"How long have you been at this game, bub?"
"Not long, sir," replied Tommy, in his simple way. "I only started on it just now."
"As I thought. Who put you up to it?"
"That man behind, sir, who is leaning against the lamp-post."
"If I told you my name you were to fall back and tell him, and then he'd come up to me?"
"Yes, sir," he said, "you were a greenhorn, and he'd play you for a sucker."
The tall man smiled.
"He never made a greater mistake in his life," was the reply. "I'm pretty well posted on all these tricks, and I've paid for my experience."
"What will I say to him?" asked Tommy.
The tall man advanced to where Thompson was waiting, but when the latter saw him coming he concluded that something was wrong, and ran.