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〃It sure is； Hooch。 He said it real specific。〃
〃I reckon he might think his schedule is too busy； boy； but I reckon it just ain't so。〃
〃Suit yourself；〃 said the quartermaster。 〃Want me to unload the four barrels I got here？〃
〃No I don't；〃 he said。 Then he shouted at his poleboys； most specially at that Mike Fink； cause he looked to be the most likely to do murder if need be。 〃Anybody tries to lay a hand on that whisky； I want to see four bullet holes in their body before we chuck him in the water！〃
The poleboys laughed and waved； except Mike Fink； who just sort of screwed his face up a little tighter。 That was one mean old boy。 They said you could tell which men had ever tried to wrassle Mike Fink； cause they got no ears。 They said； if you want to get away from Fink with one ear still on your head； you got to wait till he's chewing on your first ear and then shoot him twice to distract him while you get away。 A real good riverboy。 But it made Hooch a little nervy to think what Fink might do if Hooch didn't have a payroll for him。 Bill Harrison was going to pay for this whole load of likker； or there'd be real trouble。
Walking into the stockade； Hooch noticed a few things。 The sign was the same one Harrison put up four years ago； it was getting ratty…looking now； weathered up； but nobody changed it。 Town wasn't growing either。 Everything had lost that new look； and now it was plain shabby。
Not like the way things were going back in Hio Territory。 What used to be little stockade towns like this were turning into real towns； with painted houses； even a few cobbled streets。 Hio was booming； at least the eastern part of it； close on to Suskwahenny； and folks speculated on how it wasn't far from statehood。
But there wasn't no boom going on in Cathage City。
Hooch walked along the main street inside the stockade。 Still plenty of soldiers； and they still looked to have pretty good discipline； had to give Governor Bill credit for that。 But where there used to be whisky…Reds sprawled all over the place； now there was river…rat types； uglier…looking than Mike Fink； unshaved； with a whisky stink as bad as any likkered…up Red ever had。 Four old buildings had been turned into saloons； too； and they were doing good business in the middle of the afternoon。
That's why； thought Hooch。 That's the trouble。 Carthage City's gone and turned into a river town； a saloon town。 Nobody wants to live around here； with all these river rats。 It's a whisky town。
But if it's a whisky town； Governor Bill ought to be buying whisky from me instead of this business about only wanting four barrels。
〃You can wait if you want； Mr。 Palmer； but the Governor won't see you today。〃
Hooch sat on the bench outside Harrison's office。 He noticed that Harrison had switched offices with his adjutant。 Gave up his nice big office in exchange for what？ Smaller space； but all interior walls。 No windows。 Now； that meant something。 That meant Harrison didn't like having people look in on him。 Maybe he was even afraid of getting himself killed。
Hooch sat there for two hours； watching soldiers e in and out。 He tried not to get mad。 Harrison did this now and then； making somebody sit around and wait so by the time they got in they was so upset they couldn't think straight。 And sometimes he did it so a body'd get in a huff and go away。 Or start to feeling small and unimportant； so Harrison could do some bullying。 Hooch knew all this； so he tried to stay calm。 But when it got on to evening； and the soldiers started changing shifts and going off duty； it was more than he could stand。
〃What do you think you're doing？〃 he demanded of the corporal who sat at the front desk。
〃Going off duty；〃 said the corporal。
〃But I'm still here；〃 said Hooch。
〃You can go off duty too； if you like；〃 said the corporal。
That smart…mouthed answer was like a slap in the face。 Time was these boys all tried to suck up to Hooch Palmer。 Times were changing too fast。 Hooch didn't like it at all。 〃I could buy your old mother and sell her at a profit；〃 said Hooch。
That got to him。 That corporal didn't look bored no more。 But he didn't let himself haul off and take a swing； neither。 Just stood there； more or less at attention； and said； 〃Mr。 Palmer； you can wait here all night and wait here all day tomorrow； and you ain't going to get in to see His Excellency the Governor。 And you just sitting here waiting all day is proof you're just too plain dumb to catch on to how things are。〃
So it was Hooch lost his temper and took a swing。 Well； not a swing exactly。 More like a kick； cause Hooch never did learn no rules about fighting like a gentleman。 His idea of a duel was to wait behind a rock for his enemy to pass by； shoot him in the back； and run like hell。 So that corporal got Hooch's big old boot in his knee； which bent his leg backward in a way it wasn't meant to go。 That corporal screamed bloody murder； which he had a right to； and not just from the pain after a kick like that； his leg would never be any good again。 Hooch probably shouldn't've kicked him there； he knew； but that boy was so snooty。 Practically begged for it。
Trouble was； the corporal wasn't exactly alone。 First yelp he made； all of a sudden there was a sergeant and four soldiers； bayonets at the ready； popping right out of the Governor's office and looking mad as hornets。 The sergeant ordered two of his boys to carry the corporal to the infirmary。 The others put Hooch under arrest。 But it wasn't gentlemanly like that last time； four years before。 This time the butts of their muskets got bumped into Hooch's body in a few places； sort of accidentally； and Hooch had him some boot prints in various places on his clothes； can't say how they got there。 He ended up locked in a jail cell no storage room this time。 They left him with his clothes and a lot of pain。
No doubt about it。 Things had changed around here。
That night six other men were put in lock…up； three of them drunks； three for brawling。 Not one was Red。 Hooch listened to them talking。 It's not like any of them was particularly bright； but Hooch couldn't believe that they didn't talk about beating up no Reds； or making fun with some of them or something。 It was like Reds had practically disappeared from the vicinity。
Well； maybe that was true。 Maybe the Reds had all took off； but wasn't that what Governor Harrison hoped for？ With the Reds gone； why wasn't Carthage City prosperous； full of White settlers？
The only inkling Hooch got was something one of the brawlers said。 〃I reckon I'm broke till tax season。〃 The others whooped and hollered a little。 〃I got to say I don't mind government service； but it sure ain't steady work。〃
Hooch knew better than to ask them what they meant。 No need to call attention to himself。 He sure didn't want word getting around about how he looked all beat up the night he spent in jail。 That kind of idea starts spreading and pretty soon everybody thinks he can beat a body up； and Hooch didn't reckon to start all over as a mon street brawler； not at his age。
In the morning the soldiers came for him。 Different ones； and this time they wasn't so