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"Give our regards to the Italians, chump," Paddy yelled from the other side, and the other boys joined in with their own insults To away fro with their quick footsteps Toainst the doors, with no luck Unless he could find another way out, he was stuck there till soht be one of Lucky Luciano’s ht alone in the old warehouse Froh, narros Its fractured light fell first on the chains and hooks suspended froing in a long line to the back of the warehouse A rat scuttled across his foot and he shouted

"Big felloasn’t he?" a man’s voice said

Tommy whipped around "Who’s there? Who said that?"

Theas a boxer, and he looked important and out of place in his full suit and bowler hat Tommy sed hard What if this oons?

"It was a dare M-ed to say "I swear, mister I don’t want no trouble"

"What is your name?" the man asked

"To the naht Toht "Tho Thomas, who had to be shown before he could believe"

"Huh?"

The stranger s smile, but To ht is the sort of night in whichcan be made But you will have to put your doubts aside, Thomas"

The man pulled a crisp hundred-dollar bill out of his pocket and snapped it taut between fingers blue-black with otta do?" he asked warily

"All you have to do is walk to the far end of the warehouse and retrievestick It has a silver tip"

Thestick’s silver knob glinting in the distance on the other side of the pigs

"What’s the catch?"