И проиграли бой

           "Damnright,"saidMac.HeturnedtoJim."Keepyourheaddownifwepassanybody,Jim."AndthentoAlbert,"Ifanybodytriestostopus,driverightover’em.RememberwhathappenedtoDakin’struck."

           Albertnoddedanddroppedhisspeedtoforty."Nobodyain’tgoin’tostopme,"hesaid."I’vedroveatruckallmylifewhenIcouldgetit."

           Theydidnotgothroughthetown,butcutaroundoneendofit,crossedawoodenbridgeovertheriverandturnedintoGallinasRoad.Albertsloweduptoletthered-hairedyouthdropoff.Hewavedhishandairilyastheydroveaway.Theroadlaybetweentheinterminableappletrees.Theydrovethreemilestothefoothillsbeforetheorchardsbegantofalloff,givingplacetostubblefields.Jimwatchedthegalvanizedpostboxesatthesideoftheroad."There’stwo-eighteen,"hesaid."Notveryfarnow."

           Oneofthecopsturnedbackandwenttowardthetown,buttheotherhungon.

           "Thereitis,"Jimsaid."Thatbigwhitegatethere."

           Albertheadedin,andstoppedwhileoneofthemenjumpeddownandopenedthegate.Thecopcutoffhismotorandleaneditagainstitsstand.

           "Privateproperty,"Maccalledtohim.

           "I’llstickaround,buddy,"hesaid."I’lljuststickaround."

           Ahundredyardsaheadalittlewhitehousestoodunderahuge,spreadingpeppertree,andbehinditabigwhitebarnreared.Astockyranchmanwithastraw-coloredmustacheslouchedoutofthehouseandstoodwaitingforthem.Albertpulledup.Macsaid,"Hello,mister.Theladytoldustocomeforsomestuff."