“Unless I kin make him give me back my money an’ I kin buy another _Minnie M. Baxter_.” He choked a little and shook his disheveled head. “But that’s too much ter hope fer, Skippy. Ol’ Flint’s never been known ter give anythin’ back—it’s me that oughta know that. I was a fool ter think he could be honest with me—_me_, a poor workman uv his. Why, Ol’ Flint’s bragged he’d skin anybody what was fool enough ter _be_ skinned.”