"Yeah, some chance it'll be takin', I bet!" Timmy exclaimed. "I got a hunch an' that's all there's to it. But I ain't lettin' myself go off the handle no more--I wanta keep what nerve I got to tell Devlin where he's gettin' off if he springs any killin' jobs on _me_." "That goes double," Nickie said, suddenly very serious. "I don't like the look in Devlin's eye, he looks crazy b'lieve _me_, an' Timmy's right bout needin' all his nerve. He'll need it--we'll all need it when the time comes. An' lissen, guys, maybe we'll wanta know how we make out afterwards, hah? What d'ye say we dope out where we'll write letters to, hah?" Shorty laughed. "Eet is funny, Neeckie. You talk lak that when mebbe we all see each other again some place out west together, eh? Ees that not what you thought when we come here, yes?" "Yeah--I thought a lotta things when I come here," Nickie answered. "That's why I come. But I ain't so sure about Devlin sendin' us somewheres out west where we'll meet--see! He ain't said nothin', so I guess it means we say so long when we blow here. Anyways, we land some place; there ain't no sayin' there won't be somewheres we'll go, so I say let's write an' tell each other how we shook Devlin or how we didn't. Now I got a aunt where you guys can write me in New York. After I get fixed wherever I go, I'll tip her off an' she'll send me the letters." "I got a aunt in Glens Falls," Timmy said brightening. "I got a aunt in New York, too!" Skippy added. They all laughed at the coincidence, but Shorty and Biff broke into the conversation eagerly. "I got Pop an' Mom in New York!" Shorty announced proudly. "Me, too!" said Biff. "We leeve next door Shorty an' I bet they all crazy we don't show at Delafield." They fell to talking about their parents proudly. Nickie did some reminiscing about his aunt's kindly care of him and it seemed that Timmy had somewhat the same story to tell. Skippy was listening intently, but at the same time his mind was going back to the night before when he had heard Devlin denouncing Frost for having brought the two Greeks along. "Say, fellers," he said suddenly. "Shorty an' Biff got parents, huh? You, Nickie, an' Timmy an' me--we ain't got none. I heard Devlin an' Frost talkin' last night--I couldn't sleep so I heard what they said. One thing I know was that Devlin was burnin' up, 'cause he asked Frost what was he gonna do bout Shorty and Biff 'cause they're Greek'n' he couldn't pass 'em off for his sons. So Frost says he'll take 'em himself--one he'll take to Pittsburgh an' the other to Maine. Anyway, Devlin was mad that they came 'cause he said he didn't expect 'em. So you know what I think, fellers?" "Spill it, kid," Nickie said. "That Devlin picks on orphans a-purpose!" "Say," Nickie said, admiringly, "that's brains, kid, an' I don't mean maybe. That's callin' the turn. Holy Smoke, if that don't seem like what he's doin'--the orphan racket, hah?" Nickie said as if to himself. "I wonder why, hah?"