Page:The Master of Mysteries (1912).djvu/469

 Along about then two swell chaps come into de hall and asked me was Mr. Farralon up-stairs. Yes, I says, he was. Then one o' de chaps peeled free tens off'n a roll o' bills and shoved it into me fist. 'Beat it out'n dis here!' he says. 'Go chase a new job,' he says, 'an' lose yourself! Dis here is give you so you don't come back for a week,' he says. Well, I didn't ask no questions. It looked like a easy way to make t'irty to me, an' I got me coat an' piked out in a hurry, and went up to de Circle T'eater to see de show. An dat's all I know."

"How did they come?" Astro asked.

"In a buzz wagon. I copped dat off all right. Say, I'll give you de number for anoder ten."

"You'll give it to me without that, or I'll have you arrested! I'm a detective!" the Seer threatened.

Mickey's eyes grew big; he was evidently a hero worshiper. He fumbled in his pocket and drew out a bit of newspaper. On it was scrawled the number 11115.

"Dat's de mark, all right," he explained. "Say, I'm goin' to be a 'teck myself when I grow up. Will youse give me a job?"

Astro laughed. "If you'd had sense enough to wait and see what those two men did, I'd give you a job right now," he said.

Mickey groaned. "Gee!" he exclaimed. "W'y didn't I t'ink o' dat? I was dopin' out w'at I'd do wit' de money. I was crazy to see a show."

"Well, what did the men look like, then, if you're such a good detective?"

Mickey brightened visibly as he replied, "Say, I got dat, all right. Look a-here! One was a tall guy wit'