"You have saved my life. How can I repay you?"
"I don't want any pay," spoke up Whistler. "I on'y came here to tell you about the fire."
"What fire?"
"Turkey said you was defending the bloke that set fire to the house on Cazenove street."
"Do you know something about that?"
"We seen a blo—a man coming out of the house," answered the Whistler.
"Then you come to make me still more obliged to you. But you must let me discharge a part of my other debt first I have just come from the bank. Here are fifteen double eagles. You will each give me your mother's name and address and I will send her five."
Turkey and Toot showed no reluctance in doing this, but the Whistler still held back.
"My mother doesn't want any reward," he said. All three of the boys had just graduated from the Phillips grammar school, and could place their negatives correctly when they chose.
"This is not a reward. I only ask you to allow me to be your friend. At your age I had never seen this amount of money."