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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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THE RED ONE
true； I'd have been dead long ago。 And it's the same with you two。
Look at us； at our advanced years； carousing as the young ones don't dare；
sleeping out in the open on the ground； never sheltered from frost nor rain
nor storm； never afraid of pneumonia or rheumatism that would put half
the young ones on their backs in hospital。〃
He broke off to mix another drink； and Fatty took up the tale。
〃And we've had our fun；〃 he boasted； 〃and speaking of sweethearts
and all；〃 he cribbed from Kipling； 〃'We've rogued and we've ranged … '〃
〃'In our time；'〃 Slim completed the crib for him。
〃I should say so； I should say so；〃 Fatty confirmed。 〃And been loved
by princesses … at least I have。〃
〃Go on and tell us about it；〃 Whiskers urged。 〃The night's young； and
why shouldn't we remember back to the roofs of kings？〃
Nothing loth； Fatty cleared his throat for the recital and cast about in
his mind for the best way to begin。
〃It must be known that I came of good family。 Percival Delaney； let
us say； yes； let us say Percival Delaney； was not unknown at Oxford once
upon a time … not for scholarship； I am frank to admit； but the gay young
dogs of that day； if any be yet alive； would remember him … 〃
〃My people came over with the Conqueror；〃 Whiskers interrupted；
extending his hand to Fatty's in acknowledgment of the introduction。
〃What name？〃 Fatty queried。 〃I did not seem quite to catch it。〃
〃Delarouse； Chauncey Delarouse。 The name will serve as well as
any。〃
Both completed the handshake and glanced to Slim。
〃Oh； well； while we're about it 。 。 。 〃 Fatty urged。
〃Bruce Cadogan Cavendish；〃 Slim growled morosely。 〃Go on；
Percival； with your princesses and the roofs of kings。〃
〃Oh； I was a rare young devil；〃 Percival obliged； 〃after I played ducks
and drakes at home and sported out over the world。 And I was some
figure of a man before I lost my shape … polo； steeple… chasing； boxing。 I
won medals at buckjumping in Australia； and I held more than several
swimming records from the quarter of a mile up。 Women turned their
heads to look when I went by。 The women！ God bless them！〃
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And Fatty； alias Percival Delaney； a grotesque of manhood； put his
bulgy hand to his puffed lips and kissed audibly into the starry vault of the
sky。
〃And the Princess！〃 he resumed； with another kiss to the stars。 〃She
was as fine a figure of a woman as I was a man； a