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"Your words are pure and unadulterated wisdom, my friend," he said. "The

chances are scarcely even that two gringo hoboes would last the week out afoot

and broke in Viva Mexico; but it has been many years since I followed the dictates

of wisdom. Therefore I am going with you."

Billy grinned. He could not conceal his pleasure.

"You're past twenty-one," he said, "an' dry behind the ears. Let's go an' eat. There

is still some of that twenty-five left."

Together they entered a saloon which Bridge remembered as permitting a very

large consumption of free lunch upon the purchase of a single schooner of beer.

There were round tables scattered about the floor in front of the bar, and after

purchasing their beer they carried it to one of these that stood in a far corner of

the room close to a rear door.

Here Bridge sat on guard over the foaming open sesame to food while Billy

crossed to the free lunch counter and appropriated all that a zealous attendant

would permit him to carry off.

When he returned to the table he took a chair with his back to the wall in

conformity to a habit of long standing when, as now, it had stood him in good

stead to be in a position to see the other fellow at least as soon as the other fellow

saw him. The other fellow being more often than not a large gentleman with a bit

of shiny metal pinned to his left suspender strap.

"That guy's a tight one," said Billy, jerking his hand in the direction of the

guardian of the free lunch. "I scoops up about a good, square meal for a canary

bird, an' he makes me cough up half of it. Wants to know if I t'ink I can go into

the restaurant business on a fi'-cent schooner of suds."

Bridge laughed.

Well, you didn't do so badly at that," he said. "I know places where they'd indict

you for grand larceny if you took much more than you have here."

"Rotten beer," commented Billy.

"Always is rotten down here," replied Bridge. "I sometimes think they put moth

balls in it so it won't spoil."

Billy looked up and smiled. Then he raised his tall glass before him.

Here's to," he started; but he got no further. His eyes traveling past his

companion fell upon the figure of a large man entering the low doorway.

The Mucker