И проиграли бой

           "Hereitis,"saidMac."We’regoin’tohaveathousandortwomenwithnoplacetogo.They’llkick’emofftheranchesandwon’tlet’emontheroad.Nowiftheycouldcamponthatfiveacres,they’dbesafe."

           Al’sfacesaggedwithfearanddoubt."Aw,no,mister.Idon’tthinkmyoldman’ddoit."

           Macbrokein,"He’dgethisapplespicked,pickedquick,andpickedfornothing.Price’llbehighwiththerestof’emshutoff."

           "Well,wouldn’tthetownguysraisehellwithhimafterwards?"

           "Who?"Macasked.

           "Why,theLegion,andguyslikethat.They’dsneakoutandbeathimup."

           "No,Idon’tthinktheywould.He’sgotarighttohavemenonhisplace.I’llhaveadoctorlayoutthecampandseeit’skeptclean,andyouroldman’llgethiscroppickedfornothing."

           Alshookhishead."Idon’tknow."

           "Well,wecaneasyfindout,"saidMac."Let’sgotalktoyouroldman."

           "Igottokeepthisplaceopen.Ican’tgoaway."

           Jimsuddenlysawhisneglectedfoodandbegantoeat.Mac’ssquintedeyesneverleftAl’sface.Hesatandchewedandlooked.Albegantogetnervous."YouthinkI’mscared,"hebegan.

           "Idon’tthinkanythingbeforeIseeit,"saidMac."Ijustwonderedwhyaguycan’tcloseuphisownjointforanhour,ifhewantsto."