Page:Hugh Pendexter--Tiberius Smith.djvu/70

 his intention to snap a series of pictures of the rough and rugged life, on the side, and profit by them when once more embarked in business on his own hook. This machine we had tenderly brought with us from Godthaab on the whaler. As soon as we reached the post, Finzer, the agent, gave us a twenty-two-carat welcome, and when Tib set up his gallery in the long, low house and began squirting on the screen scenes from Central Park and Palm Beach, our host could only wipe away pearly tears and moan, 'Man, man, never leave us,' This was a great game of Tib's. With that loyal apparatus he knew he could capture the affections and co-operation of any agent or factor on the circuit and obtain more favors than if he had paraded out a fat salary. It was to them what beads and tin cans are to the aborigines, and more than once did we find the move paid for all bother and expense.

"And because he understood these men and had anticipated meeting them, he had waived his hostility to the bruising pastime and had trotted along three or four six-round goes between different celebrated Chickens and Gouger Boys. I thought the gang would go daffy with glee. They kept him working the films slowly, so they could dope out just how each lemon was donated. And the old boy, although the pictures had taught him all he knew of the sport, could so adapt himself to our