He punched the boy in the ribs, chuckling to himself. The boy laughed too, freshly and frankly.
"Something like you, I reckon," said Jeff, "only cleaner and----"
"I'm as clean as they make 'em," Bud declared angrily.
"Keep your hair on, sonny. I'll allow yer as clean as they make boys, mebbee cleaner, but we're speaking o' girls. Have ye got her picture?"
"Whose picture?"
"Your sister's."
"Well, I declare! How do you know I've got a sister?"
"I know it," said Jeff. "Call it instinct. Didn't I tell ye that in my business I've got to jest naturally know things? I jump, Bud, where the ordinary citizen might, so ter speak, crawl."
The boy laughed gaily. Then he ran off, returning in a minute with a small leather case. Out of this he took a cabinet photograph, which he handed to Jeff. That gentleman became excited at once.
"I knew it--I knew it!" he exclaimed. "She's a--peach! Bud, I'm mighty glad ye showed me this. Jee--whiz! Yes, and like you, only ten thousand times better-lookin'. What's her name, Bud?"