"I guess I do!" said Grist. "We come out to buy a barn, and got a house
and lot fer the same money. It's the greatest night's work you ever
done, Sim Peck!"

"I guess it is!"

"Shake on it, Sim."

They shook hands, exalted with triumph.

"This'll do the work," giggled Peck. "It's about two-thousand per cent.
better than the story we started to git. Why, Dave Beasley'll be in a
padded cell in a month! It'll be all over town to-morrow, and he'll have
as much chance fer governor as that nigger in there!" In his ecstasy he
smote Dowden deliriously in the ribs. "What do you think of your
candidate NOW?"

"Wait," said Dowden. "Who came in the hacks that Grist saw?"

This staggered Mr. Peck. He rubbed his mitten over his woollen cap as if
scratching his head. "Why," he said, slowly--"who in Halifax DID come in
them hacks?"

"The Hunchbergs," said I.

"Who's the Hunchbergs? Where--"

"Listen," said Dowden.