"Stop your kiddin'."
"Can't you comprehend it?"
"Aw, what do you care about what Kink wins?[pg 145] If we was Kinks, you an' me, all right. But we ain't Doc. We're little fellows. Our graft ain't big like the Dutch Emperor's, but maybe it comes just as regular on pay day. Ich ka bibble."
"Duck," I said, "you explain your presence here by telling me that you enlisted while drunk. How do you explain my being here?"
"You're a Doc. I guess there must be big money into it," he returned with a wink.
"I draw no pay."
"I believe you," he remarked, leering. "Say, don't you do that to me, Doc. I may be unfortunit; I'm a poor damn fool an' I know it. But don't tell me you're here for your health."
"I won't repeat it, Duck," I said, smiling.
"Much obliged. Now for God's sake let's talk business. You think you've got me cinched. You think you can go home an' raise hell in the 50th while I'm doin' time into these here trenches. You sez to yourself, 'O there ain't nothin' to it!' An' then you tickles yourself under the ribs, Doc. You better make a deal with me, do you hear? Gimme mine, and you can have yours, too; and between us, if we[pg 146] work together, we can hand one to Mike the Kike that'll start every ambulance in the city after him. Get me?"
"There's no use discussing such things——"