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alf their life just setting on the riverbank waiting for the likker boat to e in。 And Hooch knew they were specially eager this time； seeing as how some money changed hands back in Fort Dekane； so the other likker dealers got held up this way and that until old Carthage City must be dry as the inside of a bull's tit。 Now here es Hooch with his flatboat loaded up heavier than they ever saw； and he'd get a price this time； that's for sure。
Bill Harrison might be vain as a partridge； taking on airs and calling himself governor when nobody elected him and nobody appointed him but his own self； but he knew his business。 He had those boys of his in smart…looking uniforms； lined up at the wharf just as neat as you please； their muskets loaded and ready to shoot down the first Red who so much as took a step toward the shore。 It was no formality； neither them Reds looked mighty eager； Hooch could see。 Not jumping up and down like children； of course； but just standing there； just standing and watching； right out in the open； not caring who saw them； half…naked the way they mostly were in summertime。
Standing there all humble； all ready to bow and scrape； to beg and plead； to say； Please Mr。 Hooch one keg for thirty deerskins； oh that would sound sweet； oh indeed it would； Please Mr。 Hooch one tin cup of likker for these ten muskrat hides。 〃Whee…haw！〃 cried Hooch。 The poleboys looked at him like he was crazy； cause they didn't know； they never saw how these Reds used to look； back before Governor Harrison set up shop here； the way they never deigned to look at a White man； the way you had to crawl into their wicky…ups and choke half to death on smoke and steam and sit there making signs and talking their jub…jub until you got permission to wade。 Used to be the Reds would be standing there with bows and spears； and you'd be scared to death they'd decide your scalp was worth more than your trade goods。
Not anymore。 Now they didn't have a single weapon among them。 Now their tongues just hung out waiting for likker。 And they'd drink and drink and drink and drink and drink and whee…haw！ They'd drop down dead before they'd ever stop drinking； which was the best thing of all； best thing of all。 Only good Red's a dead Red； Hooch always said； and the way he and Bill Harrison had things going now； they had them Reds dying of likker at a good clip； and paying for the privilege along the way。
So Hooch was about as happy a man as you ever saw when they tied up at the Carthage City Wharf。 The sergeant even saluted him； if you could believe it！ A far cry from the way the U。S。 Marshalls treated him back in Suskwahenny； acting like he was scum they just scraped off the privy seat。 Out here in this new country； free…spirited men like Hooch were treated most like gentlemen； and that suited Hooch just fine。 Let them pioneers with their tough ugly wives and wiry little brats go hack down trees and cut up the dirt and raise corn and hogs just to live。 Not Hooch。 He'd e in after； after the fields were all nice and neat looking and the houses were all in fine rows on squared…off streets； and then he'd take his money and buy him the biggest house in town； and the banker would step off the sidewalk into the mud to make way for him； and the mayor would call him sir if he didn't decide to be mayor himself by then。
This was the message of the sergeant's salute； telling his future for him； when he stepped ashore。
〃We'll unload here； Mr。 Hooch；〃 said the sergeant。
〃I've got a bill of lading；〃 said Hooch； 〃so let's have no privateering by your boys。 Though I'd allow as how there's probably one keg of good rye whisky that somehow didn't exactly get counted on here。 I'd bet that one keg wouldn't be missed。〃
〃We'll be as careful as you please； sir；〃 said the sergeant； but he had a grin so wide it showed his hind teeth； and Hooch knew he'd find a way to keep a good half of that extra keg for himself。 If he was stupid； he'd sell his half…keg bit by bit to the Reds。 You don't get rich off a half keg of whisky。 No； if that sergeant was smart； he'd share that half keg； shot by shot； with the officers that seemed most likely to give him advancement； and if he kept that up； someday that sergeant wouldn't be out greeting flathoats； no Sir； he'd be sitting in officers' quarters with a pretty wife in his bedroom and a good steel sword at his hip。
Not that Hooch would ever tell this to the sergeant。 The way Hooch figured； if a man had to be told； he didn't have brains enough to do the job anyway。 And if he had the brains to bring it off； he didn't need no flatboat likker dealer telling him what to do。
〃Governor Harrison wants to see you；〃 said the sergeant。
〃And I want to see him；〃 said Hooch。 〃But I need a bath and a shave and clean clothes first。〃
〃Governor says for you to stay in the old mansion。〃
〃Old one？〃 said Hooch。 Harrison had built the official mansion only four years before。 Hooch could think of only one reason why Bill might have upped and built another so soon。 〃Well； now； has Governor Bill gone and got hisself a new wife？〃
〃He has；〃 said the sergeant。 〃Pretty as you please； and only fifteen years old； if you like that！ She's from Manhattan； though； so she don't talk much English or anyway it don't sound like English when she does。〃
That was all right with Hooch。 He talked Dutch real good； almost as good as he talked English and a lot better than he talked Shaw…Nee。 He'd make friends with Bill Harrison's wife in no time。 He even toyed with the idea of but no； no； it wasn't no good to mess with another man's woman。 Hooch had the desire often enough； but he knew things got way too plicated once you set foot on that road。 Besides； he didn't really need no White woman； not with all these thirsty squaws around。
Would Bill Harrison bring his children out here； now he had a second wife？ Hooch wasn't too sure how old them boys would be now； but old enough they might relish the frontier life。 Still； Hooch had a vague feeling that the boys'd be a lot better off staying in Philadelphia with their aunt。 Not because they shouldn't be out in wild country； but because they shouldn't be near their father。 Hooch liked Bill Harrison just fine； but he wouldn't pick him as the ideal guardian for children even for Bill's own。
Hooch stopped at the gate of the stockade。 Now； there was a nice touch。 Right along with the standard hexes and tokens that were supposed to ward off enemies and fire and other such things； Governor Bill had put up a sign； the width of the gate。 In big letters it said
CARTHAGE CITY
and in smaller letters it said
CAPITAL OF THE STATE OF WOBBISH
which was just the sort of thing old Bill would think of。 In a way； he expected that sign was more powerful than any of the hexes。 As a spark； for instance； Hooch knew that the hex against fire wouldn't stop him； it'd just make it harder to start a fire up right near the hex。 If he got a good blaze going somewhere else； that hex would burn up just like anything else。 But that sign； naming Wobbish a state and Carthage its capital； why； that might actually have some power in it； power over the way folks th