Сердца трех / Hearts of Three

] Watch out! I’m coming in a rush! Anyway and everyway for the first fall!’

Action and word went together, and his glorious rush ended ignorainiously, for the stronger, apparently braced for the shock, yielded the instant their bodies met and fell over on his back, at the same time planting his foot in Francis’ abdomen and, from the back purchase on the ground, transforming Francis’ rush into a wild forward somersault.

The fall on the sand knocked most of Francis’ breath out of him, and the flying body of his foe, impacting on him, managed to do for what little breath was left him.

�What d’ you want to wear a mustache for?’ the stranger muttered.

�Go on and cut ’em off,’ Francis gasped, with the first of his returning breath. �The ears are yours, but the mustache is mine. It is not in the bond.

�You said �anyway and everyway for the first fall,’ the other quoted laughingly. �As for your ears, keep them. I never intended to cut them off, and now that I look at them closely the less I want them. Get up and get out of here. I’ve licked you. Vamos! And don’t come sneaking around here again! Git![16 - Git – дурак (сленг)] Scut!’

In greater disgust than ever, to which was added the humiliation of defeat, Francis turned down to the beach toward his canoe.

�Say, Little Stranger, do you mind leaving your card?’ the victor called after him.

�Visiting cards and cut-throating don’t go together,’ Francis shot back across his shoulder, as he squatted in the canoe and dipped his paddle. �My name’s Morgan.’

Surprise and startlement were the stranger’s portion, as he opened his mouth to speak, then changed his mind and murmured to himself, �Same stock – no wonder we look alike.

Still in the throes of disgust, Francis regained the shore of the Butt, sat down on the edge of the dugout, filled and lighted his pipe, and gloomily meditated. �Crazy, everybody,’ was the run of his thought. �Nobody acts with reason. I’d like to see old Regan try to do business with these people. They’d get his ears.