I'm a-tellin' you that _he_ wouldn't let you do nothin' to me." "Forget it, Joe," came the reply, without an instant's hesitation.

"You know as well as I do how much chance Professor Parkhill, or anyone else, would have, trying to keep the boys from making you and Nick dance on nothing, once they hear of this.

Besides, the professor is not in the valley now." The poor outcast's fright was pitiful.

"You ain't meanin' that he--that he's gone ?" he gasped.
"Listen, Joe," said Patches quickly.

"I can do more for you than he could, even if he were here.