Walker crossed one leg over the other.
“It was clever,” he said, “and I hesitated to shatter it. But the question had to come.
“'Where is your man?' I said.
“The hobo executed a little deprecatory step, with his fingers picking at his coat pockets.
“'That's the trouble, Governor,' he answered; 'I intended to sleuth him for you, but he gave me a dollar and I got drunk... you saw me. That man had got out at McDuyal's place not five minutes before. I was flashin' to the booze can when you tried to stop me.... Nothin' doin' when I get the price.'”
Walker paused.
“It was a good fairy story and worth something. I offered him half a dollar. Then I got a surprise.
“The creature looked eagerly at the coin in my fingers, and he moved toward it. He was crazy for the liquor it would buy. But he set his teeth and pulled up.
“'No, Governor,' he said, 'I'm in it for the sawbuck. Where'll I find you about noon?'
“I promised to be on the Boardwalk before Heinz's Pier at two o'clock, and he turned to shuffle away. I called an inquiry after him... You see there were two things in his story: How did he get a dollar tip, and how did he happen to make his imaginary man banker-looking? Mulehaus had been banker-looking in both the Egypt and the Argentine affairs. I left the latter point suspended, as we say. But I asked about the dollar. He came back at once.