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fall on Billy； and fling him where he had flung the soggy uniform。
But instead he remained motionless； his arms pressed across his
chest。 His eyes； filled with anger and distress； returned to the
Adriaticus。
〃I'm sorry；〃 muttered the Kid。
John rose and motioned to the door； and guiltily and only too
gladly we escaped。 John followed us into the hall。 〃Let me talk
to him；〃 he whispered。 〃The boat sails in an hour。 Please don't
come back until she's gone。〃
We went to the moving picture palace next door； but I doubt if
the thoughts of any of us were on the pictures。 For after an
hour； when from across the quay there came the long…drawn
warning of a steamer's whistle； we nudged each other and rose
and went out。
Not a hundred yards from us the propeller blades of the
Adriaticus were slowly churning； and the rowboats were falling
away from her sides。
〃Good…bye； Mr。 Hamlin；〃 called Billy。 〃You had everything and
you chucked it away。 I can spell your finish。 It's 'check' for yours。〃
But when we entered our room； in the centre of it； under the
bunch of electric lights； stood the deserter。 He wore the
water…logged uniform。 The sun helmet was on his head。
〃Good man！〃 shouted Billy。
He advanced； eagerly holding out his hand。
Mr。 Hamlin brushed past him。 At the door he turned and glared
at us； even at John。 He was not a good loser。 〃I hope you're
satisfied；〃 he snarled。 He pointed at the four beds in a row。 I
felt guiltily conscious of them。 At the moment they appeared so
unnecessarily clean and warm and soft。 The silk coverlets at the
foot of each struck me as being disgracefully effeminate。 They
made me ashamed。
〃I hope；〃 said Mr。 Hamlin； speaking slowly and picking his words；
〃when you turn into those beds to…night you'll think of me in the
mud。 I hope when you're having your five…course dinner and your
champagne you'll remember my bully beef。 I hope when a shell or
Mr。 Pneumonia gets me； you'll write a nice little sob story about
the 'brave lads in the trenches。' 〃
He looked at us； standing like schoolboys； sheepish； embarrassed；
and silent； and then threw open the door。 〃I hope；〃 he added；
〃you all choke！〃
With an unconvincing imitation of the college chum manner；
John cleared his throat and said： 〃Don't forget； Fred； if there's
anything I can do〃
Hamlin stood in the doorway smiling at us。
〃There's something you can all do；〃 he said。
〃Yes？〃 asked John heartily。
〃You can all go to hell！〃 said Mr。 Hamlin。
We heard the door slam； and his hobnailed boots pounding down
the stairs。 No one spoke。 Instead； in unhappy silence； we stood
staring at the floor。 Where the uniform had lain was a pool of
mud and melted snow and the darker stains of stale blood。
End of the Project Gutenberg etext of The Lost Road
The Project Gutenberg Etext of Robin Hood by J。 Walker McSpadden
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