The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-11-02

ton from the nearby street light
could penetrate.
Almost at the instant Joe pulled
the cab door shut, Schmaltz and
Patsy dashed out Of the coffee pot
and joined the increasing crowd
hurrying toward the pawn shop.
The excitement did not last long.
A couple Of cops bundled Joe's
second assistant into their patrol
car.
SMART PLAN
Joe figured the smart thing
would be to remain in his hide
out, even though the backs of his
knees were getting cramped, until
all the curiosity seekers had
drifted away.
1t was not likely, he reasoned,
that the driver of this hacH would
pick up a fare on Ninth Avenue.
He shifted his left leg to keep it
from going to sleep, but suddenly
he crouched more closely into
the corner.
A bulky figure was climbing
into the drivers seat, and the
figure was saying:
VA gotta actually pull up to the
curb in front Of Kilgallen'S-the
Broome Street side. First one
there gets two bucks and buys a
beer"
Another voice answered.:
"Okay, we wait for a signal
from Harry to start"
"Okay," said the first voice.
There was an interval filled
with the murmur of hoarse voices
punctuated by numerous bursts
of laughter. Then, a huge below
ing pair of lungs shouted, Col"
The cab shot ahead with a sur
prised screaming Of gears, and
Joe had no trouble realizing he
was involved in some kind Of a
race. He recalled that one of the
voices had mentioned Broome
Street.
Up on the drivers seat Schmaltz
kept his feet firm on the eccelera-
tor and his hands tight on the
wheeI. He swung sharply into
Eighth Avenue and headed south.
For two bucks he was sure he
could get down to Broome and
across to Centre Street in nothing
flat. And then there was beer
at Kilgallen's for good measure.
AS the cab raced through the
ThirtieS Joe considered tapping
Schmaltz on the shoulder with his
rod and requesting him to stop.
But on second thought, he de-
cided it would be better to stay
aboard for the entire trip and
get out after Schmaltz had fin
iShed his race and gone about the
business Of drinking beer. That
way there would be fewer ques-
lions.
WRONG PHILOSOPHY
Even with the crick that was
settling in his back and the aches
in his legs Joe was surprised at
the speed with which the cab
reached its destination. The last
two of three minutes while
Schmaltz sat placidly waiting
Patsy's arrival were the worst for
Joe. Finally. after loud and pro-
fame exchange of comment be-
tween the drivers on the outcome
of the contest, Joe was left alone.
After a preparatory peek over
the edge of the window, he
emerged from the hack, kicked his
legs vigorously to straighten out
the kinks and took a look at his
surroundings.
He was on the corner Of Centre
and Broome. Diagonally across
the the street doomed the unin.
viting limestone bulk of Police
Headquarters.
Joe considered this situation
briefly in a philosophical light,
reflected that 1t was probably a
good idea to be downtown at this
particular time even in such close
proximity to headquarters, and
sauntered off toward Broadway.
AS he reached the corner a
heavy hand rested on his shoulder
and a gruff voice said:
Hello, Joe, where you goin'?'
Quite a number of flatfeet
called him by his first name. He
turned to see which one it was
ooh, hello, Corrigan," he replied
with an attempt at cordially.
Been lookin' for you" saio
Corrigan. "but I never expected tc
see you down here"
"Lookin' for me?" inquired Joe
Yeah, all the boys are lookin
for you. They'll be surprised tc
find out you're down here.
How did you ever get here SC
fast from SD ST.? You know, the
teletype message about that Blatt
job only went out about five min
utes ago."
In Kilgallen's Patsy clinked his
seidel against Schmaltz'. His
voice had a good-natured ring to
it.
"Cripes, Schmaltz," he declared
''T bet you would give a guy the
fastest ride he ever had, at that.
THE END
(Tan1rriorbt hu Tnk