Torchy and Vee

rea. Kind of a short, stubby party he is, with a grayish mustache and sort of sleepy gray eyes. He's one of these slow motioned, quiet talking ginks, wi

Some relic of the old office force, was my guess; a hold-over from the times when the S. S. people called it a big day if they could locate a

ock to see if the prospects was good f

rather well," suggests McCrea

ally find my way back to Bro

nderstand," he goes on, "that you have shown your

agent, then," says I, glan

ad. "I suspect that was my fr

escued the wire spools for

important," goes on Old Hickory, "and if you c

"What's the gr

ished a note book out of his inside pocket he stops and looks me over sort of doubtful. "Perhaps I had

t along, e

ea don't seem so tickled over it. In fact, he develops a furro

your rapid fire mentality a little sooner," says he

" says I. "Are you o

nd breaks in hasty with: "Mr. McCrea, Torchy,

istake, sir. And I expect I'd better b

sarcastic. "Besides, think how disappointed the major will be if we fail

joyin' it just as much as McCrea. Nothing partial about the boss. His sympathies are always with the good performe

rse I got to help you out. Now what part of Manhattan i

and part of the cross street. "It is a matter of three policemen and a barber shop

g or other runs it. And on the side, I ex

however, is something slightly different. We believe that the place is rather a clearing house

on the ins

g a chair there for three weeks. He discovered nothing of importance. Also we have had the pl

I. "Maybe they was out of luck.

wn, and the third from the east. And we have good reason to suppose that one of the th

answer to a lot of questions you've been all the fa

llby who suggested your assistance; and as the major happens to enjoy the confid

gh when I fall down. Oh, very well! I'll be the goat. But the major's a good scout, just

as you like,"

find you when I want to turn i

t to my desk in the next office. I was sittin' there half an hour later with my hair rumpled, makin

we went into the war Barry was just one of Mr. Robert's club friends who dropped around casual to date up for an after-luncheon game of billiards, or tip him off to a new cabaret act that was worth engagin' a table next to the gold ropes. Besides, holdin'

ct; bad heart, plumbing out of whack, nerves frazzled from too many all-night sessions. He was in that shape to begin with. But he didn't start braggin' about it until so many of his bunch got to makin' themselves u

nish, there's nothing to prevent him from turnin' loose that mighty intellect of his and inventin' new ways to win the war. So when he's sittin' there in his favorite

ft stamp poster, but it might be a scheme for inducin' the Swiss to send their navy down the Rhine. But

rty standin' at my elbow, and notice the eager, excited

ou doped out an explosive pretzel, or are you goin'

. Of course, being all shot to pieces physically, I can't go to the front, where I

all that. Not that I'd mind hearing it ag

"Isn't that perfectly ripping!

pull it off," says I,

hoping I'd find you starting s

" sa

rgeant, corporal, or just plain private. Anything so I can help. See! I

I could use you just now. The fact is,

't tell me a word, or drop a hint. Just give

m to a typewriter's wrist watch, and after trying to do some more heavy thinkin'

Think you could stand

ails doubtful but allows he cou

rifice some of my red hair on the

tist who revises my pink-plus locks is a gray-haired old gink who'd never been nearer Berlin than First Avenue. Two of the other barbers looked like Greeks, and even O

omewhere and t

quiet dinner at th

listen so

he orderin', and don't even complain about havin' to chase out t

I were doing my bit

s I. "Why, you'll be qualifyin' fo

rs on the tall feathers of an idea. Nothing much, but so l

he club could dig up a sc

ht on the jump, from the bus boy to the steward,

ieutenant?"

erious. "We got to dril

Follies, then?

hought!"

s, third from the end, and even gets one of the soloists singin' a patriotic chorus at us. On the strength of which Barry makes two more trips down to the c

as we drifts out with the midnig

to get 'em, too. Did you ever do suc

t remember th

that's what you'r

ne?" ask

m the joint where we w

t," says Barry, g

nd? You want it bad. And after you get it you ain't goin' to let anybody get it

s Barry, straightenin' up.

the foolisher we look at the start the deeper we're apt to be divin' after the plot of the piece

east on Umpteenth Street from the corner of Broadway; that you go down three iron steps to a landin' before you turn for the other 15; or that the barber pole has a gilt

says Barry.

mply drift down the side street, step into the shadow where the cab stand juts out, and when nobody's passin' y

the act. But Barry has surrounded the idea nicely. He couldn't have done better if he'd been sent out to a listeni

together. Carry it careless like, with your overcoat

any inches thick. But it's a brilliant one, and with Barry in evenin' dress he's bound to be som

here's only a few passing at that time of night. Most of 'em only turns to look after him and sm

re a flatfoot steps out of a door

pullin' that hick st

rry, wavin' hi

rfectly all right, office

s know a lot; and then again some of you don't. But you

begins, "I can

" says he. "Come along, you,"

ecided against Barry, too, when I sprung my scrap of paper on him. It's a receipt in full for o

?" asks the ser

an do is gaze at it

the sergeant.

s up prompt, too. "I want my

ng," says the se

, as we drifts out, and

ys," says he. "But pi

lks east. Barry had got almost to Madison Avenue before another e

at, now!

Barry, lyin' enthusi

show the sergeant yet? And maybe I don't k

ls when we shows up in front of the rail the second time. "Sa

and disorderly conduct," says the c

astic. "Didn't ask him if he had a receip

hands over

tto Krumpheimer don't sign

you know

nervous, "I-I just know, that's all.

," says I. "Just jot

t," says th

ne of duty. And I'll be on hand

says Barr

f to police court, I jumps into a taxi and heads for McCrea's hotel. If he'd been in bed I meant to rout him out. But he

he. "Giving

ardly! I've got

gasp. "You-you

stant. Can you pull a badge or anyth

m, for after whisperin' a few words across the bench it'

ittle barber pol

Myers. "Don't let

Take this policeman to Headquarters for investigation. Yes, Mr. Wales, yo

But after he gets outside he asks ple

s I. "Objective attained, and if you don't mind I'll take

ea's hotel. I was shiftin' it around in the taxi, wonderi

to McCrea, "there's some

ole?"

hollow. There's a little

McCrea. "B

shown 'em where to press the secret spring they crowded around and blocked off my view. All I got was a glimp

old code,"

o one side. "Myers is the

why would he be so wise as to whose po

r friend arrested? You tried out the officers. Very clever! But how you came to

ldn't. That's where th

was quite correct. And allow me to say that I believe you have done for the Government a great service tonight; though how you

ree days. Also I've had a hunch that one boss barber and one New York cop have done the vanishing act. Anyway, when I was down to the Northumber

comes in to report for further orders, as he does

confidential this last trip, "we

t we did

t all about, eh

amateur standin', and one of the stripes opened in the m

y, and after executin' another Boy Scout