И проиграли бой

           Fromthedirectionofthetownfourcarsdrewupandstoppedintheroad.Londoncamerunningandflunghimselfthroughthecrowd."Whatth’hell’sthematter?"

           Thedriverofthefirstcarsmiledfoolishly.Thecrowdfellcompletelysilent."Wecouldn’tgetthrough,"thedriversaid,andhesmiledagain."There’sabarricadeacrosstheroad."

           "IthoughtItoldyoutocrashitifitwasthere."

           "Youdon’tunda’stan’,"thedriversaiddully."Theywastwocarsaheadofus.Wecometothebarricade.There’sabouttwentyguyswithgunsbehindit."Heswallowednervously."Aguywithastarontohimgetsupontopan’hesays,‘It’sunlawfultopicketinthiscounty.Getback.’SothatoldHudsontriestogoaround,an’ittipsoverinaditch,an’theguysspillout.So,likeyousaid,theguysrunan’getintheshovel-nose."Themenintheotherseatsnoddedsolemnlyathiswords.

           "Goon."London’svoicewassubdued.

           "Sothentheshovel-nosestartstotrytoknockoverthebarricade.Sothenthoseguysstarttheteargasan’shootthetiresofftheshovel-nose.Thenourguysstartcoughin’,an’there’ssomuchgasyoucan’tsee.Sothenthoseguysgotongasmasks,an’theycomein,an’theygot’boutathousan’hand-cuffs."Hesmiledagain."Sowecomeback.Wecouldn’tdonothing.Wedidn’evenhaveadecentrocktothrow.Theygrabbedalltheguysintheshovel-nose.Hell,Ineverseensomuchgas."Helookedup."There’stheotherbunchcomin’,"hesaidhopelessly."Iguesstheygottheroadblockedatbothends."

           Acurious,longsighescapedfromthecrowd.Someofthementurnedandwalkedslowlybacktowardthetents,walkedglidingly,withtheirheadsdown,asthoughtheywereindeepthought.