waiting for a friend,' said Slinky, 'and that's gospel. But if you'd pulled me to-morrow ... I was going down to take a look at Lord Essenden's party. I had a tip from the Angels. You'll find the letter in my room---I put it in the Bible on the shelf over the bed. They said I was to take what I liked, how I liked, and they'd see I made a good getaway. Now, you ain't told me why I'm here, but I know. There's been a scream. I don't know why they should want to shop me, but there's been a scream. . . . An' I'd take is as a favour, sir, if you'd tell me who was the screamer.'
'I don't know,' said the Saint truthfully. 'Maybe you talk in your sleep.'
They found the letter as Slinky had said they would find it, and it was short and to the point.
And the Saint, acting upon it, went to Lord .Essenden's party unknown to Lord Essenden, and thus met Jill Trelawney and Stephen Weald and Pinky Budd; and what followed we know.
After the jokes of the machine gun and the milk, the Saint saw Slinky Dyson again, and was able to give some unhelpful information to that puzzled man.
'There was no scream,' he said. 'That is official. It was just your bad luck, Slinky.'
Dyson scratched his head.
'I'll believe you, Mr. Templar. It was bad luck all right. But you'll remember my squeak, sir?'
'You were remanded for a week, weren't you?'
'Yes, Mr. Templar.'
'If we let you out, will you take a job?'
'What sort of job?' asked Slinky suspiciously.
'Oh, not work,' said the Saint soothingly. 'I wouldn't dream of asking you to do that.'
Slinky relaxed.
'I'll hear about it, Mr. Templar.'
'How much do you want for a black eye?'
Slinky stared.
'Beg pardon, Mr. Templar?'
'You heard me.'
The man shifted his eyes nervously, and giggled.
'Wh-what?'
'I didn't ask you to give an imitation of a consumptive Wyandotte laying a bad egg,' said the Saint patiently. 'I asked you how much you wanted for a black eye.'
'You want to give me a black eye, Mr. Templar?'
'Very much indeed.'
'What for?'
'Five pounds.'
'What for after that?'
'Do you know how to get in touch with the Angels?'
Slinky shook his head.
