Part 41 (2/2)

Pesita appeared not to hear what Miguel had said He turned his shoulder toward the lish

”You were on your way to El Orobo Rancho, eh? Are you acquainted there?”

he asked

Billy replied that they were not-- for employment upon an American-owned ranch or in an American mine

”Why did you leave your own country?” asked Pesita ”What do you want here in Mexico?”

”Well, ol' top,” replied Billy, ”you see de birds was flyin' south an'

winter was in de air, an a fat-head dick from Chi was on me trail--so I ducks”

”Ducks?” queried Pesita, mystified ”Ah, the ducks--they fly south, I see”

”Naw, you poor sireed Pesita, not wishi+ng to adringo ”But the large-faced dick--what ht that be? I have spend much time in the States, but I do not know that”

”I said 'fat-head dick'--dat's a fly cop,” Billy elucidated

”It is he then that is the bird” Pesita beaacity ”He fly”

”Flannagan ain't no bird--Flannagan's a dub”

Bridge came to the rescue

”My erudite friend means,” he explained, ”that the police chased him out of the United States of America”

Pesita raised his eyebrows All was now clear to him

”But why did he not say so?” he asked

”He tried to,” said Bridge ”He did his best”

”Quit yer kiddin',” adht suddenly burst upon Pesita He turned upon Bridge

”Your friend is not then an Auessed it That is why I could not understand hio less well even than I From what country is he?”

Billy Byrne would have asserted with so if not Ae was quick to see a possible loophole for escape for his friend in Pesita's belief that Billy was no gringo, and warned the latter to silence by a quick motion of his head

”He's from 'Gran' Avenoo,'” he said ”It is not exactly in Gerreat many Germans there My friend is a native, so he don't speak Gere of their own in 'Gran' Avenoo'”