第13部分(第6/7 頁)

ard　that　had　forgotten　its　flag。

〃What　am　I　supposed　to　do？〃　Percy　called　from　behind　the　wire　mesh　between　the　storage　room　and　the　switch　room。

〃Watch　and　learn；〃　I　called　back。

〃And　keep　yer　hands　off　yer　wiener；〃　Harry　muttered。　Toot…Toot　heard　him；　though；　and　cackled。

We　escorted　him　up　onto　the　platform　and　Toot　turned　around　on　his　own　…　the　old　vet　in　action。　〃Sittin　down；〃　he　said；　〃sittin　down。　sittin　down；　takin　a　seat　in　Old　Sparky's　lap。〃

I　dropped　to　my　right　knee　before　his　right　leg。　Dean　dropped　to　his　left　knee　before　his　left　leg。　It　was　at　this　point　we　ourselves　would　be　most　vulnerable　to　physical　attack；　should　the　condemned　man　go　berserk；　which；　every　now　and　then；　they　did。　We　both　turned　the　cocked　knee　slightly　inward；　to　protect　the　crotch　area。　We　dropped　our　chins　to　protect　our　throats。　And；　of　course；　we　moved　to　secure　the　ankles　and　neutralize　the　danger　as　fast　as　we　could。　The　Chief　would　be　wearing　slippers　when　he　took　his　final　promenade；　but　〃it　could　have　been　worse〃　isn't　much　fort　to　a　man　with　a　ruptured　larynx。　Or　writhing　on　the　floor　with　his　balls　swelling　up　to　the　size　of　Mason　jars；　for　that　matter；　while　forty　or　so　spectators　…　many　of　them　gentlemen　of　the　press　…　sit　in　those　Grange…hall　chairs；　watching　the　whole　thing。

We　clamped　Toot…Toot's　ankles。　The　clamp　on　Dean's　side　was　slightly　bigger；　because　it　carried　the　juice。　When　Bitterbuck　sat　down　tomorrow　night；　he　would　do　so　with　a　shaved　left　calf。　Indians　have　very　little　body…hair　as　a　rule；　but　we　would　take　no　chances。

While　we　were　clamping　Toot…Toots　ankles；　Brutal　secured　his　right　wrist。　Harry　stepped　smoothly　forward　and　clamped　the　left。　When　they　were　done；　Harry　nodded　to　Brutal；　and　Brutal　called