“Why, of course!” he answered, hastily. “And I think it can be fixed. I’ll see Patsy and let him know it’s either a question of his turning State’s evidence and giving me the gang or having some one else put on what’ll scoop ’em all in.”
“Would he do that?” I asked.
“Why, of course, rather than be took himself,” replied Dave, looking surprised that I should ask such a question.
That settled it so far as Dave was concerned. I told him that I’d think about it and let him know. I saw at once that he was not the man for the work. Then I sent for Sam Kean.
As soon as he came I told him the whole story.
“Do you think you could ring in with that gang?” I asked.
“I’d like to try ever so much,” he said. “I’ve wanted this long time to see what I could do with the roughest classes.”
“Ain’t you afraid?”
“Not a bit of it.”
“If they get an idea of the truth they’ll certainly kill you. Your life wouldn’t be worth two cents.”