И проиграли бой

           JimandMacmarchedfiftyfeetbehindDakin’struck.Macsaid,"Theygotareceptioncommitteeforus.Ain’tthatkindof’em?"Themenabouthimtittered.Maccontinued,"Theysay’yougotarighttostrike,butyoucan’tpicket,’an’theyknowastrikewon’tworkwithoutpicket-in’."Therewasnolaughterthistime.Themengrowled,buttherewaslittleangerinthetone.MacglancednervouslyatJim."Idon’tlikeit,"hesaidsoftly."Thisbunchofbumsisn’tkeyedup.IhopetoChristsomethinghappenstomake’emmadbeforelong.This’sgoingtofizzleoutifsomethingdon’thappen."

           Thestragglingparademovedintotownandtooktothesidewalks.Themenwerequietnow,andmostofthemlookedshamefaced.Astheycameintothetown,householderswatchedthroughthewindows,andchildrenstoodonthelawnsandlookedatthemuntiltheparentsdraggedthemintothehousesandshutthedoors.Veryfewcitizensmovedaboutinthestreets.Themotorcyclesofthepoliceidledalongsoslowlythattheridershadtoputouttheirfeetandtouchthegroundoccasionallytokeepupright.Ledbythesheriff’scar,theprocessionmovedalongbackstreetsuntilitcameatlasttotherailroadyard.Themenstoppedalongtheedgeoftheright-of-way,forthelinewasguardedbytwentymenarmedwithshot-gunsandteargasbombs.

           Dakinparkedhistruckatthecurb.Themensilentlyspreadoutandfacedthelineofspecialpolicemen.DakinandLondonwalkedupanddownthedensefront,givinginstructions.Themenmustnotstartanytroublewiththecopsiftheycouldhelpit.Therewastobetalkfirst,andthatwasall.Ontherightofwaytwolonglinesofrefrigeratorcarsstoodidle.Jimsaid,aside,toMac,"Maybethey’llstopthefreightwayupthetrackandunloadtheguys.Thenwewouldn’tgetachanceatthem."