И проиграли бой
Chapter 4
"Iam.Igotswitchedrightacrossthemouthaminuteago."Forawhiletheyfelttheirwayalongthehard,usedtrail."Ismellsmoke,"Jimsaid."Itcan’tbefarnow."
SuddenlyMacstopped."There’slightsahead.Listen,Jim,thesamethinggoesasbackthere.Letmedothetalking."
"O.K."
Thetrailcameabruptlyintoalargeclearing,flickeringlylightedbyalittlebonfire.Alongthefarthersidewerethreedirtywhitetents;andinoneofthemalightburnedandhugeblackfiguresmovedonthecanvas.Intheclearingitselftherewereperhapsfiftymen,somesleepingonthegroundinsausagerollsofblankets,whileanumbersataroundthelittlefireinthemiddleoftheflatclearedplace.AsJimandMacsteppedclearofthewillowstheyheardashort,sharpcry,quicklychecked,whichcamefromthelightedtent.Immediatelythegreatshadowsmovednervouslyonthecanvas.
"Somebody’ssick,"Macsaidsoftly."Wedidn’thearityet.Itpaystoappeartomindyourownbusiness."
Theymovedtowardthefire,wherearingofmensatclaspingtheirknees."Canaguyjointhisclub?"Macasked,"ordoeshegottobeelected?"
Thefacesofthemenwereturnedupathim,unshavenfaceswitheyesinwhichthefirelightglowed.Oneofthemenmovedsidewaystomakeroom."Ground’sfree,mister."
Macchuckled."NotwhereIcomefrom."
Alean,lightedfaceacrossthefirespoke."Youcometoagoodplace,fella.
