“Si, si—he go make-a-da-box-fight.”
“Is he over at O’Rourke’s, Tony?” enquired Ravenslee, sitting upright.
“I bet-a-my-life, yes—”
“Oh, Mr. Geoffrey!” exclaimed Mrs. Trapes, clasping bony hands. “If they bring him home drunk like they did last time!”
“They shan’t do that, Mrs. Trapes. Don’t worry, I’ll go and fetch him,” said Ravenslee, getting to his feet.
“Fetch him? From O’Rourke’s? Are ye crazy? You’d get half-killed like as not. Oh, they’re a bad, ugly lot down there!”
“I feel rather ugly myself,” said Ravenslee, looking around for the shabby hat; “anyway, I’m going to see.”
“Why, then, if you’re goin’ t’ venture among that lot, you take this with ye, Mr. Geoffrey,” and she thrust the poker into his hand. “You’ll sure need it—ah, do now!” But Ravenslee laughed and set it aside. “You’d better take it, Mr. Geoffrey; fists is fists, but gimme a poker—every time! A poker ain’t t’ be sneezed at! What, goin’—an’ empty-‘anded? Mr. Geoffrey, I’m surprised at you. Think of Hermy!”
“That’s just what I am doing.”
“Well, s’posin’ they hurt you! What’ll Hermy do?”
“You think she’d mind, then, though I’m—only a peanut man?”
“Even a peanut man’s a feller creatur, ain’t he—an’ Hermy’s ‘eart is very tender an’—oh, shucks, Mr. Geoffrey, I guess you know she’d jest be crazy if you was hurt bad!”
“Why, then,” said Ravenslee, smiling and taking up the battered hat, “I’ll take great care of myself—trust me!”
“Then good-by, Mr. Geoffrey, good-by and—the good Lord go with you.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Trapes,” said Ravenslee and followed Tony out upon the stair. Upon one of the many landings the young Italian paused.
“Me put-a-you wise, Geoff; you savvy where-a to find Spike, now me go back t’ my lil Pietro, yes. S’ long, pal, ‘n’ good-a luck!”
Ravenslee hastened on down-stairs, returning neighbourly nods and greetings as he went, but staying for none, and so, crossing the court, turned into the avenue. On the corner he beheld the Spider, hard at work on his eternal chewing gum, cap drawn low and hands in pockets. Seeing Ravenslee, he nodded and lurched forward.
“What’s doin’, Geoff?” he enquired.
“I’m off to O’Rourke’s—coming?”
“Not much! An’ say, ‘t ain’t worth your trouble—I ain’t fightin’. Nawthin’ but a lot o’ fifth-raters.”
“I’m going over to fetch Spike.”
“How much?” exclaimed the Spider, his square jaws immobile from sheer astonishment. “Say, you ain’t crazy, are ye—I mean you ain’t dippy or cracked in the dome, are ye? Because d’ Kid’s goin’ ten rounds with Young Alf, d’ East Side Wonder, t’night, see?”
“Not if I can help it, Spider.”
“Aw—come off, bo! D’ye think Bud’ll let him go?”
“I shan’t ask Bud—or any one else.”
“Meanin’ as you’ll walk right in on Bud’s tough bunch an’ cop out d’ Kid on y’r lonesome—eh?”
“I shall try.”
“Then you sure are crazy; if y’r dome ain’t cracked yet, it’s sure goin’ t’ be. Why, Bud ‘n’ his crowd’ll soak you good ‘n’ plenty ‘n’ chuck ye out again quicker’n ye went in. They will sure, bo—if you go—”
“I’m wondering if you’ll come along and help?” said Ravenslee lazily.
“Me? Not so’s you could notice it. I ain’t huntin’ that sort o’ trouble.”
“Oh, well, if you think you’d—er—better not, I’ll go alone.”
“What, yer goin’, are ye?”
“Of course! You see, Spike is my friend; consequently his trouble is my trouble. Good night, Spider, and whatever else you do, be sure to—er—take good care of yourself!” And Ravenslee smiled and turned away; but he had not gone six paces before the Spider was at his elbow.
“Say, bo,” said he, “I don’t like the way you smile, but you talk so soft an’ pretty, I guess I’ll jest have t’ come along t’ gather up what they leave of ye.”
“Spider,” said Ravenslee, “shake!” The Spider obeyed, somewhat shamefacedly to be sure.
“It looks like two domes bein’ cracked ‘stead o’ one, an’ all along o’ that fool-kid!” Having said which, he lurched on beside Ravenslee, chewing voraciously.
“How you goin’ t’ work it?” he enquired suddenly.
“I don’t know yet.”
“Hully Chee! You’ve sure gotcher nerve along. There’s some o’ the toughest guys in little Manhattan Village at O’Rourke’s dump t’night, keepin’ th’ ring an’ fair achin’ for trouble.”
“We must dodge ‘em, Spider.”
