"'Hep to what?' I says.
"'Why, this hoss works a mile in forty yesterday,' says Peewee. 'I'm goin' to cop with him next week.'
"'Your work's coarse,' I says. 'The only way that dog goes a mile in forty is in the baggage coach ahead. I'm in a hurry! Here's a hundred fur the pup. Don't break a leg gettin' him out of the stall.'
"I don't stop to answer Peewee's questions, but leads the hoss back to the fat guy.
"'Here's Salvini,' I says. 'He cost you a hundred.'
"'S. R. O. for you,' says he, 'n' slips me the hundred. 'Now, take him and Edwin Booth to the livery-stable round the corner from the Alhambra Theater. Come to the Gilsey House at six o'clock and ask for me. My name is Banks.'
"'There's class to that name,' I says. 'It sure sounds good to me.'
"'Keep on your toes like you've done so far and it'll be as good as it sounds,' says he.
"That evenin' Banks tells me the dogs he's bought is fur a show called A Blue Grass Belle. A dame is to ride one of 'em in the show, 'n' I'm to ride the other.
"'I've arranged to have the apparatus set up back of the livery-stable,' says Banks, 'so you can rehearse the horses for their act. When they know their parts I'll bring Pixley around and you can work the act together. She was a rube before she hit the big town and she says she can ride.'