Part 1 (2/2)
”They're all here, Tih s too Who's this?”
Through the knot of pipe-puffing idlers came a portly coppery man in uniform
”Well, I'll be--Say, he's the same chap who ca,” the light-haired ot it! He's the police force and the ar works! Ha!”
Tireeted ”What's on yer mind?”
”_Boa dia_, senhor,” responded the official, affably With the words he deftly slipped an arm around Tim's waist and lifted the other hand toward his shoulder But that hand stopped short, then fleildly out into the air
Ti and slithering six feet through thehi in the in thin as an eyelash he succeeded in preserving his balance and stood where he stopped, arowled Tiit it like a rin and then clinch Don't reach for no knife, now, or I'll drill ye--”
”Tim!” barked the black-haired one ”Ten-_shun_!”
Automatically Tim's head snapped erect and his shoulders went back He relaxed again almost at once But in therepresentative of the governing ser to Brazil and not acquainted with your manner of welcome In our own country men never put the arm around one another except in combat He has been a soldier You are a soldier So you can understand that a fighting man may be a little abrupt when he does not understand”
The sy, andtreated as an equal by a man whose manner betokened the North Arieved official at once The hot gleam died out of his eyes Punctiliously he saluted The salute was as punctiliously returned
”It is forgotten, Capitao As the capitao says, we soldiers are soive you welcome to Remate de Males My services are at your disposal”
”We thank you Why do you call me capitao?”
”My eyes know a capitao when they see him”
”But this is not a military expedition, h we all have been”
”Once a capitao, always a capitao,” the Brazilian insisted Then he hinted: ”If the capitao and his friends wish to call upon the superintendente they will find hi beyond the hotel It will soon be closed for the day”
The tall Aray eyes roved down the street to the weather-beaten house whose peeling walls once o down there,” he said ”Come on, Merry Tim, stick here and keep an eye on the stuff And don't start another hile we're gone”
”Right, Cap” Tiht shoulder ”I'll walk me post in a militarythat takes place within sight or hearin', accordin'
to Gin'ral Order Number Two There won't be no war unless somebody starts somethin' Hey, there, buddy, would ye sive ye one?”
”_Si_,” grinned the soldier-policeone And as the other twoback at the North and the South A s like brothers in areneral orders,' but he's forgotten Nuhed the blond man
”Five? 'To talk to no one except in line of duty' Don't need it here, Merry”
”Nope The _entente cordiale_ is the thing Here's hoping nobody makes Tione, Rod”