Harms sees him one day
at Oakland, 'n' has a guy buy him.
"Harms brings this pup back East. He has his papers 'n' description
all regular. The guy that buys him ain't wise--he's just a boob Harms
is stallin' with. What he wants me to do is to take the hoss in my
string, get him identified 'n' start him a couple of times; then when
the odds is real juicy I'm to start Friendless under the dog's name 'n'
Harms 'n' his gang'll bet him to a whisper at the poolrooms in Chicago
'n' New York.
"'Where's Friendless now?' I asks him.
"'They're gettin' him ready on a bull-ring up in Illinois,' says Harms.
'He's in good shape 'n' 'll be dead ripe time we get ready to ship him
down here. I figure we'll put this gag across about Christmas.'
"'What does the boy wonder get fur swappin' mules with the
Association?' I says. 'I'm just dyin' to know what Santa Claus'll
bring little Alfred.'
"'You get all expenses, twenty-five bucks a week, 'n' a nice slice of
the velvet when we cleans up,' says Harms.
"'Nix, on that noise!' says I. 'If you or some other benevolent gink
don't crowd five hundred iron dollars on G. Percival the day before the
bird flies, he won't leave the perch.'
"'Don't you trust me?' says Harms.
"'Sure,' I says, 'better'n Cassie Chadwick.'
"He argues, but it don't get him nothin' so he says he'll come across
the day before Friendless brings home the bacon, 'n' I make him cough
enough to pay what I owes. The next day a swipe leads Alcyfras out to
the track.
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