This Patsy saw, and he determined to take advantage of it.

“Say,” he said, “do you know the people here?”

“Yep; he’s a nice man what keeps dis place.”

“Is he straight?”

“Straight as a die.”

“Then this isn’t a hang-out for crooks?” asked Patsy.

“Naw. He won’t have dem around. Dere’s lots of dem on dese corners, but he won’t have dem here.”

Patsy was silent a moment as he thought over a plan which had entered his head. Then he said:

“Call him here and tell him who I am. I want to ask him something.

The girl did so, and the proprietor, a rather rough-looking but honest man, came to him.