Peter grunted scornfully. "Huh! Yo' don't need ter be afeared o' my sayin' nawthin' ter nobody." "I believe you," returned Bailey as they separated. Half an hour later, in a room of the Mansion House, Grimes, Bailey and a third man, that Bailey introduced at Mr. Swazey, sat down together to discuss the proposition dealing with easy money. Mr. Swazey was not one who, from his appearance, would ever be judged to have had much money, easy or otherwise. He had a belligerent face, red hair, freckles, and pale blue eyes that were as hard and cold as steel. He wore a cheap suit of plaid material, a dazzling stick pin and a pair of sneakers. "It's like this, Mr. Grimes," said Bailey, after making sure there was no possibility of their conversation being overheard. "Mr. Swazey, here, is going to assist me in a little undertaking of a purely business nature. We need a man of your judgement,--one who knows how to keep his mouth shut--to go in with us on the deal. If it goes through successfully, as it ought to if you do your part, there's a thousand dollars in it for you, cold cash." He paused to let the statement sink in. There was no doubt, however, of Peter's comprehension. His jaw fell, his mouth opened and his small, venomous eyes gleamed with avarice. A thousand dollars! He had never seen so much money. His hands closed and unclosed convulsively as if he already felt it in his grasp. Keep his mouth shut? Go in on the deal? Ha! There was nothing he would not do to possess a thousand dollars. If they thought he was liable to refuse they were crazy. He closed his mouth and licked his lips in a fever of expectation. So deeply was he revolving the matter in his mind that he forgot to speak. Bailey roused him. "Well, what do you say?" "Shore." "You'll do it?" "Shore." "All right, it's a bargain. Mr. Swazey, here, is a witness. And if there's any backing out or double-crossing or any leak--" Bailey paused and displayed his teeth while his lip curled back and his mustache drooped down and the impression was given that in any of the eventualities mentioned, serious and probably fatal results would be experienced by Mr. Peter Grimes. "Thar won't be none," that gentleman declared, greedily. "Whut I wanter know is, when do I git the thousand dollars!" "When we get the pile we're after," Bailey replied, "and here's cash money in advance for the care of the child." He counted out some bills which Grimes accepted eagerly. "As I said, it's an undertaking," Bailey went on. "We hope it will be successful. We expect it to be successful. If it fails we all stand to lose. If it goes through, we all win. Do you know what a ransom is, Mr. Grimes?" Peter thought he did, but Bailey enlightened him further.