Part 35 (2/2)
The detective remained motionless for a few seconds after he had slipped the receiver into its hook. Then he said to s.h.a.g:
”Do you know where I ought to be now?”
The colored man paused a moment before replying. Then he played a safety shot by answering:
”No, sah, Colonel, I jest doesn't--zactly.”
”Well, I ought to be getting ready to go fis.h.i.+ng. I'm sick of this whole business. I'm going to quit! I never ought to have gone into it. I'm too old. I told 'em that, but they wouldn't believe me.”
”Too old to go _fis.h.i.+n'_, sah, Colonel? No sah! You'll never be dat!
Never!”
”Oh, I don't mean fis.h.i.+ng, s.h.a.g! I mean I never ought to have been mixed up with this affair--this detective business. I'm going to quit now, s.h.a.g!”
”Yes, sah, Colonel!”
”Get me Kedge on the long distance.”
”Mr. Kedge, in N' York, sah?”
”Yes. I'm going to turn this over to him. It's getting on my nerves.
I want to go fis.h.i.+ng. I'll let him work out the rest of the problems.
Get Kedge on the wire.”
”Yes, sah, Colonel.”
The colored man went to the instrument, but before he had engaged the attention of central his master called:
”Oh, s.h.a.g!”
”Yes, sah, Colonel.”
”Wait a minute. I suppose Kedge is very busy now?”
”Well, yes, sah, I s'pects so. He had dat ar' animal case.”
”Oh, you mean Mr. Campbell's?”
”Yes, sah! Dat's it. I knowed it was a camel or a elephant.”
”Yes, I suppose he's busy on that. So don't bother him. Anyhow, it would take him as long to get here, pick up the loose ends, and start out right, as it would take me to finish.”
”Mo' so, Colonel,” voiced s.h.a.g. ”A whole lot mo'.”
”Oh, well, hang it all! That's the way it is. I never can get a little vacation. But now I'm in this game I suppose I might as well stick! Never mind that call, s.h.a.g! I'll finish this.”
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