"The reason is that he's a duffer; wants to lay back smokin' an' have the dollars come rollin' in without his raisin' a hair. Of course he ain't gettin' along very smart, an' we'll soon be ready to take it. With two fellers who are willin' to work there's a big thing in that place. We're countin' on settin' up a bootblackin' place with chairs an' all such kind of swellin', you know. It's going to be 'Roberts & Dean, Newsdealers an' Shiners.'"
"You'll make a go of it, Bill."
"Course we shall," was the complacent reply. "I knowed it was a good thing jest as soon as Dan flashed her up, an' said I'd come in before he got half through talkin'. This 'ere little blow-out is the only thing we're goin' to spend any money on till we get the shop paid for."
"It's too bad for you to put out good money on me."
"What we're doin' to-night won't break us, I reckon. First off we allowed it would cost fifteen cents apiece; but we had an offer of three dollars for that many tickets, which comes pretty nigh payin' all the bills."
"Three dollars for three tickets!" Seth repeated in perplexity. "What is it you've been gettin' up, Bill?"
"Hold on 'bout four minutes longer, an' then the whole thing will be flashed up. It's great!"
Before the time specified by Bill had elapsed, Dan suddenly turned into a German restaurant, walked the length of the lower floor, and led the way upstairs.
Seth felt that already was his "eye bein' knocked out."
He knew there were private supper-rooms in some of these Chatham Street establishments, but had never been fortunate enough to see one, and now he was to enter as a guest of honor.