From the end of the street, where the gaming houses were located, came a wild shout.
“Somebody’s out for a good time. You’d think the men would leave their wives and children at home with that stuff going on.” Roy motioned to a tent outside of which sat a man, a woman, and two young girls. “But I suppose a lot of them pulled up stakes and hit out for good, with no intentions of returning. I’ll bet a lot of them will ride on within two weeks, broke.”
Teddy nodded. “That’s the luck of the game. Say, wouldn’t it be great if we could strike it good and rich and go home with a couple of thousand apiece? Baby! I’d like to be able to hand a bag of nuggets to dad and say: ‘See what your dutiful sons brought to you from afar. Here is ten thousand; take it and buy a race-horse.’”
“You know what dad would say to that,” Roy laughed. “He’d ask you who lent it to you. Anyhow, it’s nice to think about. Snakes! what is this, a free-for-all?”
They were opposite a large wooden shack, well lit, from which came excited cries. Suddenly a man burst through the door.
“Me, I am a bear, an’ it’s my night to howl!” he roared. “Who deposed the Russian Czar? Me, I done it! Who won the war? Me, again! And who is goin’ to—goin’ to—” he hesitated and took a deep breath. “I forget just what, but I’m goin’ to do it,” he muttered. “Right now, too!”
He turned, and saw Teddy and Roy. Slowly he pushed his hat back on his head, and by the light of a lantern which hung from a near-by pole the boys could see a livid scar running the length of his forehead.
“Ah, the Duke of York an’ his maid in waitin’,” he called ironically, bowing low. “Ladies, I greet you! Welcome to Buckingham Palace. What ho, the guard! Where’s the Lord Mayor? Where’s that Lord Mayor? He’s never around when I want him! I’ll have to do somethin’ about that. I’ll dock his pay, that’s what I’ll do! Yes, sir! Well, then I’m the welcomin’ committee. An’ here’s the way we welcome guests!”
Suddenly, without a word of warning, he drew his revolver and shot into the ground at Teddy’s feet!