第18部分(第4/8 頁)

asing　after　a　stick。　I　exclaimed　with　surprise；　and　Delacroix　grinned。

The　spool　hit　the　wall　and　rebounded。　Mr。　Jingles　went　around　it　and　pushed　it　back　to　the　bunk；　switching　from　one　end　of　the　spool　to　the　other　whenever　it　looked　like　it　was　going　to　veer　offcourse。　He　pushed　the　spool　until　it　hit　Delacroix's　foot。　Then　he　looked　up　at　him　for　a　moment；　as　if　to　make　sure　Delacroix　had　no　more　immediate　tasks　for　him　（a　few　arithmetic　problems　to　solve；　perhaps；　or　some　Latin　to　parse）。　Apparently　satisfied　on　this　score；　Mr。　Jingles　went　back　to　the　cigar　box　and　settled　down　in　it　again。

〃You　taught　him　that；〃　I　said。

〃Yessir；　Boss　Edgebe；〃　Delacroix　said；　his　smile　only　slightly　dissembling。　〃He　fetch　it　every　time。　Smart　as　hell；　ain't　he？〃

〃And　the　spool？〃　I　asked。　〃How　did　you　know　to　fetch　that　for　him；　Eddie？〃

〃He　whisper　in　my　ear　that　he　want　it；〃　Delacroix　said　serenely。　〃Same　as　he　whisper　his　name。〃

Delacroix　showed　all　the　other　guys　his　mouse's　trick　。。。　all　except　Percy。　To　Delacroix；　it　didn't　matter　that　Percy　had　suggested　the　cigar　box　and　procured　the　cotton　with　which　to　line　it。　Delacroix　was　like　some　dogs：　kick　them　once　and　they　never　trust　you　again；　no　matter　how　nice　you　are　to　them。

I　can　hear　Delacroix　now；　yelling；　Hey；　you　guys！　e　and　see　what　Mr。　Jingles　can　do！　And　them　going　down　in　a　bluesuit　cluster　…　Brutal；　Harry；　Dean；　even　Bill　Dodge。　All　of　them　had　been　properly　amazed；　too；　th