Chapter 2

           ThemousecamebackjustaboutthreedaysafterPercyhadchaseditdowntheGreenMilethatfirsttime.DeanStantonandBillDodgeweretalkingpolitics...whichmeantinthosedays,theyweretalkingRooseveltandHoover—Herbert,notJ.Edgar.TheywereeatingRitzcrackersfromaboxDeanhadpurchasedfromoldToot-Tootanhourorsobefore.Percywasstandingintheofficedoorway,practicingquickdrawswiththebatonhelovedsomuch,ashelistened.He’dpullitoutofthatridiculoushandtooledholsterhe’dgottensomewhere,thentwirlit(ortryto;mosttimeshewouldhavedroppeditifnotfortherawhideloophekeptonhiswrist),thenre-holsterit.Iwasoffthatnight,butgotthefullreportfromDeanthefollowingevening.

           ThemousecameuptheGreenMilejustasithadbefore,hoppingalong,thenstoppingandseemingtochecktheemptycells.Afterabitofthatitwouldhopon,undiscouraged,asifithadknownallalongitwouldbealongsearch,anditwasuptothat.

           ThePresidentwasawakethistime,standingathiscelldoor.Thatguywasapieceofwork,managingtolooknattyeveninhisprisonblues.Weknewjustbythewayhelookedthathewasn’tmadeforOldSparky,andwewereright—lessthanaweekafterPercy’ssecondrunatthatmouse,ThePres’ssentencewascommutedtolifeandhejoinedthegeneralpopulation.

           "Say!"hecalled.