on the rise for four pups. As the chief was stung for two of these it was a good wager he would either kill Tib and me, or the successful manipulator.

"‘I tell you, Henry is greater than we at this game,' I whispered, as I noted him carefully examining the different bits of discarded tape and trying to get a line on averages.

"‘Tut, tut,' laughed Tib. 'He's bankrupt. What he cleans up in the future will be on wash sales. He caught me napping, that's all. The royal house must be crowded from the running. If Henry ever gets the throne he'll short-circuit us. Now, gentlemen, attention, please.' And for five minutes the market was kept teetering and a dozen of my pictures were consumed. The changes came so close and were so narrow that the crowd was wildly feverish, and danced back and forth in a tumult of expectancy, making their wagers and crowing and groan-