Chapter 17

“I have no illusions that you’ll actually stop. You take too much pleasure in showing up the rich humans. Of course, when you start going after my collection, you might regret it.”

That piqued Tino’s interest. “Which would be?”

“Books, my dear boy. You saw some of them in my office. They barely scratch the surface of what I own. Some are priceless, as I’ve been collecting for the last four hundred years. For instance, I own a first issue, first printing, of Mark Twain’s Huck Finn, an Uncle Tom’s Cabinfrom 1852, Alger’s Ragged Dickfrom 1868. And those are just a few that you might recognize.”

“And a million I probably wouldn’t?” Tino asked with a dry laugh.

“I wasn’t meaning to put you down, Tino.”

“I’m sure you weren’t. Anyway, I don’t think I could lug out enough books to make robbing you worth my while. It’s why I passed on Mr. Coleman’s collection.”