“Did I hear you ask me in?” said Wilder affably.
“No agents need apply,” said Tootles, in warning. “However, can you lend me five?”
From long contact, he had adopted a defensive formula: In case of doubt, touch the other man first.
“I can,” said the other, accepting this as an invitation to enter.
Tootles eyed him through the narrowing slits of his eyes and repeated sternly,
“Come now; what’s your line of goods?”
“I have a camel,” said the other, in an easy, matter-of-fact tone.
“A what?”
“A camel.”
“I don’t want any toys.”