Sunny's eyes glowed with triumph. He had feared the man's ridicule. He had expected to see his lean shoulders go up in silent contempt. And then, he knew, would have followed a storm of sarcasm and "jollying" from Sandy and the others. With quick wit he seized his opportunity, bent on using Bill's influence to its utmost. He turned on Minky with a well calculated abruptness. "You'll help this thing out--too?" he challenged him. And he got his answer on the instant-- "I sure will--to any extent." Sandy and Toby looked at the storekeeper in some doubt. Bill was watching them with a curious intentness. And before Sunny could challenge the two scoffers, his harsh voice filled the room again. "I don't know we'll need any more," he said, abruptly turning his gaze upon the open window, "otherwise we'd likely hev ast you two fellers. Y'see, we'll need folks as ken do things--" "Wot sort o' things?" demanded Sandy, with a sudden interest. "Wal, that ain't easy to say right now, but--" "I ain't much seein' to kids," cried Sandy, "but I ken do most anythin' else." A flicker of a smile crept into Bill's averted eyes, while Sunny grinned broadly to see the way the man was now literally falling over himself to follow the leadership of Wild Bill. "Wal, it ain't no use in saying things yet, but if you're dead set on joining this Zip Trust, I guess you can. But get this, what you're called upon to do you'll need to do good an' hard, an'--without argument." Sandy nodded. "I'm in," he cried, as though a great privilege had been bestowed upon him. And at once Toby became anxious. "Guess you ain't no use for me, Bill?" he hazarded, almost diffidently. Bill turned his steely eyes on him in cold contemplation. Minky had joined in Sunny's grin at the other men's expense. Sandy, too, now that he was accepted as an active member of the trust, was indulging in a superior smile. "I don't allow I have," Bill said slowly. "Y'see, you ain't much else than a 'remittance' man, an' they ain't no sort o' trash anyway." "But," protested Toby, "I can't help it if my folks hand me money?" "Mebbe you can't." Bill was actually smiling. And this fact so far influenced the other members of the trust that an audible titter went round the room. Then the gambler suddenly sat forward, and the old fierce gleam shone once more in his cold eyes. "Say," he cried suddenly. "If a feller got the 'drop' on you with six bar'ls of a gun well-loaded, an'--guessed you'd best squeal, wot 'ud you do?" "Squeal," responded the puzzled Toby, with alacrity. "You ken join the Trust. You sure got more savvee than I tho't." Bill sat back grinning, while a roar of laughter concluded the founding of the Zip Trust.