CHAPTER XIVShorty didn’t answer. He went out with just a black look at me, which was his declaration of independence, as you might say, but I noticed that he didn’t slam the door; and at a time like that, actions speak a lot louder than words, of course.
When he was gone, I says to Pepillo: “Kid, pull down the shades!”
But he was already doing it. He skinned around that room, not making no more noise than a blowing feather and here we was with the eyes of the outside world shut away.
“Was it all right?” says I to Pepillo.
He stopped for a minute to consider that, and he shrugged his shoulders with a very Frenchy sort of an expression.
“Oh—it would do!” said Pepillo. “But before you make another speech, let me help you to write it down first! Oh, yes, it was very good, but you could ha
