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he chicken six times； gave him six rolls； and let him drink a half dip of water。 He would get no more water until after the fight。 When the sky began to lighten I released him。 Sandspur lifted his head and crowed twice。 I lit my first cigarette of the day。 As I watched the cock scratch in the loose sand； a shadow fell across my face。 I looked up and there was Jack Burke； a wide grin splitting his homely face。 I scooped Sandspur up quickly； dropped him into the coop and closed the lid。 Burke had seen him； but there still wasn't enough light for a close look。
〃That the mighty Sandspur？〃 Burke said。
I nodded。
〃He don't look like no five…time winner to me。 Tell you what I'll do； Mr。 Mansfield；〃 Burke said； as though he were doing me a big favor； 〃I'll give you two to ones'
When Burke made this offer； I had just started to get to my feet。 But now I decided to remain in my squatting position。 Burke is a man of average height； but I am a full head taller than he is； and my eyes are bluer。 My blond hair is curly； and his lank blond hair is straight。 Looking down on me that way gave him a psychological advantage； a feeling of power； and I wanted him to have it…hoping that his overconfidence would help me get even better odds that afternoon。
Burke had written me a postcard to Homestead； challenging Sandspur to the fight at even money。 I had accepted by return mail； glad to get a chance at his Ace cock； Little David。 Little David wasn't so little in his reputation。 He was an eight…time winner and had had a lot of publicity。 When my Sandspur beat Burke's Little David； his value would be doubled； and my chances for taking the Southern Conference championship would be improved。
On the drive from Homestead to Belle Glade； I had thought of the crack…on…the…bill plan； and now I didn't want even money or two to one either。 After the bettors looked at the birds before the pitting； I expected to get odds of four to one； at least。 I had eight hundred and fifty dollars in my wallet and I didn't want to take Burke's offer； but after accepting an even…money fight by mail； I couldn't legitimately turn down the new odds。
I snapped my fingers out four times； folded in my thumb； and held up four fingers。 I nodded twice。
〃You mean you've only got a hundred dollars to bet？〃 Burke said； with a short angry laugh。 〃1 figured on taking you for at least a thousand！〃
I pointed to the coop and lifted a forefinger to show Burke I only had the one cock。 He knew very well I had lost four birds at Homestead。 By this time； everybody in Florida and half of Georgia knew it。
Jack Burke followed the Cocker's Code of Conduct； and he was honest； but he disliked me。 Although my luck had been mostly bad for the last three years； four years before at Bioxi my novice stag； Pinky； had killed his Ace； Pepperpot。 He would never be able to forgive or forget that beating。 Pinky had won only one fight against five for his cock； and Burke had taken a terrific loss at five…to…one odds。 More than the money he had lost； he had resented my winning。 A columnist in The Southern Cockfighter had unfairly blamed his conditioning methods for the loss。 Actually； Pinky had only made a lucky hit。 A man is foolish to fight stags； but I had needed the young bird to fill out my entry for the main…not expecting to clobber Pepperpot。
Burke studied the ground； rubbing his freshly shaven chin。 He was in his middle forties； and he wore his pale； yellow hair much too long。 He paid considerable attention to his clothes。 Even at daybreak he was wearing a blue seersucker suit； white shirt and necktie； and black…and…white shoes。 Two…toned shoes indicate an ambivalent personality； a man who can't make up his mind。
〃Okay； Mr。 Mansfield；〃 Burke said at last； slapping his leg。 〃I'll take your hundred dollars and give you a two…toone。 I know damned well Sandspur can't beat Little David； but your cock always has a chance of getting in a lucky hit 。 。 。 the way Pinky did in Bioxi； for instance。 So let's say you really get lucky…what do you have？ Two hundred dollars。 To give you a fighting chance to get on your feet again after Homestead； I'll put up eight hundred bucks against your car and trailer。 Even money。〃
I chewed my lower lip； but the bet was fair。 My battered Caddy was worth at least eight hundred； but I didn't know what the trailer was worth。 Secondhand trailers bring in peculiar prices； and mine was fairly small； with only one bedroom and one door。 If I unloaded the car and trailer through a newspaper advertisement； I could've probably sold them both together for at least a thousand。 Burke wanted to beat me so bad he could taste it。 And if Little David won； I'd be out on the highway with my thumb out。
I stuck out my right hand and Burke grabbed it eagerly。 The bet was made。
〃Too bad you haven't got anything else to lose；〃 Burke laughed gleefully。 〃I'd like to make another bet that you just made a bad bet！〃
My lips curved into a broad smile as I thought of Dody sleeping peacefully inside the trailer。 In the unlikely event that Burke's cock did win the fight； he would also be stuck with Dody。 When I pictured Burke in my mind stopping at every gas station on the road to buy Dody ice cream and Coca…Colas it was impossible to suppress my smile。 On the way up from Homestead she had damned near driven me crazy。
But now the bet was made。
I consulted my wristwatch。 Two thirty。 It was time to go。 Bill Sanders was going to meet me outside the pit at three to pick up my betting money。 I stashed a hundred dollars in the utensil cupboard to cover my two…to…one bet with Burke； counted the rest of my money； and it came out to an even seven hundred and fifty dollars。 That was everything； except for a folded ten…dollar bill in my watch pocket。 This was my getaway bread…just in case。
I put my straw cowboy hat on my head to protect my face from the Florida sun； picked up the aluminum coop and my gaff case； and stepped outside。 There were fourteen trailers in Captain Mack's Trailer Camp； including mine； and if you had touched any one of them； you would have burned your hand。 In the distance； across the flat； desolate country I could see Belle Glade； three miles away。 The heat waves rising off the sandy land resembled great sheets of quivering cellophane。 I turned away from the trailers and started toward the hammock clump a mile away where the pit had been set up。 As hot as it was； I was in no mood to unhitch my car from the trailer and work up a worse sweat than I had； and the walk was only a mile。
There was a wire gate behind the camp； with an old…timer collecting an entrance fee of three dollars。 I raised my coop to show him I was an entrant； and he let me through without collecting a fee。 As I passed through the gate； Dody came flying up the trail； pigtails bouncing on her shoulders。 She was barefooted； wearing a pair of red silk hot pants and a white sleeveless blouse。 Her big unhampered breasts jounced up and down as she ran。
〃Frank！〃 she called out before she reached the gate。 〃Take me with you！ Please； Frank！〃
The gateman； a grizzled old man in blue overalls； raised his white brows。 I shook my head。 He c