"Well, I guess it's your trouble, not mine."

"But I want it to be yours too, Spider. You see, I'm counting on you to
help me smash this gang."

"Bo, it looks like you're goin' t' do a hell of a lot o' countin'--an'
then some more, before you count me in on this fool game. Say"--he
paused to stare at Ravenslee, keen-eyed and with jaws clamped
rigid--"you ain't a fly-cop--one o' these sleuthy gum-shoe men, are ye?"

"No."

"Well, you ain't one o' these fool amateur guys doin' the dare-devil
detective act like you read about in th' magazines, are ye?"

"No more than you are one of these dirty gang loafers you hear about
around O'Rourke's--and that's why you're going to help me root 'em out."

"Sufferin' Pete!" sighed the Spider, "here I keep tellin' you I ain't on
in this act, an' here you keep on ringin' me in frequent all the same."

"Because you are a man, Spider Connolly, and white all through, and
because to smash up this gang is going to be man's work."

"Well, it sure ain't no job for Sophy the Satin-skinned Show-girl--nor
yet for two nice, quiet little fellers like you an' me."

"We shan't be quite alone, Spider."

"That's some comfortin', anyway!"