И проиграли бой

           "Sure,"saidLondon."Youjuststretchout.Thereain’tnothingyoucandonow.I’mgoin’togooutan’talktothemsquadleaders.Maybewecouldtakeafewgoodguysan’sneakuponthebarricades."

           "I’mscaredthey’vegotusnow,"Macsaid."Theytooktheheartoutoftheguysbeforetheycouldgetgoing."Helaydownonthemattress."Whattheyneedisblood,"hemuttered."Amob’sgottokillsomething.Oh,Christ,IguessI’vebungledeverythingrightfromthestart."Heclosedhiseyes,thensuddenlyopenedthemagain."Listen,they’llpayusavisitprettysoon,thesherifforsomebody.Besureandwakemeup.Don’tlet’emgetawaywithanything.Besureandcallme."Hestretchedlikeacatandclaspedhishandsoverhishead.Hisbreathingbecameregular.

           Thesunthrewshadowsofthetent-ropesonthecanvas,andintheopenentranceapieceofsunlightlayonthefoot-beatenearth.JimandLondonwalkedquietlyoutside."Poorguy,"Londonsaid."Heneedsit.Ineverseenaguysofargoneforsleep.Iheardhowthecopskeepaguyawaketillhegoescrazy."

           "He’llbedifferentwhenhewakesup,"saidJim."Lord,IsaidI’dtakesomethingtooldDan.An’thenthosecarscameup.Ibetterdoitnow."

           "I’llgoseehowLisa’sgettingalong.Maybeshebettergoan’takecareoftheoldduck."

           Jimwalkedtothestoveandladledsomebeansintoacanandcarriedthemtothehospitaltent.Theidlemen,standingabout,hadcollectedintolittlegroups.Jimlookedintothehospitaltent.Thetriangularsunnyplacehadshortenedandfallenoffthecot.OldDan’seyeswereclosed,andhisbreathingwasslowandlight.Acuriousmusty,rancidodorfilledthetent,thebreathfromacongestedandslowlydyingbody.Jimleanedoverthecot."Dan,Ibroughtyousomethingtoeat."