Пролетая над гнездом кукушки

           Insidethemooringthewatercalmedtoachoppysurfaceagain,andatourdock,bythebaitshop,wecouldseethecaptainwaitingwithtwocopsatthewater’sedge.Alltheloafersweregatheredbehindthem.Georgeheadedatthemfullthrottle,boomingdownonthemtillthecaptainwenttowavingandyellingandthecopsheadedupthestepswiththeloafers.Justbeforetheprowoftheboattoreoutthewholedock,Georgeswungthewheel,threwthepropintoreverse,andwithapowerfulroarsnuggledtheboatinagainsttherubbertireslikehewaseasingitintobed.Wewerealreadyouttyingupbythetimeourwakecaughtup;itpitchedalltheboatsaroundandsloppedoverthedockandwhitecappedaroundthedockslikewe’dbroughttheseahomewithus.

           Thecaptainandthecopsandtheloaferscametrompingbackdownthestepstous.Thedoctorcarriedthefighttothembyfirstofftellingthecopstheydidn’thaveanyjurisdictionoverus,aswewerealegal,government-sponsoredexpedition,andiftherewasanyonetotakethematterupwithitwouldhavetobeafederalagency.Also,theremightbesomeinvestigationintothenumberoflifejacketsthattheboatheldifthecaptainreallyplannedtomaketrouble.Wasn’ttheresupposedtobealifejacketforeverymanonboard,accordingtothelaw?Whenthecaptaindidn’tsayanythingthecopstooksomenamesandleft,mumblingandconfused,andassoonastheywereoffthepierMcMurphyandthecaptainwenttoarguingandshovingeachotheraround.