“I’ll not leave you a leg to stand on, if you——”
“Shut up, Jerry!” commanded Badger sharply. “How long had you been in the hamper, youngster?”
“All the way from town, mister.”
“Nonsense!” cried Vic Clayton, now pressing nearer. “I know better than that.”
“Sure, ma’am, I don’t like to contradict a lady like yourself, but you’ll find I’m right,” insisted Patsy, bowing to her with a ludicrous display of humility.
“Do you mean to say that you rode out from town in that hamper?” demanded Vic.
“That’s what I did, ma’am.”
“What put you up to that?” cried Badger, in threatening tones.
Patsy indulged in another grin.
“Well, ’twas like this, mister, d’ye see,” he proceeded to explain, with an air of humble frankness. “I was walking along Tremont Street with a comrade of mine—Jones his name is, mister, and mine is Green.”