Ed grimly accepted my promise to buy his cock with a strong handshake。
While Mr。 Middleton made a mixture of barley water； I leaned against the door of the feed shack and finished my cigarette。 Somehow； I was going to get the money to buy that cock。 Now my impending trip to Jacksonville had a sharpened point to it。 If Doc Riordan had any money at all； I intended to get it。
Ed measured out the cracked corn and fed his pet； the two battered Gray roosters； and the old hen。 Although I could feel some sympathy for Martha in not wanting her husband out traveling the cockfight circuits； I could not understand her desire to make him give up cock…breeding。 If she considered cock…breeding morally wrong； she could have consoled herself with the idea that Ed was doing the breeding； not her。 A man like Ed Middleton could never give up his love of the game。 Perhaps she was going through her menopause and； as a consequence； was losing her mind。
〃Let's go get us some breakfast； Frank；〃 Ed said； as he locked the feed shack door。 Ed started down the path toward the lake； and I lingered for a last look at Icarus。 He pecked away at his grain hungrily。 I could see the fine breeding of the cock in his stance and proud bearing。 The cock had shape； health； and an inborn stamina。 Through proper conditioning I could teach him responsiveness； alertness； improve his speed； and sharpen his natural reflexes。 Other than that； there wasn't much else I could do for the cock。 His desire to fight was inherited。 And the only way his gameness could be tested truly was in the pit。
I turned away from the walk and ran down the path to catch up with Ed。
When we entered the kitchen； Martha greeted us cheerfully and began to prepare our breakfast。 Ed and I sat down across from each other at the breakfast nook and I inhaled the delicious fragrance of the frying bacon。 It was quite a breakfast： crisp bacon； fried eggs； hot biscuits； grits and melted butter； orange juice； and plenty of orange…blossom honey to coil onto the fluffy biscuits。
As I sat back with a full stomach to drink my afterbreakfast coffee； Ed told his wife that I was going to buy his remaining chickens。
〃That's wonderful； Ed；〃 Martha said happily。 She smiled at me and bobbed her chin several times。 〃You know Ed wouldn't sell those old birds to just anybody； Frank。 But Ed has always had a lot of respect for you； and I know you'll take good care of them。〃
I nodded； finished my coffee； and slid out of the booth。
〃Frank isn't taking the cocks today； Martha；〃 Ed said； getting up from the table。 〃He'll be back for them later On。〃
〃Oh； I didn't know that！ I thought he was taking them now。〃
〃These deals aren't made in an instant； sweetheart；〃 Ed said sharply。 〃But we've shaken hands on the deal； and Frank'll be back； all in good time。〃 He forced a smile and turned toward me。 〃e on； Frank。 I'll drive you into Orlando。〃
〃Where're you going； Frank？〃 Martha asked。
I shrugged indifferently and returned her smile。 This was the kind of question that could only be answered by writing it down； and I didn't feel that it required an answer。 Where I was going or what I was going to do couldn't possibly have any real interest for the old lady。
〃Frank can't answer questions like that without writing them down；〃 Ed reminded his wife。 〃But you know we'll be reading about him in the trade magazines。〃
〃Well； I'll pack a lunch for you anyway。 Wait out on the patio。 Take some more coffee out there with you。 It'll only take a minute and you can surely wait that long。〃
While she fixed a lunch for me； I repacked my suitcase and took it out to the car。 Ed unlocked the door； and I removed the coop and handed it to him before I tossed the suitcase on the floorboards。
〃Sure； leave the coop with me if you like；〃 he said； leaning it against the concrete wall。
When I returned for Icky； I could use the coop to carry him； and I didn't feel like lugging it along to Jacksonville； not hitchhiking； anyway。
A few minutes later Martha joined us on the patio and handed me a heavy paper bag containing my lunch。
〃I used the biscuits left from breakfast；〃 she said； 〃and made a few ham sandwiches。 There's a fat slice of tomato on each one and plenty of mayonnaise。 There wasn't any pie left； but I put in a couple of apples for dessert。〃
Rather than simply shake hands with her； I put an arm around her narrow shoulders and kissed her on the cheek。 Mrs。 Middleton broke away from me and returned to the safety of her kitchen。 Ed called through the door that he would be back from Orlando when he got back。
We drove down Ed's private road to the highway。 I didn't know where he was taking me； but I hoped he wouldn't drop me off in the center of town。 With the baggage I was carrying； the best place to start hitchhiking was on the I…4 Throughway on the other side of Winter Park。 Several years had passed since I had been forced to use my thumb； and I wasn't too happy about the prospect。
Orlando is a fairly large city and well spread out。 The streets that morning were crowded with traffic。 Ed drove his big car skillfully； and when he hit the center of town； he made several turns and then stopped in front of the Greyhound bus station。 I took my baggage out of the back and started to close the door； but held it open when Ed heaved himself across the seat。 He got out on my side； reached in his wallet； and handed me a twenty…dollar bill。
〃You can't hitchhike with all that stuff； Frank。 You'd better take a bus。〃
I nodded； accepted the bill and buttoned it into my shirt pocket。 That made five hundred and twenty dollars I owed him； but I was grateful for the loan。
We shook hands rather formally； and Ed plucked at his white chin with his puffy fingers。 〃Now don't worry about Icarus； Frank；〃 he said with an attempt at levity。 〃I'll take good care of him whether you e back for him or not。〃 His eyes were worried just the same。
I held up two spread fingers in the 〃V〃 sign。 It was a meaningless gesture in this instance； but Ed smiled； thinking I meant it for him。 I remained at the curb and waved to him as he drove away。
I picked a folder out of the rack； circled Jacksonville on the timetable with my ballpoint pencil； shoved the folder and my twenty under the wicket； and paid for my ticket。 After slipping the ticket into my hatband； I gathered my baggage around me and sat down on a bench to wait for the bus。
I thought about Icky。 In reality； five hundred dollars wasn't even enough money to get started。 I needed a bare minimum of one thousand； five hundred dollars to have at least a thousand left over after paying for the cock。 Two thousand was more like it。
Somehow； I had to get my hands on this money。
5
I didn't arrive in Jacksonville until a little after three that afternoon。 Instead of waiting for an express； I had taken the first bus that left Orlando； and it turned out to be the kind that stops at every filling station； general store and cow pasture along the way。 A long； dull ride。
After getting my baggage out of the side of the bus from the driver I left the station and walked three blocks to the Jeff Davis Hotel； where I always stayed when I was in Jax。 On the way to the hotel I stopped at a package store and bought a pint of gin。
Perhaps the Jeff Davis isn't the most desirable hotel in Jax； but it is downtown； handy to everything； the people know me there； and crowded or not I can always get a room。 The manager follows cockfighting； advertises in the game…fowl magazines； and there is usually someone hanging around the lobby who knows me。 The daily rate is attractive； as well…only three dollars a day for cockers； instead of the regular rate of five。
As soon as I checked in at the desk and got to my room； I opened my suitcase and dug out my corduroy coat。 In September； Jacksonville turns chilly in the afternoons； and the temperature drops below seventy。 Not that it gets cold； but the weather doesn't pare favorably with southern Florida。 The long pull of gin I took before going out on the street again felt warm in my stomach。
I walked briskly through the streets to the post offic