“Good graft,” commented Ernie.
“You’re right,” said Ben. “Let them try to bust it! Then the dock wallopers get busy. If any truckmen try to load without our permission, we give it to them right.
“But we don’t have to worry about that. Bart Hennesy has a tie-up with the union truckmen, and the same with the longshoremen. They’re all with us!”
“Where does Hoke Larrigan come in, then?”
“That’s just the trouble. He’s supposed to be working with Bart, just the way I am; but he tries to do things his own way. He controls gangs on some of the docks — and he don’t come through with his cut. Bart’s wise to him!”
“What’s his game — outside of getting more dough than he’s entitled to?”
“He wants to run the racket, that’s what! He’s big enough, so Bart doesn’t take a crack at him, because it wouldn’t go good with his mob. But Hoke’s not taking a crack at Bart, either. He’s too wise.
“That’s what Bart is watching for. Now that we mixed up in this deal of Durgan’s, and six of our dock wallopers are either bumped off or pinched, Hoke’s got a chance to make trouble!”
“Bart ought to like that. It will let him come back at Hoke, won’t it?”
“Maybe. Maybe not. Bart’s been laying off because of Hoke’s friends. Now Hoke has got an excuse. He can tell them all that Bart’s no good because he isn’t sticking where he belongs — on the docks.”