“I don’t reckon Louie is feeling too good right now,” Tux said guardedly. “He’s got a dome like an egg-shell.”

“Does that mean he’s dead?”

Tux lifted his shoulders.

“He could be. He spilt a lot of brain.”

O’Brien rubbed his jaw.

“This set-up is getting out of hand,” he said, took out a cigar and bit off the end. “It might be a good thing if Louie did croak.”

Tux looked relieved.

“It’ll surprise me if he doesn’t.”

“We don’t want any death-bed confessions.”

“He was too far gone to talk when we left him.”