"'Twenty dollars and expenses,' says he.
"'Make it thirty,' I says. 'Travelin's hard on them that loves their
home.'
"'We'll split it,' he says. 'Twenty-five's the word.'
"'My time's yours,' I says.
"'How about the other horse?' says the fat guy.
"'You'll own him in eight minutes,' I says. 'Stay here with Edwin
Booth till I get back.'
"I hustles down the line 'n' finds Peewee Simpson washin' out
bandages--that's what he'd come to.
"'You still got that sorrel hound?' I says to him.
"'Nope,' says Peewee. 'He's got me. I'm takin' in washin' to support
him.'
"'Brace yourself fur a shock,' I says. 'I'll give you real money fur
him.'
"Peewee looks at me fur a minute like you done a while ago.
"'Don't wake me up!' he says. 'I must--' then he stops 'n' takes
another slant at me. 'Say!' he says, 'I'll bet you've got next! I
ain't told you yet--who put you hep?'
"'Hep to what?' I says.
"'Why, this hoss works a mile in forty yesterday,' says Peewee. 'I'm
goin' to cop with him next week.'
"'Your work's coarse,' I says. 'The only way that dog goes a mile in
forty is in the baggage coach ahead. I'm in a hurry! Here's a hundred
fur the pup. Don't break a leg gettin' him out of the stall.'
"I don't stop to answer Peewee's questions, but leads the hoss back to
the fat guy.
"'Here's Salvini,' I says. 'He cost you a hundred.'
"'S. R. O. for you,' says he, 'n' slips me the hundred. 'Now, take him
and Edwin Booth to the livery-stable round the corner from the Alhambra
Theater.
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