"As old as Satan, I should say!" raps out Aunty.

"Why," squeals Cousin Eulalia gushy, "here is our Unknown Knight, the
first to come back with his tribute!  Let's see, what was it you said
you were going to do?  Oh, I know--take a chance on something fresh,
wasn't it?  Well?"

"Ye-e-es," says I.  "And I guess I did."

"Trust him for that!" snorts Aunty.  "Young man, at our last interview
I thought I made it quite clear that I should not expect you to return?"

"That's right," says I, edgin' around her towards the door.  "And you
wa'n't, was you?"

Some glance she shot over; but it didn't prove fatal.  And as I rides
down I couldn't help swappin' a wink with the elevator boy.

"Feelin' frisky, eh?" says he.  "So was them other young guys.  One of
'em tipped me a half."

"That kind would," says I.  "They're comin' back.  I'm escapin'."

But, say, who do you guess wins out for Wednesday night?  Ah, rattle
'em again!  Eulalia fixed it up.  Said it was Vee's decision, and she
was bound to stick by the rules of the game, even if they did have to
throw a bluff to Aunty.  Uh-huh!  I've got three orchestra seats right
in my pocket, and a table engaged for supper afterwards.  Oh, I don't
know.  Eulalia ain't so batty, after all.
CHAPTER IIPULLING A SLEUTH STUNTTrust Piddie for workin' up wild suspicions.  Say, he can't find a
stray sheet of scribblin' paper on the floor without pouncin' sleuthy
on it and tryin' to puzzle out the hidden meanin'.So when I get the buzzer call to Old Hickory's private office and finds him and the main stem waitin' in solemn conclave there, I guesses right off that Piddie's dug up a new one that he hopes to nail me with. Just now he's holdin' a little bunch of wilted field flowers in one hand, and as I range up by the desk he shoots over the accusin' glance.

"Boy," says he, "do you know anything about these?"

"Why, sure," says I. "They're pickled pigs' feet, ain't they?"

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