Chapter 17

           TommyBarbanwasaruler,Tommywasahero—DickhappeneduponhimintheMarienplatzinMunich,inoneofthosecafés,wheresmallgamblersdicedon"tapestry"mats.Theairwasfullofpolitics,andtheslapofcards.

           Tommywasatatablelaughinghismartiallaugh:"Um-buh—ha-ha!Um-buh—ha-ha!"Asarule,hedranklittle;couragewashisgameandhiscompanionswerealwaysalittleafraidofhim.RecentlyaneighthoftheareaofhisskullhadbeenremovedbyaWarsawsurgeonandwasknittingunderhishair,andtheweakestpersoninthecafécouldhavekilledhimwithaflipofaknottednapkin.

           "—thisisPrinceChillicheff—"Abattered,powder-grayRussianoffifty,"—andMr.McKibben—andMr.Hannan—"thelatterwasalivelyballofblackeyesandhair,aclown;andhesaidimmediatelytoDick:

           "Thefirstthingbeforeweshakehands—whatdoyoumeanbyfoolingaroundwithmyaunt?"

           "Why,I—"

           "Youheardme.WhatareyoudoinghereinMunichanyhow?"

           "Um-bah—ha-ha!"laughedTommy.

           "Haven’tyougotauntsofyourown?Whydon’tyoufoolwiththem?"

           Dicklaughed,whereuponthemanshiftedhisattack:

           "Nowlet’snothaveanymoretalkaboutaunts.HowdoIknowyoudidn’tmakeupthewholething?Hereyouareacompletestrangerwithanacquaintanceoflessthanhalfanhour,andyoucomeuptomewithacock-and-bullstoryaboutyouraunts.HowdoIknowwhatyouhaveconcealedaboutyou?"

           Tommylaughedagain,thenhesaidgood-naturedly,butfirmly,"That’senough,Carly.