Поющие в терновнике

           Yieldingtotheinevitable,hedugintohispocketfortherequiredcoinsandapproachedtheopenflapofthemarquee,oneeyecockedforanyoftheClearyboys;buttheywerenowheretobeseen,sohepresumedtheyweresafelytryingtheirluckwiththehorseshoesorgorgingthemselvesonmeatpiesandicecream.

           "Youcan’ttakeherinthere,Father!"theforemansaid,shocked.

           FatherRalphliftedhiseyesheavenward."Ifyou’llonlytellmehowwecangetherawayfromherewithouttheentireGillypoliceforcearrestingusformolestingachild,I’llgladlygo!Butherbrothervolunteeredandshe’snotabouttoleaveherbrotherwithoutafightthatwillmakeyourchapslooklikeamateurs!"

           Theforemanshrugged."Well,Father,Ican’targuewithyou,canI?Inyougo,butkeepheroutoftheway,for—ah—pity’ssake.No,no,Father,putyourmoneybackinyourpocket;Jimmywouldn’tlikeit."

           Thetentseemedfullofmenandboys,millingaroundacentralring;FatherRalphfoundaplaceatthebackofthecrowdagainstthecanvaswall,hangingontoMeggiefordearlife.Theairwasfoggyfromtobaccosmokeandredolentwithsawdusttheyhadthrowndowntoabsorbthemud.Frank,glovesalreadyonhishands,wasthefirstchallengeroftheday.

           Thoughitwasunusual,itwasnotunknownforamanoutofthecrowdtolastthedistanceagainstoneoftheprofessionalboxers.Admittedlytheyweren’tthebestintheworld,buttheydidincludesomeofthebestinAustralia.