"I--don't get drunk, Spike."

"But you won't tell her?" he pleaded, reaching out desperate hands,
"you won't?"

"Not a word, Spike!"

"Oh, I know I'm--rotten!" sobbed the lad. "I know you ain't got no use
for me any more, but I'm sorry, Geoff, I'm real sorry. I know a guy
can't forgive a guy as gives a guy away if that guy's a guy's friend. I
know as you can't forgive me. I know as you'll cut me out for good after
this. But I want ye t' know as I'm sorry, Geoff--awful sorry--I--I ain't
fit t' be anybody's friend, I guess."

"I think you need a friend more than ever, Spike!"

"Geoff!" cried the boy breathlessly. "Say--what d' you mean?"

"I mean the time has come for you to choose between M'Ginnis and me. If
I am to be your friend, M'Ginnis must be your enemy from now on--wait!
If you want my friendship, no more secrets; tell me just how M'Ginnis
got you into his power--how he got you to break into my house."

Spike glanced up through his tears, glanced down, choked upon a sob, and
burst into breathless narrative.

"There was me an' Bud an' a guy they call Heine--we'd been to a rube
boxin' match up th' river. An' as we come along, Heine says: 'If I was
in th' second-story-lay there's millionaire Ravenslee's wigwam waitin'
t' be cracked,' an' he pointed out your swell place among th' trees in