"'Course. Much obliged," he smiled. The flashlights had been a little strange to use at first, but they were useful, and his first set of batteries were nearly depleted.

"I like how y'think," Gin said in a pleasant, honest tone. "An' I'd be th' first to agree with ya there." He shrugged, "But I owe 'em a few favors an' we jus' had a few disagreements b'tween us's all. We'll get it figured. That's what th' day hours're for seems like." It was much easier than admitting the complicated truth.

"But if tha's an offer, I'll letcha know when I got a night I c'n tag along. 'tween the two of us, I bet we'd get plenty done, ne?" Which reminded him, he really ought to speak with Jack sometime soon. It'd been several nights since they'd had a chance to go exploring.