"Why, I'm Snooksy's friend," he said. "You know me and Snooksy was always chums, don't you, Gubby? Yes, sir, I think a lot of Snooksy. He says, 'Slippery, you go up to my room and get me a bundle of clean clothes--these are all torn and dirty, and--' Well, I guess I'll get 'em, and get back. Snooks is waitin' for me." He turned to the hall, but Philo Gubb called him back. "You can't go up there," said Philo Gubb, from his ladder-top. "There's been enough folks up there already." "Who was up?" asked Slippery hastily. "Policeman Fogarty was," said Philo Gubb. "What'd he find up there?" asked Slippery anxiously. "Nothin'," said Philo Gubb. "He told me he couldn't find seven bottles of beer and a beer-opener." "Look here!" said Slippery sweetly. "If I gave you five dollars to hire you to hunt for them, could you find them seven bottles of beer and that beer-opener, for me? Straight detective work? Could you?" "I could try to find them," said Philo Gubb. "Well, that's all I want," said Slippery. "I don't want to do nothin' with them. All I want to know is--where are they? Here's five dollars." Philo Gubb took the money. "All right," said Slippery, "now, you find them. They're upstairs in Mrs. Turner's bed, between the quilt and the mattress. Go find them." "Not until Miss Turner comes home," said Philo firmly. "It's her house." "Why, you long-legged stork you!" said Slippery, "she knows I'm here for that beer. She sent me." "I thought you said Snooks sent you for his clothes," said Philo. "Never you mind who sent me for what!" said Slippery, angrily. "You're a dandy detective, ain't you? Sittin' on top of a ladder, and not lettin' a friend of Snooks help him out. Say, listen, Gubby! Everybody's goin' to get into worse trouble if I don't get away with that beer. Understand? Come on! Let me take it away!" "When Miss Turner comes back!" said Philo Gubb. A new knock on the door interrupted them, and Slippery glided to the cellar door, through which Snooks had so recently fled. The kitchen door opened to admit Attorney Smith. He was a thin man, but intelligent-looking, as thin men quite frequently are. "Don't get down, Mr. Gubb, don't get down!" he said. "I came in the back way, hoping to find Miss Turner. She is not here?" "She's out," said Philo. "Too bad!" said Attorney Smith. "I wanted to see her about her nephew. You have heard he is in jail?" "Why, yes," said Philo, crossing one leg over the other. "He hired me to do some deteckating. I'm sort of in charge of that case. I'm just going to start in looking it up." Attorney Smith took a turn to the end of the room and back. He was known in Riverbank as the unsuccessful competitor against Attorney Mullen for the City Attorneyship, and was supposed to be the counselor of the liquor interests. "You have done nothing yet?" he asked suddenly, stopping below Philo Gubb's elevated seat. "No, I'm just about beginning to commence," said Philo.