and, shouldering the occupants aside without ceremony, seated
themselves and pounded for a waiter.

Padden, the proprietor, came toward them, and, after greeting
Anthony and Higgins by a shake of his left hand, ducked his round
gray head in acknowledgment of an introduction to the others.

"Excuse my right," said he, displaying a swollen hand criss-
crossed with surgeon's plaster. "A fellow got noisy last night."

"D'jou hit him?" queried Higgins, gazing with interest at the
proprietor's knuckles.

"Yes. I swung for his jaw and went high. Teeth--" Mr. Padden said,
vaguely. He turned a shrewd eye upon Anthony. "I heard about the
game to-day. That was all right."

Kirk grinned boyishly. "I didn't have much to do with it; these
are the fellows."

"Don't believe him," interrupted Ringold.

"Sure! he's too modest," Higgins chimed in. "Fine fellow an' all
that, understand, but he's got two faults--he's modest and he's
lazy. He's caused a lot of uneasiness to his father and me.
Father's a fine man, too." He nodded his long, narrow head
solemnly.

"We know who did the trick for us," added Anderson, the straw-
haired half-back.