questions, Geoff, I ain't goin' to give 'em away; it ain't playin'
square. Only, if two or three guys dopes a guy till a guy's think-box is
like a cheese an' his mind as clear as mud, that poor guy ain't to be
blamed for it, now, is he?"

"Why, certainly!" nodded Ravenslee.

"How d' ye make that out?"

"For being such a fool of a guy as to let other guys fool him, of
course. Sounds a little cryptic, but I guess you understand."

"Oh, I get you!" sighed Spike drearily. "But say, didn't you come out to
buy a toothbrush?"

"And other things, yes."

"Well, say, s'pose we quit chewing th' rag an' start in an' get 'em.
There's a Sheeny store on Ninth Avenue where you can get dandy shirts
for fifty cents a throw."

"Sounds fairly reasonable!" nodded Mr. Ravenslee as they turned up
Thirty-ninth Street.

"Then you want a new lid, Geoff!"

Mr. Ravenslee took off the battered hat and looked at it.

"What's the matter with this?" he enquired.