“Two hundred dollars and ten cents and that’s all.”

“You big bum,” she said, “I won’t do it.”

“Suit yourself.” I made a face at Thaler and cautioned him: “When what happens happens be damned sure you keep still.”

Dinah cried:

“Wait! Are you really going to start something?”

“I’m going to take Thaler out with me, regardless.”

“Two hundred and a dime?”

“Yeah.”

“Dinah,” Rolff called without turning his face from me, “you won’t⁠—”

But she laughed, came close to his back, and wound her strong arms around him, pulling his arms down, pinning them to his sides.