И проиграли бой

           "Gladtomeetyou."Macputatoneofdeferenceinhisvoice."Iheardaboutthattime.Therewassomesabotage."

           ThetonepleasedoldDan."Iwasn’tnoWobbly,"hesaid."I’matop-faller.ThemWobblieswasabunchofdouble-crossin’sons-of-bitches,buttheydonethework.Damnit,they’dburndownasawmillasquickasthey’dlookatit."

           ThetoneofrespectremainedinMac’svoice."Well,iftheygottheworkdone,Iguessthat’sallyoucanexpect."

           "Theywasatoughbunch,"saidDan."Amancouldn’ttakenopleasuretalkin’to’em.Theyhatedever’thing.GuessI’llgooverandgetmybeans."Heturnedtotherightandwalkedawayfromthem.

           Itwasalmostdark.Jim,lookingupattheskysawablackVflyingacross."Mac,look,what’sthat?"

           "Wildducks.Flyingprettyearlythisyear.Didn’tyoueverseeducksbefore?"

           "Iguessnot,"saidJim."IguessI’vereadaboutthem."

           "Say,Jim,youwon’tmindifwejusthavesomesardinesandbread,willyou?We’vegotthingstodotonight.Idon’twanttotaketimetocookanything."

           Jimhadbeenwalkingloosely,tiredfromthenewkindofwork.Nowhismusclestightenedandhisheadcameup."Whatyougoton,Mac?"

           "Well,look.IworkedalongsideLondontoday.Thatguydoesn’tmissmuch.Hecameabouttwo-thirdsoftheway.Nowhesayshethinkshecanswingthisbunchofstiffs.