living by less precarious methods."

"You would think so," replied the Lizard. "I've tried two or three

times to go straight. Wore out my shoes looking for a job. Never landed

anything that paid me more than ten bucks per, and worked nine or ten

hours a day, and half the time I couldn't get that."

"I suppose the police hounded you all the time, too," suggested Jimmy.

"Naw," said the Lizard; "dat's all bunk. De fellows that couldn't even

float down a sewer straight pull dat. Once in a while dey get it in for

some guy, but dey're glad enough to leave us alone if we leave dem

alone. I worked four hours to-day, maybe six before I get through, and

I'll stand a chance of makin' all the way from fifty dollars to five

thousand. Suppose I was drivin' a milk-wagon, gettin' up at t'ree

o'clock in the mornin' and workin' like hell--how much would I get out

of dat? Expectin' every minute some one was goin' tuh fire me. Nuthin'

doin'--dey can't nobody fire me now. I'm my own boss."

"Well," said Jimmy, "your logic sounds all right, but it all depends

upon the viewpoint. But I'll tell you: you've offered me your services;

I'll offer you mine. Whenever you want a job, look me up. I'm going to

be general manager of a big concern here, and you'll find me in the next

issue of the telephone directory." He handed the Lizard his card.

"Tanks," said the latter. "If you don't want a box cracked any sooner

than I want a job, the chances are we will never meet again. So-long,"

and he was gone as noiselessly as he had come.

Jimmy breakfasted at nine the next morning, and as he waited for his

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