"'Not on your life!' said he. Born in Newark, New Jersey, deah boy, I assure you--right back of the gas-house; what? These togs o' mine were handed out to me by an old pal--a cockney valet--and the accent goes with 'em, don't ye know?' "'I'm on,' said I, sadder but wiser, and then relapsed into reverie. "The Battery was thronged as usual, but we found a bench away from prying eyes. "'Gee whiz! Jumping Jerusalem! Julius Caesar! Joe Cannon!' murmured my friend as he emptied the stuffing of the wallet into his hat. 'Am I dreaming again? I've often dreamt that I have found a bunch of money--picking it out of the gutter, usually--dimes, quarters, halves--bushels of 'em! But this is different--oh, so different! Can it be real? Am I on the boards again? Can it be only stage mon----? Look here; isn't this a windfall? Isn't this a monumental rake-off for a non-profesh? Heaven knows I'm but an amateur in this line--normally an honest man, with but slightly way-ward tendencies. Whooping O'Shaughnessy! Just look! Six one-thousand-dollar bills, fifty one-hundreds--that's eleven thousand! A sheaf of fifties and twenties, swelling the total to something like twelve thousand! Hoo-ray! Again I ask, am I dreaming? Pinch me, I'll stop snoring, 'deed I will. I'll turn over, dearie, and go to sleep again! Twelve thousand plunks! Wouldn't that everlastingly unsettle you? Well, well, well! Not so bad for a moment's effort before breakfast, eh? Ain't it simply grand, Mag? I wonder who and what our friend is, anyway. He wasn't dressed just for the part of bank messenger, though he had the inside lining, all right! A pursy old broker, I guess. Might have been a book-maker--you never can tell. Anyhow, I am sort o' sorry for the chap. It would break _me_ all up if I lost a wad of that size! Who is he? Hell, what a fool I am! Here is the name on the flap of the wallet. ABNER MCNAMEE, 24 Broadway, New York. "'Abner McNamee! Abner McNamee!! Abner Mac----! Ain't this the limit! Abner McNamee! We can't take this money! Just my damned, hydra-headed luck! You hear me? It has always been that way with me--all my life! We can't take this money, pardner! It's got to be returned! This money's all got to go back--every cent of it! Ain't it a shame? Abner McNamee! I oughter have known him at the time, but I only saw him once, and that was years ago. He has taken on a lot of flesh since then. Abner McNamee! Who'd 'a' thought it?' "'Who the devil is Abner McNamee?' I asked, scenting treachery. This was a share and share alike affair, and no crooked work, and--I needed the money! 'What's the game--this McNamee business? Do you think I am a fool?'