"Twice!" nodded the Spider, "with a F an' a L thrown in--that's what you'll be, Geoff, if you try t' buck Bud an' th' gang. So here I've shinnied up y'r fire escape to put ye wise an' lend a hand to make your swift get-away." Ravenslee sighed and settled his head more comfortably on his pillow. "You think I ought to go, Spider?" "I don't think--I know! Your number's up, Geoff--it's you against th' field, an', bo--they're some field!" "You think there's real danger, then?" enquired Ravenslee, staring up at the fly-blown text with shining eyes. "As real as--death, bo!" "Not so long ago I regarded Death as my best friend--" "How much?" demanded the Spider, suspending mastication. "Nothing, Spider, a mere passing thought." "Well, I'm tellin' ye they'll get ye sure--it'll be th' water or a forty-four bullet, or a blackjack or a knife--but you'll get it one way or another!" "Sounds cheering!" "An' it ain't over-pleasant t' be sandbagged." "No, Spider." "Nor t' feel a lead pipe wrapped round th' back o' y'r bean." "No indeed, Spider." "Nor yet t' feel a stiletta diggin' between y'r shoulders or over y'r collar bone." "Worst of all, Spider." "Well, you'd best pack y'r little trunk an' fade away, bo!" Ravenslee sat up suddenly and looked at the Spider with eyes very bright and wide. "Not for all the gangs that ever ganged!" said he softly. "Eh?" exclaimed the Spider, staring, "what's yer game?" "I'm going to try to buck this gang clean out of existence." "You are, eh?" "I am." "Bo," sighed the Spider, shaking his head, "you ain't a ordinary fool--you're a damned fool!" "And you're going to help me, Spider!" "Not me, bo, not me--I'm only just an ordinary fool!" "Well, we'll let it go at that!" said Ravenslee, and lying back, he yawned again. "Don't do that, bo, don't do that!" exclaimed the Spider. "I'm thinkin' what you'll look like after you've been floatin' around in th' river--a week, say! You'd best get out o' Hell's Kitchen, bo--don't stop to ask where to, but--go there." "My Spider," said Ravenslee, shaking his head, "in Hell's Kitchen I should have to leave all that makes life worth while, so--I shall stay, of course, and chance the--er--river and things." "Well, I guess it's your trouble, not mine." "But I want it to be yours too, Spider. You see, I'm counting on you to help me smash this gang." "Bo, it looks like you're goin' t' do a hell of a lot o' countin'--an' then some more, before you count me in on this fool game. Say"--he paused to stare at Ravenslee, keen-eyed and with jaws clamped rigid--"you ain't a fly-cop--one o' these sleuthy gum-shoe men, are ye?" "No." "Well, you ain't one o' these fool amateur guys doin' the dare-devil detective act like you read about in th' magazines, are ye?" "No more than you are one of these dirty gang loafers you hear about around O'Rourke's--and that's why you're going to help me root 'em out."