Part 26 (1/2)
CHAPTER XXI.
TWO YOUNG CAPITALISTS.
”Is that you, Bob Hunter?” said Tom Flannery, his eyes opened wide with surprise.
”I should think it is,” laughed the young detective.
”Say, Bob, where did you get 'em?” continued Tom, somewhat in doubt of his own senses.
”Why, I bought 'em, of course. How does anybody get new clothes?”
”They are slick, though, ain't they, Bob?” said young Flannery, admiringly, ”and they fit stunnin', too. You must er struck a snap somewhere, Bob.”
”I should think I did,” replied the latter; ”the best snap any er the boys ever struck.”
”Bob, you was always lucky. I wish I was as lucky as what you are. I never strike no snaps, Bob.”
”Don't you?” said young Hunter, meditatively.
”No, they don't never come my way,” responded Tom, dolefully.
Bob turned the lapels of his coat back and threw out his chest ponderously.
”Tom,” said he, with the air of a Wall Street banker, ”here's a five for you,” taking a new, crisp bill from his vest pocket.
”For me, Bob!” exclaimed Tom, incredulously.
”Why, yes, of course it's for you. Why not?”
”I don't understand it, Bob,” said young Flannery, completely upset.
”Why, it's one of them snaps. You said you never had any luck like me, so I thought I'd just give you some.”
”Bob, you're a dandy. I never see any feller do things the way you do.”
”Well, I do try to throw a little style into 'em, when it's handy to do it.”
”I should think you do.”
”You see, Tom, it don't cost no more to do things as they ought to be. I believe in doing 'em right, that's what I say.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: ”TOM,” SAID BOB, ”HERE'S A FIVE FOR YOU.”]
”But, you see, Bob, believing in 'em and knowing how to do 'em is two different things. Now I believe in 'em just the same as what you do, but I can't do 'em the same way.”
”Well, you ain't so old, Tom.”
”I know I ain't, but that don't make no difference, for when you was no older than what I am, why you done things in a awful grand way.”