"Yes, sir. I had it from his own lips in person. And do you know what he done? He took that stuff out of the closet and sent his chauffeur over to Worcester to put it in the Left Luggage place at the depôt there." "What!" "Yes, sir." "Gee!" said Mr. Twist, impressed. "That was smooth. Then you haven't got it, do you mean?" "No. I haven't got it." Mr. Twist had never expected to feel anything in the nature of elation that day or for many days to come, but at these words something like ecstasy came upon him. He uttered a delighted laugh, which, owing to sudden agony in the head, changed to a muffled howl. "So, after all your smartness," he said, removing his hands from his temples as the spasm passed, "you're no better off than what I am?" "We're both sitting pretty, Chimpie, if we get together and act quick." "How's that? Act how?" "I'll tell you. This chauffeur guy left the stuff and brought home the ticket...." "... and gave it to old man Carmody, I suppose? Well, where does that get us?" "No, sir! He didn't give it to old man Carmody. He gave it to that young Carroll fellow!" said Mr. Molloy. The significance of the information was not lost upon Chimp. He stared at Mr. Molloy. "Carroll?" he said. "You mean the bird upstairs?" "Is he upstairs?" "Sure he's upstairs. Locked in a room with bars on the window. You're certain he has the ticket?" "I know he has. So all we've got to do now is get it off him." "That's all?" "That's all." "And how," inquired Chimp, "do you propose to do it?" Mr. Molloy made no immediate reply. The question was one which, in the intervals of dodging the pedals of his bicycle, he had been asking himself ever since he had left Rudge Hall. He had hoped that in the enthusiasm of the moment some spontaneous solution would leap from his old friend's lips, but it was plain that this was not to be. "I thought maybe you would think of a way, Chimpie," he was compelled to confess. "Oh? Me, eh?" "You're smart," said Mr. Molloy, deferentially. "You've got a head. Whatever anyone's said about you, no one's ever denied that. You'll think of a way." "I will, will I? And while I'm doing it, you'll just sit back, I suppose, and have a nice rest? And all you're suggesting that I'm to get out of it...." "Now, Chimpie!" quavered Mr. Molloy. He had feared this development. "... is a measly one-third. Say, let me tell you...." "Now, Chimpie," urged Mr. Molloy, with unshed tears in his voice, "let's not start all that over again. We settled the terms. Gentlemen's agreement. It's all fixed." "Is it? Come down out of the clouds, you're scaring the birds. What I want now, if I'm going to do all the work and help you out of a tough spot, is seventy-thirty." "Seventy-thirty!' echoed Mr. Molloy, appalled.