cwilleford.cockfighter-第3部分

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　　Two　men　in　the　bleachers　I　didn't　know　called　out　my　name　and　wished　me　good　luck。　I　waved　an　acknowledgment　to　them；　and　joined　Ed　Middleton　and　Captain　Mack。　I　removed　Sandspur　from　the　coop　and　handed　the　slip　of　paper　to　Mr。　Middleton。　Jack　Burke　and　his　handler；　Ralph　Hansen；　came　over。　The　handler　was　carrying　Little　David。　Mr。　Middleton　produced　a　coin。
　　〃Name　it；　gentlemen；〃　he　said。
　　〃Let　Mr。　Mansfield　call　it；〃　Burke　said　indifferently。
　　I　tapped　my　forehead　to　indicate　〃heads。〃　Mr。　Middleton　tossed　the　half　dollar　into　the　air　and　let　it　land　with　a　thump　on　the　card　table。　Heads。　I　reached　into　my　left　shirt　pocket；　pulled　out　the　short　gaffs；　and　held　them　out　in　my　open　palm。　They　were　hand…forged　steel　gaffs；　an　inch　and　a　quarter　in　length。　Burke　nodded　grimly　and　turned　to　his　handler。
　　〃All　right；　Ralph；〃　he　said　bitterly。　〃Short　spurs；　but　set'em　low。〃
　　Burke　was　a　long　gaff　man；　but　I　preferred　the　short　heels。　Sandspur　was　a　cutter　and　fought　best　with　short　gaffs。　Little　David　was　used　to　long　three…inch　heels。　Winning　the　toss　had　given　Sandspur　a　slight　advantage　over　Little　David。
　　The　cockfight　between　Sandspur　and　Little　David　was　an　extra　hack；　and　I　had　not；　of　course；　been　required　to　post　any　entry　fee。　However；　Mr。　Middleton　examined　both　cocks　with　minute　attention。　He　was　acting　as　judge　and　referee　and　had　received　at　least　a　minimum　fee　of　one　hundred　and　fifty　dollars；　plus　expenses；　from　Captain　Mack。　The　judge　of　a　cockfight　has　to　be　good；　and　Ed　Middleton　was　one　of　the　best　referees　in　the　entire　South。　His　word　in　the　pit　was　law。　There　is　no　appeal　from　a　cockfight　judge's　decision。　As　sole　judge…referee；　Ed　Middleton's　jurisdiction　enpassed　spectator　betting　as　well。　The　referee's　job　has　always　been　the　most　important　at　a　cockfight。　As　every　cocker　knows；　for　example；　honest　Abe　Lincoln　was　once　a　cockpit　referee　during　his　lawyer　days　in　Illinois。　Hard　and　fair　in　his　decisions；　and　as　impersonal　as　doom；　Ed　Middleton　was　fully　aware　of　the　traditional　responsibilities　of　the　cockpit　referee。
　　After　pleting　his　examination　of　the　cocks　to　see　that　they　were　not　soaped；　peppered　or　greased　and　that　they　were　trimmed　fairly；　Mr。　Middleton　stepped　back　to　the　table。
　　〃Southern　Conference　rules；　gentlemen？〃　he　asked。
　　〃What　else？〃　Burke　said。
　　I　nodded　my　head　in　agreement。
　　〃Forty…minute　time　limit；　or　kill？〃
　　I　closed　my　fist；　jerked　my　thumb　toward　the　ground。
　　〃What　else？〃　Burke　said。
　　Captain　Mack　held　Sandspur　while　Jack　Burke　examined　him；　and　I　took　a　close　look　at　Little　David。　Burke's　chicken　was　a　purebred　O'Neal　Red　and　as　arrogant　as　a　sergeantmajor　in　the　Foreign　Legion。　Although　I　had　never　seen　Little　David　fight　before；　I　had　followed　his　previous　pittings　in　The　Southern　Cockfighter；　and　I　knew　that　he　liked　aerial　fighting。　But　so　did　Sandspur　fight　high　in　the　air；　and　my　cock　was　used　to　short　gaffs。　The　three　additional　wins　Little　David　had　over　Sandspur　didn't　worry　me　when　I　had　such　an　advantage。
　　Burke　tapped　me　on　the　shoulder　and　grinned。　〃If　I'd　known　your　chicken　had　him　a　cracked　bill；　I'd　have　given　you　better　odds。〃
　　I　shrugged　indifferently　and　sat　down　on　the　edge　of　the　pit　to　arm　my　cock。　I　opened　my　gaff　case；　removed　a　bottle　of　typewriter　cleaning　solvent　and　cleaned　Sandspur's　spur　stumps。　Most　cockers　use　plain　alcohol　to　clean　spurs；　but　typewriter　solvent　is　fast…drying　and；　in　my　opinion；　removes　the　dirt　easier。　After　fitting　tight　chamois…skin　coverings　over　both　spurs；　I　slipped　the　metal　sockets　of　the　short　heels　over　the　covered　stumps　and　tied　them　with　waxed　string；　setting　them　low　and　a　trifle　to　the　outside。　The　points　of　the　tapered　heels　were　as　sharp　as　needles；　and　a　man　has　to　be　careful　when　he　arms　a　cock。　I　had　a　puckered　puncture　scar　on　my　right　forearm　caused　by　a　moment　of　carelessness　seven　years　before；　and　I　didn't　want　another　one。
　　The　betting　had　already　started；　but　the　crowd　quieted　down　when　Mr。　Middleton　stepped　into　the　pit。　They　listened　attentively　to　his　announcement。
　　〃This　is　an　extra　hack；　gentlemen；〃　he　said　loudly。　〃Little　David　versus　Sandspur。　Southern　Conference　rules　will　prevail。　No　time　limit；　and　short　gaffs。　Little　David　is　owned　by　Mr。　Jack　Burke　of　Burke　Farms；　Kissimmee；　Florida。　He's　an　Ace　cock；　with　eight　wins　and　will　be　two　years　old　in　November。　Little　David　will　be　handled　by　Mr。　Ralph　Hansen　of　Burke　Farms。〃
　　The　crowd　gave　Little　David　a　nice　hand；　and　Mr。　Middleton　continued。
　　〃Sandspur　is　owned　by　Mr。　Frank　Mansfield　of　Mansfield　Farms；　Ocala；　Florida；　and　he　will　handle　his　own　chicken。　Sandspur　is　a　five…time　winner　and　a　year　and　a　half　old。　Both　cocks　will　fight　at　four　pounds　even。〃
　　Sandspur　got　a　better　hand　than　Little　David；　and　the　applause　was　sustained　by　the　two　Dade　County　breeders　who　wanted　him　to　beat　Burke's　cock。　Mr。　Middleton　examined　Sandspur's　heels　and　patted　me　on　the　shoulder。　Many　cockers　resent　the　referee's　examination　of　a　cock's　heels；　but　I　never　have。　A　conscientious　referee　can　help　you　by　making　this　final　check。　Once　the　fight　has　started　and　your　cock　loses　a　metal　spur；　it　cannot　be　replaced。
　　As　Mr。　Middleton　crossed　the　pit　to　examine　Little　David；　I　watched　the　flying　fingers　of　the　bettors。　The　majority　of　the　betting　at　cockfights　is　done　by　fingers…one　finger　for　one　dollar；　five　for　five　dollars；　and　then　on　up　into　the　multiples　of　five…and　I　was　an　expert　in　this　type　of　betting。　I　had　learned　finger　betting　in　the　Philippines　when　I　was　in　the　army　and　didn't　understand　Tagalog；　and　I　had　also　used　the　same　system　in　Puerto　Rico；　where　I　didn't　understand　Spanish　very　well。　Little　David　was　the　favorite；　getting　two…to…one；　and　in　some　cases　three…to…one　odds。
　　Bill　Sanders；　Jack　Burke　and　the　two　Miami　gamblers　were　in　a　huddle　next　to　the　canvas　wall。　Both　gamblers　were　staring　across　the　pit　at　Sandspur　while　Sanders　and　Burke　talked　at　the　same　time。　Sanders　had　a　roll　of　money　in　his　hand　and　was　talking　fast；　although　I　couldn't　hear　his　voice　from　where　I　was　sitting　beside　the　pit。
　　A　fistfight　broke　out　on　the　top　tier　of　seats　between　two　fruit　tramps；　and　one　of　them　was　knocked　off　backward　and　fell　heavily　to　the　ground。　Before　he　could　climb　back　into　the　stands；　the　state　trooper　had　an　armiock　on　him　and　made　him　sit　down　on　the　other　side　of　the　pit。　When　I　looked　back　to　Bill　Sanders；　he　was　smiling　and　holding　up　three　fingers。
　　So　Bill　had　got　three…to…one。　That　was　good　enough　for　me。　When　Sandspur　won；　I'd　be　2；250　ahead　from　the　Miami　gamblers；　plus　　1；000　more　from　Jack　Burke。　3；250。　This　would　be　more　than　enough　money　to　see　me　through　the　Southern　Conference　season；　and　enough　to　purchase　six　badly　needed　fighting　cocks　besides。
　　〃Get　ready！〃　Mr。　Middleton　yelled。　I　stood　up；　stepped　over　the　edge　of　the　pit；　and　put　my　toes　on　the　back　score。　The　back　score　lines　placed　us　eight　feet　away　from　each　other。　Ralph　Hansen；　holding　Little　David　under　the　chest　with　one　hand；　called　impatiently　to　the　refereee。
　　〃How　about　letting　us　bill　them　first；　Mr。　Middleton？〃
　　Billing　is　an　essential　prelude　to　pitting。　Ed　Middleton　didn't　need　the　reminder。　〃Bill　your　cocks；〃　he　growled。
　　We　cradled　our　fighters　over　our　left　arms；　holding　their　feet；　and　stood　sideways　on　our　center　scores；　two　feet　apart；　so　the　cocks　could　peck　at　each　other。　These　cocks　had　never　seen　each　other　before；　but　they　were　mortal　enemies。　Ed　allowed　us　about　thirty　seconds　for　the　teasing　and　then　told　us　to　get　ready。　Ralph　backed　to　his　score　and　I　returned　to　mine。　I　squatted　on　my　heels　and　set　the　straining　Sandspur　with　his　feet　on　the　score。　The　cocks　were　exactly　eight　feet　apart。
　　I　watched　Mr。　Middleton's　lips。　This　was　a　trick　I　had　practiced　for　hours　on　end　and　I　was　good　at　it。　Before　a　man　can　say　the　letter　〃P〃　he　must　first　press　his　lips。　There　isn't　any　other　way　he　can　say　it。　The　signal　to　release　the　cocks　is　when　the　referee　shouts　〃Pit〃　or　〃Pit　your　cocks！〃　The　handler　who　releases　the　tail　of　his　cock　first　on　the　utterance　of　the　letter　〃P〃　has　a　split…second　advantage　over　his　rival。　And　in　the　South；　where　〃Pit〃　is　often　a　two…syllable　word；　〃Pee…it；〃　my　timing　was　perfect。
　　〃Pit！〃　Mr。　Middleton　announced；　and　before　the　word　was　out　of　his　mouth　Sandspur　was　in　the　air　and　halfway　to　Little　David。　The　cocks　met　in　midair；　both　of　them　shuffling　with　blurred　yellow　feet；　and　then　they　dropped　to　the　ground。　Neither　cock　had　managed　to　get　above　the　other。
　　With　new　respect　for　each　other；　the　two　birds　circled；　heads　held　low；　watching　each　other　warily。　Little　David　feinted　cleverly　with　a　short　rush；　but　Sandspur　wasn't　fooled。　He　held　his　ground；　and　Burke's　cock　retreated　with　his　wings　fluttering　at　the　tips。
　　As　he　dropped　back；　Sandspur　rose　with　a　short　flight　and　savagely　hooked　the　gaff　of　his　right　leg　into　Little　David's　wing。　The　point　of　the　heel　was　banged　solidly　into　the　bone　and　Sandspur　couldn't　get　it　dislodged。　He　pecked　savagely　at　Little　David's　head；　and　hit　the　top　of　the　downed　cock's　dubbed　head　hard　with　his　bill　open。　。　。　too　hard。
　　The　upper　section　of　Sandspur's　bill　broke　off　cleanly　at　the　doctored　crack　I　had　made。　A　bubble　of　blood　formed；　and　Sandspur　stopped　pecking。　Both　cocks　struggled　to　break　away　from　each　other；　but　the　right　spur　was　still　stuck；　and　all　Sandspur　could　do　was　hop　up　and　down　in　place　on　his　free　leg。　I　looked　at　Mr。　Middleton。
　　〃Handle！〃　the　judge　shouted。　〃Thirty　seconds！〃
　　A　moment　later　I　disentangled　the　gaff　from　Little　David's　wing　and　retreated　to　my　starting　line。　I　put　Sandspur's　head　in　my　mouth　and　sucked　the　blood　from　his　broken　beak。　I　licked　the　feathers　of　his　head　back　into　place　and　spat　as　much　saliva　as　I　could　into　his　open　mouth。　For　the　remaining　seconds　I　had　left　I　sucked　life　into　his　clipped　b。　The　b　was　much　too　pale。　。
　　〃Get　ready！〃　I　held　Sandspur　by　the　tail　on　the　line。　〃Pit　your　cocks！〃
　　Instead　of　flying　into　the　air；　Sandspur　circled　for　the　right　wall。　Little　David　turned　in　midair；　landed　running；　and　chased　my　cock　into　the　far　corner。　Sandspur　turned　to　fight；　and　the　c