И проиграли бой

           LondonturnedtoMac,andhisfacewasperplexed.Macsaid,"Doyousupposewecouldgetthecarsacrosstheorchard,andoutthatway?Theycan’thavealltheroadsblocked."

           Londonshookhishead."Toowet.Acar’dsquatdowninthemudbeforewecouldgetittenfeet."

           Macleapedontherunning-boardofoneofthecars."Listen,youguys,"hecried."There’sonewaywecangetthrough.Let’sthewholebunchofusgodownthereandknockthosebarricadesofftheroad.Theycan’tblockusin,Goddamnit!"Hepausedforaresponse,aquickening.Butthemenlookedawayfromhim,eachwaitingforanothertospeak.

           Atlastamansaid,"Wegotnothingtofightwith,mister.Wecan’tfightgunsan’gaswithourhan’s.Giveusguns,an’we’llfight."

           Mac’sspeechturnedintofury."Youlet’emshootourguys,an’burnthebuildingsofourfriends,an’youwon’tfight.Nowtheygotyoutrapped,an’stillyouwon’tfight.WhyevenaGoddamnrat’llfightwhenhe’sinatrap."

           Thehopelessnesshungintheairlikeagasitself.Thesamemanrepeated,"Mister,wecan’tfightgunsandgaswithourhan’s."

           Mac’svoicebrokewithrage."Willanysixofyouyellowbastardsfightmewithyourhands?Willyou?"Hismouthworkedhelplessly."Trytohelpyou—trytogetsomethingforyou——"heshrieked.

           Londonreachedupandpulledhimfirmlyofftherunning-board.Mac’seyesweremad.Hetriedtojerkfree."I’llkilltheyellowbastardsmyself,"hecried.

           Jimsteppedoverandtookhisotherarm."Mac,"hesaid."Mac,forChrist’ssake,youdon’tknowwhatyou’resaying."