第11部分(第3/7 頁)

is　fingers；　the　way　a　man　would　hold　a　good　cigar。

The　mouse　stopped　where　it　had　before；　no　more　than　three　feet　from　the　duty　desk；　looking　up　at　Dean　like　a　prisoner　before　the　bar。　It　glanced　up　at　Bill　for　a　moment；　then　switched　its　attention　back　to　Dean。　Percy　it　hardly　seemed　to　notice　at　all。

〃He's　a　brave　little　barstid；　I　got　to　give　him　that；〃　Bill　said。　He　raised　his　voice　a　little。　〃Hey！　Hey！　Steamboat　Willy！〃

The　mouse　flinched　a　little　and　fluttered　its　ears；　but　it　didn't　run；　or　even　show　any　signs　of　wanting　to。

〃Now　watch　this；〃　Dean　said；　remembering　how　Brutal　had　fed　it　some　of　his　corned…beef　sandwich。　〃I　don't　know　if　he'll　do　it　again；　but…〃

He　broke　off　a　piece　of　Ritz　cracker　and　dropped　it　in　front　of　the　mouse。　It　just　looked　with　its　sharp　black　eyes　at　the　orangey　fragment　for　a　second　or　two；　its　filament…fine　whiskers　twitching　as　it　sniffed。　Then　it　reached　out；　took　the　cracker　in　its　paws；　sat　up；　and　began　to　eat。

〃Well。　I'll　be　shucked　and　boiled！〃　Bill　exclaimed。　〃Eats　as　neat　as　a　parson　on　parish　house　Saturday　night！〃

〃Looks　more　like　a　nigger　eating　watermelon　to　me。〃。　Percy　remarked；　but　neither　guard　paid　him　any　mind。　Neither　did　The　Chief　or　The　Pres；　for　that　matter。　The　mouse　finished　the　cracker　but　continued　to　sit；　seemingly　balanced　on　the　talented　coil　of　its　tail；　looking　up　at　the　giants　in　blue。

〃Lemme　try；〃　Bill　said。　He　broke　off　another　piece　of　cracker；　leaned　over　the　front　of　the　desk；　and　dropped　it　carefully。　The　mouse　sniffed　but　did　not　touch。

〃Huh；〃　Bill　said。　〃Must　be　full。〃

〃Nah；〃　Dean　said；　〃he　knows　you're　a　floater；　that's　all。〃

〃Floater；　am　I？　I　like　that！　I'm　here　almost　as　much　as　Harry　Terwilliger！　Maybe　more！〃