按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
et together on this product。 I used to be in advertising in New York。 Perhaps Frank told you？〃
〃No； he didn't。〃 Doc looked at me reproachfully。 〃I didn't know Frank had himself a partner until I read the account of the Plant City Main between you…all and Jack Burke。 Now； that was a main I wish I'd seen！ That reminds me； Frank…〃 Doc took a small bottle of black…and…gray capsules out of his pocket and placed it on the workbench。 〃These are energy capsules。 I made 'em up for Mr。 Burke from a formula he gave me； and they should be good。 They take about an hour for the best results； but when I made 'em up for Mr。 Burke's chickens； I said to myself： 'While I'm at it； I'll just make up a batch for Frank Mansfield：
〃We appreciate it； Doctor；〃 Omar said…and then to me； 〃The restaurant should be open by now。 Let's get some breakfast。〃
Shaking my head； I opened my gaff case on the workbench and started to polish gaffs with my conical grinding stone。
〃I'll have some coffee with you； Mr。 Baradinsky；〃 Doc offered。
〃Fine。 I'd like to find out more about Licarbo。〃
〃Right now；〃 Doc said； 〃advertising isn't quite as important as raising a little capital。 However； I'd appreciate any advice you'd…〃
〃I'll bring you some coffee； Frank；〃 Omar said over his shoulder。 〃Capital； Doctor； is simply a matter of devious stratagems worked out through a mathematical process known as pressure patterns peculiar to pecuniary people。〃
As soon as they were out of earshot I opened the small bottle of energy capsules Doc had given me； dumped them on the floor； and crushed them into powder with my heel。 The capsules might have been wonderful； but I wouldn't take any chances with them。 Jack Burke knew that Doc Riordan was a friend of mine； and that fact alone was enough to make me distrust the medicine。 Perhaps Jack didn't have enough brains to plan anything so devious； but I wouldn't have used a strange product on my chickens whether Burke's name had been mentioned or not。 A major tournament is not the place for experimentation。
As the parking lot filled slowly； I leaned against the locked door of our cockhouse and watched the arriving cars as they pulled in and parked under the directions of the attendants。 By nine a。m。； when the time came for Omar and me to go over to the pit for the opening of the tourney； there was still no sign of either Bernice or Mary Elizabeth。
Tension was building up inside me； as it always does just before a meet； and I was happy when Peach Owen disengaged the mike； and handed it to Senator Foxhall。 Peach played out the extra cord behind the senator as the old man marched stiffly to the center of the pit。 The senator waited for silence； which didn't take very long。 This early in the morning； there were only about two hundred spectators； but by two in the afternoon； the place would be jammed。
〃Ladies and gentlemen；〃 Senator Foxhall said in his high reedy voice； 〃wele to the Southern Conference Tourney！ We sincerely hope that all of you will have a good time。 There is only one rule that you must observe during the meet。〃 He paused。 〃Conduct yourselves like ladies and gentlemen。〃
（Applause。）
〃Before the tourney is over；〃 he said wryly； licking his thin lips； 〃some of you may desire to place a small wager or two…〃
（Laughter。）
〃If you do； make certain you know the man you're betting with…there may be Internal Revenue agents in the crowd！〃
（Laughter。）
The old man turned the hand microphone over to Peach Owen and returned to his chair beside the judge's box。 For the remainder of the tourney he would sit there quietly； watching everything that went on with his deep…set； cold blue eyes。 With those experienced eyes watching me； I knew I couldn't make a single mistake when I was in the pit。
I was elated when Peach Owen called over the PA system for entry Number Two and entry Number Five to report to the judge's box to pick up their weight slips。 My tension disappeared。 Now I could be busy。
The first match was 5：00 cocks。 After getting our weightslip； Omar and I double…timed back to the cockhouse to heel our chicken。 Time was going on from the second we received our weight slip； and only fifteen minutes were allowed to heel and be ready for the pitting。 If an entry failed to make it on time； he forfeited that fight； and the next waiting； heeled pair was called。 The fifteen…minute time limit kept the fights moving along fast。 Where a match was even； or after ten minutes of fighting in the main pit； the two cocks were sent to the drag pit and a new pair was started in the center pit。
From the first pitting； I knew that the fight was going to be a long…drawn…out battle。 Pete Chocolate matched a Spanish cross against my Mellhorn Black； and both birds were wary and overcautious。 They did little damage to each other by the fourth pitting； and just before the fifth； when Ed Middleton saw that Roy Whipple and Baldy Allen were heeled and ready； he signaled for second referee Buddy Waggoner to start the next match and ordered us to follow him into the drag pit。
In the thirty…first pitting we went to breast after the third count of twenty； one hand under the bird only； at the center score。
〃Get ready；〃 Ed Middleton said。
Pete and I faced each other across the two…foot score； both holding weary fighters with our right hand； and one foot above the ground。 That's when the Indian made his first mistake。
〃Pit！〃
I dropped on signal and so did Pete； but Pete pushed； causing his Spanish to peck first because of the added impetus。 I saw him plainly； but Ed missed it。 Snapping my fingers I made a pushing gesture with my right palm and pointed to the straight…faced Seminole。
〃I'm refereeing this fight； Mr。 Mansfield！〃 Ed snapped angrily。 〃Handle！〃
We picked up the cocks for the short rest period。 I couldn't argue； but Ed had been alerted and he watched Pete closely during the next actionless pittings。 There are no draws at the S。C。T。； and I was beginning to think the fight 'was going to last all day when Pete just barely pushed his bird on the forty…fifth pitting。 This time； Ed caught him at it。
〃Foul！ The winner is Number Five！〃
〃Foul？〃 Pete asked innocently。 〃I mitted a foul of some kind？〃
〃Pushing on the breast score。 Are you trying to argue； Mr。 Chocolate？〃
〃I'm afraid I must； Mr。 Middleton；〃 Pete said with feigned bewilderment。 Spreading his arms widely； Pete turned to the crowd of a dozen or so spectators who had followed the first fight into the drag pit。 〃Did any of you gentlemen see me pushing？〃
〃That's a fifty…dollar fine for arguing。 Anything else to say； Pete？〃
Pete glowered at Ed for about ten seconds； and then shook his head。 We carried our birds out； returning to our respective cockhouses。 The door was open and my partner was attempting frantically to heel a 5：02 Roundhead by himself when I entered。
〃Take over； Frank！〃 Omar said excitedly。 〃Your drag lasted almost an hour； and we'vet got less than five minutes to meet Roy Whipple with a 5：02！〃
I put the battered Meilhorn away； and while Omar held； I finished heeling the Roundhead。 We made it to the weighing scales with two minut