Cappy read:

+---------------------------------------------------+
| RICKS LUMBER & LOGGING COMPANY |
| Lumber and its products |
| 248 California St. |
| San Francisco. |
| |
| Represented by |
| William E. Peck |
| If you can drive nails in it--we have it! |
+---------------------------------------------------+

Cappy Ricks ran a speculative thumb over Comrade Peck's business card.
It was engraved. And copper plates or steel dies are not made in half an
hour!

"By the Twelve Ragged Apostles!" This was Cappy's most terrible oath and
he never employed it unless rocked to his very foundations. "Bill, as
one bandit to another--come clean. When did you first make up your mind
to go to work for us?"

"A week ago," Comrade Peck replied blandly.

"And what was your grade when Kaiser Bill went A.W.O.L.?"

"I was a buck."

"I don't believe you. Didn't anybody ever offer you something better?"