big-bug boomsters he knows -- that he got letters of introduction to --
and get him to fix him up?"

"Oh, Lord!" exclaimed Steelman, hopelessly. "Listen to him!
Can't you see that they're the last men he wants to let into his game?
Why, he wants to use THEM! They're the mugs as far as he is concerned!"

"Oh -- I see!" said Smith, after hesitating, and rather slowly --
as if he hadn't quite finished seeing yet.

Steelman glanced furtively at the fern-screen, and nudged Smith again.

"He said if he had three hundred, he'd double it by Saturday?"

"That's what he said," replied Steelman, seeming by his tone
to be losing interest in the conversation.

"And . . . well, if he had a hundred he could double that, I suppose."

"Yes. What are you driving at now?"

"If he had twenty ----"

"Oh, God! I'm sick of you, Smith. What the ----!"

"Hold on. Let me finish. I was only going to say that I'm willing
to put up a fiver, and you put up another fiver, and if he doubles that for us
then we can talk about standing in with him with a hundred --
provided he can show his hundred."