"Oh, very well."
"And how do you propose to divide the booty? Would you be satisfied with predestination on a fifty-fifty split?"
"I would not," returned Gud decisively. "I consider such collusion to suppress competition most unprofessional. I will give them a revelation, you can plant seeds of doubt and temptation, and we will divide on the usual tests of faith."
"But what about those that pass over without hearing the revelation?"
"I get them on the mercy clause," said Gud.
"That's too liberal," replied the Devil, "and you know it; they belong to me by right of original sin. If you insist on taking them we will call the whole deal off."
"Let's compromise on transmigration and reincarnate them till they do hear my revelation. It will mean quite a saving in the stock of new souls, for we will have to buy them. I was never good at designing home-made souls; I could never get them of even size, and the big ones were always knocking the little ones about."
"Very well," agreed the Devil, who was anxious to get going. "Order the souls when you get ready."
Just then the volcano conveniently erupted and dematerialized the king in exile and the bricklayer on strike.