"No, thanks," declined the visitor. "I'd rather have a coffin-nail,"
which Jimmy forthwith furnished.

"I should think," said Jimmy, "that your particular line of endeavor
would prove rather hazardous in a place where you are known by the
police."

The other smiled and, as before, with his lips alone.

"Naw," he said; "this is the safest place to work. If ten per cent of
the bulls know me I got that much on them, and then some, because any
boob can spot any one o' de harness bunch, and I know nearly every fly
on the department. They're the guys yuh gotta know, and usually I know
something besides their names, too," and again his lips smiled.

"How much of your time do you have to put in at your occupation to make
a living?" asked Jimmy.

"Sometimes I put in six or eight hours a day," replied the visitor. "De
rush hours on de surface line are usually good for two or t'ree hours a
day, but I been layin' off dat stuff lately and goin' in fer de t'ater
crowd. Dere's more money and shorter hours."

"You confine yourself," asked Jimmy, "to--er--ah--pocket-picking
solely?"

Again the lip smile. "I'll tell youse sumpin', bo, dat dey don't none o'
dem big stiffs on de department know. De dip game is a stall. I learned
it when I was a kid, an' dese yaps t'ink dat's all I know, and I keep
dem t'inkin' it by pullin' stuff under der noses often enough to give