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was druggist's alcohol； and as such is known in tramp…land as 〃alki。〃
Slow footsteps； coming down the side of the railroad embankment；
alarmed him ere he could drink。 Placing the can carefully upon the
ground between his legs； he covered it with his hat and waited anxiously
whatever impended。
Out of the darkness emerged a man as filthy ragged as he。 The new…
comer； who might have been fifty； and might have been sixty； was
grotesquely fat。 He bulged everywhere。 He was composed of bulges。
His bulbous nose was the size and shape of a turnip。 His eyelids bulged
and his blue eyes bulged in competition with them。 In many places the
seams of his garments had parted across the bulges of body。 His calves
grew into his feet； for the broken elastic sides of his Congress gaiters were
swelled full with the fat of him。 One arm only he sported； from the
shoulder of which was suspended a small and tattered bundle with the mud
caked dry on the outer covering from the last place he had pitched his doss。
He advanced with tentative caution； made sure of the harmlessness of the
man beside the fire； and joined him。
〃Hello； grandpa；〃 the new…comer greeted； then paused to stare at the
other's flaring； sky…open nostril。 〃Say； Whiskers； how'd ye keep the night
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dew out of that nose o' yourn？〃
Whiskers growled an incoherence deep in his throat and spat into the
fire in token that he was not pleased by the question。
〃For the love of Mike；〃 the fat man chuckled； 〃if you got caught out in
a rainstorm without an umbrella you'd sure drown； wouldn't you？〃
〃Can it； Fatty； can it；〃 Whiskers muttered wearily。 〃They ain't nothin'
new in that line of chatter。 Even the bulls hand it out to me。〃
〃But you can still drink； I hope〃； Fatty at the same time mollified and
invited； with his one hand deftly pulling the slip…knots that fastened his
bundle。
From within the bundle he brought to light a twelve…ounce bottle of
alki。 Footsteps coming down the embankment alarmed him； and he hid
the bottle under his hat on the ground between his legs。
But the next comer proved to be not merely one of their own ilk； but
likewise to have only one arm。 So forbidding of aspect was he that
greetings consisted of no more than grunts。 Huge…boned； tall； gaunt to
cadaverousness； his face a dirty death's head； he was as repellent a
nightmare of old age as ever Dore imagined。 His toothless； thin…lipped
mouth was a cruel and bitter slash under a great curved nose that almost
met the chin and that was like a buzzard's beak。 His one hand； lean and
crooked； was a talon。 The beady grey eyes； unblinking and unwavering；
were bitter as death； as bleak as absolute zero and as merciless。 His
presence was a chill； and Whiskers and Fatty instinctively drew together
for protection against the unguessed threat of him。 Watching his chance；
privily； Whiskers snuggled a chunk of rock several pounds in weigh close
to his hand if need for action should arise。 Fatty duplicated the
performance。
Then both sat licking their lips； guiltily embarrassed； while the
unblinking eyes of the terrible one bored into them； now into one； now
into another； and then down at the rock…chunks of their preparedness。
〃Huh！〃 sneered the terrible one； with such dreadfulness of menace as
to cause Whiskers and Fatty involuntarily to close their hands down on
their cave…man's weapons。
〃Huh！〃 the other repeated； reaching his one talon into his side coat
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pocket with swift definiteness。 〃A hell of a chance you two cheap bums
'd have with me。〃
The talon emerged； clutching ready for action a six…pound iron quoit。
〃We ain't lookin' for trouble； Slim；〃 Fatty quavered。
〃Who in hell are you to call me 'Slim'？〃 came the snarling answer。
〃Me？ I'm just Fatty； an' seein' 's I never seen you before … 〃
〃An' I suppose that's Whiskers； there； with the gay an' festive lamp tan…
going into his eyebrow an' the God…forgive…us nose joy… riding all over his
mug？〃
〃It'll do； it'll do；〃 Whiskers muttered uncomfortably。 〃One monica's
as good as another； I find； at my time of life。 And everybody hands it out
to me anyway。 And I need an umbrella when it rains to keep from getting
drowned； an' all the rest of it。〃
〃I ain't used to company … don't like it；〃 Slim growled。 〃So if you
guys want to stick around； mind your step； that's all； mind your step。〃
He fished from his pocket a cigar stump； self…evidently shot from the
gutter； and prepared to put it in his mouth to chew。 Then he changed his
mind； glared at his companions savagely； and unrolled his bundle。
Appeared in his hand a druggist's bottle of alki。
〃Well；〃 he snarled； 〃I suppose I gotta give you cheap skates a drink
when I ain't got more'n enough for a good petrification for myself。〃
Almost a softening flicker of light was imminent in his withered face
as he beheld the others proudly lift their hats and exhibit their own
supplies。
〃Here's some water for the mixin's；〃 Whiskers said； proffering his
tomato…can of river slush。 〃Stockyards just above；〃 he added
apologetically。 〃But they say … 〃
〃Huh！〃 Slim snapped short； mixing the drink。 〃I've drunk worse'n
stockyards in my time。〃
Yet when all was ready； cans of alki in their solitary hands； the three
things that had once been men hesitated； as if of old habit； and next
betrayed shame as if at self…exposure。
Whiskers was the first to brazen it。
〃I've sat in at many a finer drinking；〃 he bragged。
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〃With the pewter；〃 Slim sneered。
〃With the silver；〃 Whiskers corrected。
Slim turned a scorching eye…interrogation on Fatty。
Fatty nodded。
〃Beneath the salt；〃 said Slim。
〃Above it；〃 came Fatty's correction。 〃I was born above it； and I've
never travelled second class。 First or steerage； but no intermediate in
mine。〃
〃Yourself？〃 Whiskers queried of Slim。
〃In broken glass to the Queen； God bless her；〃 Slim answered；
solemnly； without snarl or sneer。
〃In the pantry？〃 Fatty insinuated。
Simultaneously Slim reached for his quoit； and Whiskers and Fatty for
their rocks。
〃Now don't let's get feverish；〃 Fatty said； dropping his own weapon。
〃We aren't scum。 We're gentlemen。 Let's drink like gentlemen。〃
〃Let it be a real drinking；〃 Whiskers approved。
〃Let's get petrified；〃 Slim agreed。 〃Many a distillery's flowed under
the bridge since we were gentlemen； but let's forget the long road we've
travelled since； and hit our doss in the good old fashion in which every
gentleman went to bed when we were young。〃
〃My father done it … did it；〃 Fatty concurred and corrected； as old
recollections exploded long…sealed brain…cells of connotation and correct
usage。
The other two nodded a descent from similar fathers； and elevated
their tin cans of alcohol。
By the time each had finished his own bottle and from his rags fished
forth a second one； their brains were well…mellowed and a… glow； although
they had not got around to telling their real names。 But their English had
improved。 They spoke it correctly； while the argo of tramp…land ceased
from their lips。
〃It's my constitution；〃 Whiskers was explaining。 〃Very few men
could go through what I have and live to tell the tale。 And I never took
any care of myself。 If what the moralists and the physiologists say were
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