"It was your tips I was thinking of, and Corker's frothing through your
list of names," said Cotton, apologetically.

"All right," said Todd, acidly. "If you had left me alone I wouldn't have
wanted those tips, and as for my names, I did not christen myself. If you
want half an hour to shake out your work roughly I'll do it, but I can't
do more, Jim, honour bright."

"I don't want _that_!" said Cotton, angrily, gathering up his
books.

"Am deucedly glad you don't. And here, Jim, is the other half of the
money. Since I'm not obliging you in any way, why should you me?"

"You're logical, Todd, at any rate," said Jim, with half a sneer.

"Didn't know you could spot logic when you heard it, Cotton," said Gus,
with an equal amount of acid, and yet good-naturedly too.

"I suppose I clean you out?"

"You do. I've got a shilling to look at when you've taken up that heap."

"Is that your last word?"

"It is, but there's no need to quarrel--we're as we were before I began
to take your hire, Jim."

"Not quite," said Cotton, who was hit by Gus's decision. "I'll leave you
to your odd shilling and your forsaken tips."