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Chapter 24
«Wenearlygotworktoday,"Pasaid.«Wewasjus’afewminuteslate.Theyawreadygottwofellas.An’,well,sir,itwasafunnything.They’sastrawbossthere,an’hesays,’Wejus’gotsometwo-bitmen.’Coursewecouldusetwenty-centmen.Wecanusealotoftwenty-centmen.Yougotoyourcampan’saywe’llputalotafellasonfortwentycents.’"
Thesquattingmenmovednervously.Abroad-shoulderedman,hisfacecompletelyintheshadowofablackhat,spattedhiskneewithhispalm.«Iknowit,goddamnit!»hecried.«An’they’llgitmen.They’llgithungrymen.Youcan’tfeedyourfam’lyontwentycentsanhour,butyou’lltakeanything.Theygotyougoin’an’comin’.Theyjes’auctionajoboff.JesusChrist,prettysoonthey’regonnamakeuspaytowork.»
«Wewouldoftookher,"Pasaid.«Weain’thadnojob.Wesurewouldatookher,buttheywasthemguysinthere,an’thewaytheylooked,wewasscairttotakeher.»
BlackHatsaid,«Getcrazythinkin’!Ibeenworkin’forafella,an’hecan’tpickhiscrop.Costmorejes’topickherthanhecangitforher,an’hedon’knowwhattodo.»
«Seemstome—"Pastopped.Thecirclewassilentforhim.«Well—Ijus’thought,ifafellahadanacre.Well,mywomanshecouldraisealittletruckan’acouplepigsan’somechickens.An’usmencouldgetoutan’findwork,an’thengoback.Kidscouldmaybegotoschool.Neverseensechschoolsasouthere.»
«Ourkidsain’thappyinthemschools,"BlackHatsaid.
