THE RISE OF GINGER GILLETT
to the calaboose and lock him up single-handed.'
"'By gosh!' says he, 'I've a hundred shriekin' like the American Eagle in the blue sky o' freedom that Keeley can do that same to Ginger Gillett.'
"'Shake hands on it,' says I. 'It's a bet!'
"And the crowd cheered, and started in bettin' there and then, till about twenty thousand dollars hung in the balance, and the excitement was extreme and wild. And who should come along right then but Ginger and Keeley, who was quite good friends, though nat'rally a little shy of each other just at that time. And the crowd runs to 'em and explains riotously how things was comin' up, and though Ginger was lookin' for something of the kind, Keeley warn't, and showed some surprise at what had transpired in the interim of his takin' two drinks with two admirers.
"'There's millions on you, Keeley,' said the boys that was backin' Keeley; 'we've put our last dollar on you. Can you down Ginger
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