taking stock. He possessed one very second-hand black bag and four dozen
four-ounce bottles. The Kid's intention in the first place had been to
dispose of the loot at the nearest marine store, but Nickie was a man of
ideas, and one had come to him there in his loneliness. He hid his bag of
bottles, and wandered into the city. After several misses he succeeded in
begging sixpence to buy cough drops for his influenza.

He paid threepence for the cough drops at a convenient hotel, and took
them in bulk. With his change he purchased threepence worth of small
corks. Back at the Yarra Nickie the Kid dissolved one of three gingernuts
he had taken from the bar lunch in a two pound jam tin of river water,
and started to fill his bottles. He filled one dozen.

Having explained to a small knot of brother professionals that he needed
change of air and scenery, Nickie the Kid started out of town that
afternoon. We next discover him seated under a spreading gum in a
pleasant sweep of sunny landscape at Tarra, with his trousers in his
hands, carefully and systematically repairing and renovating the same.
The frock coat had been "restored," the rag cap was abandoned in favour
of a limp bell-topper, contributed by the family of a benevolent
clergyman, and the tan boots were artistically blacked with stove polish.
Nickie the Kid warbled at his work with the innocent gaiety of a bird.

It was not yet sundown, and Nicholas Crips was clothed, and stood with
his black Gladstone in his right hand, prepared for the campaign. He had
had a clean shave, and his face had a sort of calm dignity touched with
benevolence. He turned round, examining himself, and the coat-tails
floated gracefully in the breeze.

"Eminently satisfactory," said Mr. Crips. "And now for business." He