Part 6 (1/2)

”Shoots 'leven fifty.” The game was delayed a moment while the Wildcat hunted for appropriate minor currency. ”Heah's de fifty cents I stahted wid. Lily, at ease!” The Southern Hemisphere of the mascot subsided.

”Honey Tone, you sin-'fested uplifteh, feel de axe. Bam! Dey reads four trey. Lily, at res'.”

The victorious Wildcat added the last of his winnings to the bulky roll inside his pocket. ”'At winds yo' up, big boy. De Supreem leadin' mule rides easier now. Yo' weighs six hund'ed dollahs less.”

A unit on the outer fringe of the pop-eyed audience pressed forward to where the Wildcat stood. ”Same ol' cyclone,” he said in greeting.

”Wilecat, you 'membehs me? I ain't seed sich a fust-cla.s.s cleanin'

since us fit de battle of Bo'deaux an' yo' win all de payday us boys got.”

The Wildcat suddenly recognized the speaker. ”Backslid! How come yo'

heah? Hot dog! I sho' is glad to see yo'.”

”Ah come home casual, count of stummik mis'ry th'ee weeks afteh yo' lef Bo'deaux,” the Backslid Baptist explained. ”Sho' is glad to see yo'.”

”You 'membehs Honey Tone?” The Wildcat introduced the uplifter. ”Honey Tone leads de parade. Us starts in five minutes. Jine in, Backslid, an'

yo' marches 'longside ob me an' Lily.”

”Sho' 'steem to, Wilecat, but I takes mah run dis aftehnoon.”

”How come run?”

”I's back on de ol' job runnin' Pullman out of Chicago. I's due out on de Fliah fo' Chicago at two-fo'ty. Any time yo' craves a ramble on de cus.h.i.+ons, roun' me up. Ah stakes yo' to a white coat an' yo' is aced in as mah helpeh. Pullman service is crammed wid dead-head helpehs now de Guv'ment's runnin' de lines. An' Boy--once us 'rives at Chicago de gran' ruckus begins!”

”Backslid, 'at sho' sounds n.o.ble. Some day me an' Lily sho' make a trip wid you.”

The Wildcat and his former a.s.sociate were interrupted by Honey Tone Boone. ”Wilecat, you's de Supreem Arrangeh, ain't you? Roun' up de humans. Fawm de parade. Us starts.”

The Wildcat threw back his head and addressed the gathering in the barber shop. ”Company, 'tenshun! All de n.i.g.g.ahs in de room whut's gwine to jine de gran' parade, fall out de do' an' fall in!” He led the rush for the exit. Outdoors he repeated the announcement. ”Gran' parade led by Honey Tone Boone. Followin' me an' Lily comes de bra.s.s ban'. Den comes de Sons ob Damon. Sons ob Damon wearin' de yellah belly ban's walks ahead. Followin' de Sons ob Damon, de Knights wid de Red Pants falls in. Parade marches fo' an' fo', ladies outside. Keep off de car tracks. Followin' de Knights wid de Red Pants comes de 'Filiated Toilers.

”Cornet Club comes nex', 'ceptin' de big ba.s.s drum. Fetch dat ba.s.s drum oveh heah. Yo' marches by me.”

He turned to a group of human beings whose sole common characteristic was their colour and the colour of the sashes which were tied about them. ”Whut outfit is you boys?”

”Us is de Committee ob Culled Democrats.”

”How come they let you out ob jail? Fall in behin' de lunch wagon.

'At's whah you gin'lly is.”

The drum-bamming giant took his place opposite the Wildcat. The Wildcat turned to the Supreme Organizer of the Culled Militarriers of America.

”Git abo'ad 'at steed, Honey Tone,” he said.

Honey Tone clambered on to the mule with the a.s.sistance of a pair of agile bystanders. The Wildcat closed his eyes and lifted his head high in the air. ”Company, 'tenshun!” He turned to the drum-bammer opposite him. ”Le-e-t's go!”

”Bam!” The crash inside the ba.s.s drum found a deafening echo in a blare of exploding horns and cornets. Lily s.h.i.+ed close beside her master.

Honey Tone's mule drooped a languid ear over a bulging eyeball as if to shut out a vision of impending disaster, and then, at the second note from the ba.s.s drum, the mule leaped into a wild gallop. Before the marchers had covered a hundred feet Honey Tone and his jug-head mount had pa.s.sed the fire hall three blocks down the street.

The parade marched steadily toward the ball park. Ten minutes later Honey Tone and the mule clattered past the parade. ”Ol' mule sho'

steers n.o.ble, but he kain't stop,” the Wildcat announced to the drum-bammer opposite him.