to make it pay off. Learn it good!"

He stamped out, taking the manuscript with him. From that moment on,
Jimmy's furtive career as an author went on only when Jake was either out
for the evening or entertaining. In any case, he did not bother Jimmy
further, evidently content to wait until Jimmy had "learned it good"
before putting this new accomplishment to use. Nor did Jimmy bother him.
It was a satisfactory arrangement for the time being. Jimmy hid his
"work" under a pile of raw paper and completed it in late August. Then,
with the brash assurance of youth, he packed and mailed his first
finished manuscript to the editor of _Boy's Magazine_.

His typing progressed more satisfactorily than he realized, even though
he was still running off page after page of repetitious exercise,
leavened now and then by a page of idiotic sentences the letters of
which were restricted to the center of the typewriter keyboard. The
practice, even the hunt-and-peck relaxation from discipline, exercised
the small muscles. Increased strength brought increased accuracy.

September rolled in, the streets emptied of school-aged children and the
out-of-state car licenses diminished to a trickle. With the end of the
carefree vacation days went the careless motorist.

Jake, whose motives were no more altruistic than his intentions were
legal, began to look for a means of disposing of Jimmy Holden at the
greatest profit to himself. Jake stalled only because he hoped that the
reward might be stepped up.

But it was Jimmy's own operations that closed this chapter of his life.