station. Whereupon Shaver appreciatively poked his forefinger into Humpy's
surviving optic.

"I'll see what I got," muttered Mary. "What ye used t' eatin' for supper,
honey?"

The "honey" was a concession, and The Hopper, who was giving Shaver his
watch to play with, bent a commendatory glance upon his spouse.

"Go on an' tell us what ye done," said Mary, doggedly busying herself
about the stove.

The Hopper drew a chair to the table to be within reach of Shaver and
related succinctly his day's adventures.

"A dip!" moaned Mary as he described the seizure of the purse in the
subway.

"You hadn't no right to do ut, Hop!" bleated Humpy, who had tipped his
chair against the wall and was sucking a cold pipe. And then, professional
curiosity overmastering his shocked conscience, he added: "What'd she
measure, Hop?"

The Hopper grinned.

"Flubbed! Nothin' but papers," he confessed ruefully.

Mary and Humpy expressed their indignation and contempt in unequivocal
terms, which they repeated after he told of the suspected "bull" whose
presence on the local had so alarmed him. A frank description of his