Hogan was out in the gym in the barn. He had a couple of his health-farm patients with the gloves on. They neither one wanted to hit the other, for fear the other would come back and hit him. “That’ll do,” Hogan said when he saw me come in. “You can stop the slaughter. You gentlemen take a shower and Bruce will rub you down.” They climbed out through the ropes and Hogan came over to me. “John Collins is out with a couple of friends to see Jack,” I said. “I saw them come up in the car.” “Who are the two fellows with John?” “They’re what you call wise boys,” Hogan said. “Don’t you know them two?” “No,” I said. “That’s Happy Steinfelt and Lew Morgan. They got a pool-room.” “I been away a long time,” I said. “Sure,” said Hogan. “That Happy Steinfelt’s a big operator.” “I’ve heard his name,” I said. “He’s a pretty smooth boy,” Hogan said. “They’re a couple of sharpshooters.” “Well,” I said. “They want to see us in half an hour.” “You mean they don’t want to see us until a half an hour?” “That’s it.” “Come on in the office,” Hogan said. “To hell with those sharpshooters.” After about thirty minutes or so Hogan and I went upstairs. We knocked on Jack’s door. They were talking inside the room. “Wait a minute,” somebody said. “To hell with that stuff,” Hogan said. “When you want to see me I’m down in the office.” We heard the door unlock. Steinfelt opened it. “Come on in, Hogan,” he says. “We’re all going to have a drink.” “Well,” says Hogan. “That’s something.” We went in. Jack was sitting on the bed. John and Morgan were sitting on a couple of chairs. Steinfelt was standing up. “You’re a pretty mysterious lot of boys,” Hogan said. “Hello, Danny,” John says. “Hello, Danny,” Morgan says and shakes hands. Jack doesn’t say anything. He just sits there on the bed. He ain’t with the others. He’s all by himself. He was wearing an old blue jersey and pants and had on boxing shoes. He needed a shave. Steinfelt and Morgan were dressers. John was quite a dresser too. Jack sat there looking Irish and tough. Steinfelt brought out a bottle and Hogan brought in some glasses and everybody had a drink. Jack and I took one and the rest of them went on and had two or three each. “Better save some for your ride back,” Hogan said. “Don’t you worry. We got plenty,” Morgan said. Jack hadn’t drunk anything since the one drink. He was standing up and looking at them. Morgan was sitting on the bed where Jack had sat. “Have a drink, Jack,” John said and handed him the glass and the bottle. “No,” Jack said, “I never liked to go to these wakes.” They all laughed. Jack didn’t laugh. They were all feeling pretty good when they left. Jack stood on the porch when they got into the car. They waved to him. “So long,” Jack said.