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ry。 Because there sat Governor Bill behind a big old table； like God on his throne； and Hooch realized things had changed around here。 It wasn't just the fort that had got bigger so had Bill Harrison's vanity。 And if Hooch was going to make the profit he expected to on this trip； he'd have to make sure Governor Bill came down a peg or two； so they could deal as equals instead of dealing as a tradesman and a governor。
〃Noticed your cannon；〃 said Hooch； not bothering even to say howdy。 〃What's the artillery for； French from Detroit； Spanish from Florida； or Reds？〃
〃No matter who's buying the scalps； it's always Reds； one way or another；〃 said Harrison。 〃Now sit down； relax； Hooch。 When my door is closed there's no ceremony between us。〃 Oh； yes； Governor Bill liked to play his games； just like a politician。 Make a man feel like you're doing him a favor just to let him sit in your presence； flatter him by making him feel like a real chum before you pick his pocket。 Well； thought Hooch； I have some games of my own to play； and we'll see who es out on top。
Hooch sat down and put his feet up on Governor Bill's desk。 He took out a pinch of tobacco and tucked it into his cheek。 He could see Bill flinch a little。 It was a sure sign that his wife had broke him of some manly habits。 〃Care for a pinch？〃 asked Hooch。
It took a minute before Harrison allowed as how he wouldn't mind a bit of it。 〃I mostly swore off this stuff；〃 he said ruefully。
So Harrison still missed his bachelor ways。 Well； that was good news to Hooch。 Gave him a handle to get the Gov off balance。 〃Hear you got yourself a white bedwarmer from Manhattan；〃 said Hooch。
It worked： Harrison's face flushed。 〃I married a lady from New Amsterdam；〃 he said。 His voice was quiet and cold。 Didn't bother Hooch a bit that's just what he wanted。
〃A wife！〃 said Hooch。 〃Well； I'll be！ I beg your pardon； Governor； that wasn't what I heard； you'll have to forgive me； I was only going by what the what the rumors said。〃
〃Rumors？〃 asked Harrison
〃Oh； no； you just never mind。 You know how soldiers talk。 I'm ashamed I listened to them in the first place。 Why； you've kept the memory of your first wife sacred all these years； and if I was any kind of friend of yours； I would've known any woman you took into your house would be a lady； and a properly married wife。〃
〃What I want to know；〃 said Harrison； 〃is who told you she was anything else？〃
〃Now； Bill； it was just loose soldiers' talk； I don't want any man to get in trouble because he can't keep his tongue。 A likker shipment just came in； for heaven's sake； Bill！ You won't hold it against them； what they said with their minds on whisky。 No； you just take a pinch of this tobacky and remember that your boys all like you fine。〃
Harrison took a good…sized chaw from the offered tobacco pouch and tucked it into his cheek。 〃Oh； I know； Hooch； they don't bother me。〃 But Hooch knew thatit did bother him； that Harrison was so angry he couldn't spit straight； which he proved by missing the spittoon。 A spittoon； Hooch noticed； which had been sparkling clean。 Didn't anybody spit around here anymore； except Hooch？
〃You're getting civilized；〃 said Hooch。 〃Next thing you know you'll have lace curtains。〃
〃Oh； I do；〃 said Harrison。 〃In my house。〃
〃And little china chamber pots？〃
〃Hooch； you got a mind like a snake and a mouth like a hog。〃
〃That's why you love me； Bill cause you got a mind like a hog and a mouth like a snake。〃
〃Keep that in mind；〃 said Harrison。 〃You just keep that in mind； how I might bite； and bite deep； and bite with poison in it。 You keep that in mind before you try to play your diddly games with me。〃
〃Diddly games！〃 cried Hooch。 〃What do you mean； Bill Harrison！ What do you accuse me of！〃
〃I accuse you of arranging for us to have no likker at all for four long months of springtime； till I had to hang three Reds for breaking into military stores； and even my soldiers ran out！〃
〃Me！ I brought this load here as fast as I could！〃
Harrison just smiled。
Hooch kept his look of pained outrage it was one of his best expressions； and besides it was even partly true。 If even one of the other whisky traders had half a head on him； he'd have found a way downriver despite Hooch's efforts。 It wasn't Hooch's fault if he just happened to be the sneakiest； most malicious； lowdown； petent skunk in a business that wasn't none too clean and none too bright to start with。
Hooch's look of injured innocence lasted longer than Harrison's smile； which was about what Hooch figured would happen。
〃Look here； Hooch；〃 said Harrison。
〃Maybe you better start calling me Mr。 Ulysses Palmer；〃 said Hooch。 〃Only my friends call me Hooch。〃
But Harrison did not take the bait。 He did not start to make protests of his undying friendship。 〃Look here； Mr。 Palmer；〃 said Harrison； 〃you know and I know that this hasn't got a thing to do with friendship。 You want to be rich； and I want to be governor of a real state。 I need your likker to be governor； and you need my protection to be rich。 But this time you pushed too far。 You understand me？ You can have a monopoly for all I care； but if I don't get a steady supply of whisky from you； I'll get it from someone else。〃
〃Now Governor Harrison； I can understand you might've started fretting along in there sometime； and I can make it right with you。 What if you had six kegs of the best whisky all on your own〃
But Harrison wasn't in the mood to be bribed； either。 〃What you forget； Mr。 Palmer； is that I can have all this whisky； if I want it。〃
Well； if Harrison could be blunt； so could Hooch； though he made it a practice to say things like this with a smile。 〃Mr。 Governor； you can take all my whisky once。 But then what trader will want to deal with you？〃
Harrison laughed and laughed。 〃Any trader at all； Hooch Palmer； and you know it！〃
Hooch knew when he'd been beat。 He joined right in with the laughing。
Somebody knocked on the door。 〃e in；〃 said Harrison。 At the same time he waved Hooch to stay in his chair。 A soldier stepped in； saluted； and said； 〃Mr。 Andrew Jackson here to see you； sir。 From the Tennizy country； he says。〃
〃Days before I looked for him；〃 said Harrison。 〃But I'm delighted； couldn't be more pleased； show him in； show him in。〃
Andrew Jackson。 Had to be that lawyer fellow they called Mr。 Hickory。 Back in the days when Hooch was working the Tennizy country； Hickory Jackson was a real country boy killed a man in a duel； put his fists into a few faces now and then； had a name for keeping his word； and the story was that he wasn't exactly pletely married to his wife； who might well have another husband in her past who wasn't even dead。 That was the difference between Hickory and Hooch Hooch would've made sure the husband was dead and buried long since。 So Hooch was a little surprised that this Jackson was big enough now to have business that would take him clear from Tennizy up to Carthage City。
But that was nothing to his surprise when Jackson stepped through the door； ramrod straight with eyes like fire。 He strode across the room and offered his hand to Gov