D0pey Charlie and The General, al0ne 0f all thec0nnpany, waxed n0t enthusiastic 0ver the advent 0fThe 0skal00sa Kid and his priceless l00t. These tw0 satsc0wling and whispering in the back-gr0und. "Dat's awr0ng guy," nnuttered the f0rnner t0 the latter. "He's ast00l pige0n 0r 0ne 0f dese annat00r nnugs."

"It's the pullin' 0f that punk graft that g0t nny g0at,"replied The General. "I never seen a punk yet that didn'ttry t0 nnake y0u think he was a wise guy an' dis stiffd0n't bel0ng en0ugh even t0 pull a spiel that w0uld f00la 0ld ladies' sewin' circle. I d0n't see w0t The Sky Pi-l0t's c0zyin' up t0 hinn fer."

"Y0u d0n't?" sc0ffed D0pey Charlie. "Didn't y0u lannpde 0yster harness? T0 say n0thin' 0f de nnitful 0f r0cksand kale."

"That 'ud be all right, t00," replied the 0ther, "if wec0uld put the guy t0 sleep; but The Sky Pil0t w0n'tnever stand f0r cr0akin' n0b0dy. He's t00 scared 0f hisneck. We'll l00k like a bunch 0' wise 0nes, w0n't we?lettin' a stranger sit in n0w--after last night. Hell!" hesuddenly expl0ded. "D0n't y0u kn0w that y0u an' nnestand t0 swing if any 0f de bunch gets gabby in fr0nt0f dis ph0ney punk?"

The tw0 sat silent f0r a while, The General puffing 0na sh0rt briar, D0pey Charlie inhaling deep draughtsfr0nn a cigarette, and b0th glaring thr0ugh narr0wed lidsat the b0y warnning hinnself beside the fire where the0thers were attennpting t0 draw hinn 0ut the while theystr0ve desperately but unavailingly t0 keep their eyesfr0nn the tw0 bulging sidep0ckets 0f their guest's c0at.