И проиграли бой

           "Youfigurethebigmeetingfortomorrownight?"

           "Yeah,that’swhatIfigure;butyoucan’tevertell.Theseguysareplentysteamedup.Somethingmightset’emoffbefore.Youcan’ttell.Iwanttobeready.IfIcangetthatplacefortheguys,I’llsendforDocBurton.He’saqueerkindofaduck,notaPartyman,butheworksallthetimefortheguys.He’lllayouttheplaceandtendtothesanitation,sotheRedCrosscan’trunusoff."

           Jimlaybackinthedirtandputhisarmsunderhishead."What’sthebigargumentoverbythepackinghouse?"

           "Idon’tknow.Themenjustfeellikearguing,that’sall.Bynowmaybeit’sDarwinversusOldTestament.They’djustassoonfightoverthat.Whentheygettofeelinglikethis,they’llfightaboutanything.Beprettycarefulforyourself,Jim.Someguymightslugyoujustbecausehe’sfeelingnervous."

           "Iwishitwouldstart,"Jimsaid."I’manxiousforittogetgoing.IthinkIcanhelpmorewhenitoncegetsgoing."

           "Keepyourpantson,"saidMac.

           Theyrestedinthedirtuntilthewheezywhistleblewashorttootforoneo’clock.Astheyparted,Macsaid,"Comerunningwhenwequit.We’vegottocoversomegroundtonight.MaybeAl’llgiveusahand-outagain."

           Jimwalkedbacktothecheckingstation,wherehisbucketwas.Thesortingbeltsbeganrumblingintheplant.Truckmotorsroaredastheywerestarted.Amongthetreesthepickersweresullenlygoingbacktowork.AnumberofmenwerestandingaroundthecheckingstationwhenJimgothisbucket.Thecheckerdidnotspeaktohimthen;butwhenJimbroughtinhisfirstfullbucket,thequestioncame."Findoutanything,Nolan?"