Then Archie B. hunted for his Barlow pocket knife. Around his neck, tied with a string, was a small greasy, dirty bag, containing a piece of gum asafoetida and a ten-dollar gold piece. The asafoetida was worn to keep off contagious diseases, and the gold piece, which represented all his earthly possessions, had been given him by his grandmother the year she died.
Archie B. was always ready to "swap sight under seen." He played marbles for keeps, checkers for apples, ran foot-races for stakes, and even learned his Sunday School lessons for prizes.
The Italian still stood, smiling, when a small red-headed boy came up and touched him on the arm. He put a ten-dollar gold piece into the Italian's hand.
"Put this in for me, mister--an' make 'em put up a hundred mo'. I want some of that lucre."
The Italian was touched. He patted Archie B.'s head:
Again he shook the gold in the face of Jud and Bill.
The cheers of the crowd nettled Billy and Jud.
"Jes' wait till we come back," said Jud. "'He laughs bes' who laughs las'.'"
Within the bar-room they wiped the cold perspiration from their faces and looked speechlessly into each other's eyes. Billy spoke first.
"Mine Gott, but we peek it oop in de road, Jud?"
Bonaparte was positive--only let him get to the monkey, he said with his wicked eyes.
Billy looked at Bonaparte, big, swarthy, sinewy and savage. He thought of the little monkey.
"Dees is greet!--dees is too goot!--Jud, we peek it oop in de road, heh?"
"I'm kinder afraid we'll wake an' find it a dream, Billy--hurry up. Get the cash."
Billy was thoughtful: "Tree hun'd'd dollars--Jud--eef--eef--" he shook his head.
"Now, Billy," said Jud patronizingly--"that's nonsense. Bonaparte will eat him alive in two minutes. Now, he bein' my dorg, jes' you put up the coin an' let me in on the ground floor. I'll pay it back--if we lose--" he laughed. "_If_ we lose--it's sorter like sayin' if the sun don't rise."
"Dat ees so, Jud, we peek eet oop in de road. But eef we don't peek eet oop, Billy ees pusted!"
"Oh," said Jud, "it's all like takin' candy from your own child."
The news had spread and a crowd had gathered to see the champion dog of the Tennessee Valley eat up a monkey. All the loafers and ne'er-do-wells of Cottontown were there. The village had known no such excitement since the big mill had been built.