That got to him。 That corporal didn't look bored no more。 But he didn't let himself haul off and take a swing； neither。 Just stood there； more or less at attention； and said； 〃Mr。 Palmer； you can wait here all night and wait here all day tomorrow； and you ain't going to get in to see His Excellency the Governor。 And you just sitting here waiting all day is proof you're just too plain dumb to catch on to how things are。〃
So it was Hooch lost his temper and took a swing。 Well； not a swing exactly。 More like a kick； cause Hooch never did learn no rules about fighting like a gentleman。 His idea of a duel was to wait behind a rock for his enemy to pass by； shoot him in the back； and run like hell。 So that corporal got Hooch's big old boot in his knee； which bent his leg backward in a way it wasn't meant to go。 That corporal screamed bloody murder； which he had a right to； and not just from the pain after a kick like that； his leg would never be any good again。 Hooch probably shouldn't've kicked him there； he knew； but that boy was so snooty。 Practically begged for it。
Trouble was； the corporal wasn't exactly alone。 First yelp he made； all of a sudden there was a sergeant and four soldiers； bayonets at the ready； popping right out of the Governor's office and looking mad as hornets。 The sergeant ordered two of his boys to carry the corporal to the infirmary。 The others put Hooch under arrest。 But it wasn't gentlemanly like that last time； four years before。 This time the butts of their muskets got bumped into Hooch's body in a few places； sort of accidentally； and Hooch had him some boot prints in various places on his clothes； can't say how they got there。 He ended up locked in a jail cell no storage room this time。 They left him with his clothes and a lot of pain。
No doubt about it。 Things had changed around here。
That night six other men were put in lock…up； three of them drunks； three for brawling。 Not one was Red。 Hooch listened to them talking。 It's not like any of them was particularly bright； but Hooch couldn't believe that they didn't talk about beating up no Reds； or making fun with some of them or something。 It was like Reds had practically disappeared from the vicinity。
Well； maybe that was true。 Maybe the Reds had all took off； but wasn't that what Governor Harrison hoped for？ With the Reds gone； why wasn't Carthage City prosperous； full of White settlers？
The only inkling Hooch got was something one of the brawlers said。 〃I reckon I'm broke till tax season。〃 The others whooped and hollered a little。 〃I got to say I don't mind government service； but it sure ain't steady work。〃
Hooch knew better than to ask them what they meant。 No need to call attention to himself。 He sure didn't want word getting around about how he looked all beat up the night he spent in jail。 That kind of idea starts spreading and pretty soon everybody thinks he can beat a body up； and Hooch didn't reckon to start all over as a mon street brawler； not at his age。
In the morning the soldiers came for him。 Different ones； and this time they wasn't so careless with their feet and their musket butts。 They just marched Hooch on out of the jail and now； finally； he got to see Bill Harrison。
But not in his office。 It was in his own Governor's mansion； in a cellar room。 And the way they got there was peculiar。 The soldiers must have been a dozen of them just marched along behind the house； when all of a sudden one of them dashed over； flung up the cellar door； and two others half dragged Hooch down the steps。 Cellar door slammed shut almost before their heads were clear of it； and in all that time the soldiers just kept right on marching； as if nothing was happening。 Hooch didn't like that at all。 It meant that Harrison didn't want anybody to see that Hooch was with him。 Which meant this meeting could get pretty ugly； cause Harrison could deny it ever happened。 Oh； the soldiers knew； of course； but they all knew about a certain corporal who got his knee bent the wrong way last night； they weren't about to testify on Hooch Palmer's behalf。
Harrison was his old self； though； smiling and shaking Hooch by the hand and clapping him on the shoulder。 〃How are you； Hooch？〃
〃I been better； Gov。 How's your wife？ And that little boy of yours？〃
〃She's healthy as you could hope for； a refined lady like her being out here on the frontier。 And my little boy； he's quite a soldier； we even stitched him up a little uniform； you should see him strutting on parade。〃
〃It's talk like that makes me think I ought to take a wife someday。 〃
〃I heartily remend it。 Oh； here； Hooch； what am I thinking of？ You set down； set down right there。〃
Hooch sat。 〃Thanks； Bill。〃
Harrison nodded； satisfied。 〃It's good to see you； it's been so long。〃
〃Wisht I'd've seen you yesterday；〃 said Hooch。
Harrison smiled ruefully。 〃Well； I get busy。 Didn't my boys tell you I had a full…up schedule？〃
〃Schedule never used to be full for me； Bill。〃
〃You know how it gets sometimes。 Real busy； and what can I do about it？〃
Hooch shook his head。 〃Now； Bill； we've lied to each other just about long enough； I think。 What happened was part of a plan； and it wasn't my plan。〃
〃What are you talking about； Hooch？〃
〃I'm saying maybe that corporal didn't want his leg broke； but I have a feeling his job was to get me swinging at him。〃
〃His job was to see that nobody disturbed me unless they were on my schedule； Hooch。 That's the only plan I know about。〃 Harrison looked sad。 〃Hooch； I got to tell you； this is real ugly。 Assaulting an officer of the U。S。 Army。〃
〃A corporal ain't no officer； Bill。〃
〃I only wish I could ship you back to Suskwahenny for trial； Hooch。 They got lawyers there； and juries； and so on。 But the trial has to be here； and juries around here ain't too partial to folks who go around breaking corporals' knees。〃
〃Suppose you stop the threats and tell me what you really want？〃
〃Want？ I ain't asking for favors； Hooch。 Just concerned about a friend of mine who's got himself in trouble with the law。〃
〃It must be something real sickening or you'd bribe me to do it instead of trying to strong…arm me。 It must be something that you think I wouldn't be willing to do unless you scare me to death； and I keep trying to imagine what you think is so bad that you think I wouldn't do it。 It ain't much of a list； Bill。〃
Harrison shook his head。 〃Hooch； you got me wrong。 Just plain wrong。〃
〃This town is dying； Bill；〃 said Hooch。 〃Things ain't working out like you planned。 And I think it's cause you done some real dumb things。 I think the Reds started going away or maybe they all died off and you made the stupid mistake of trying to make up for all that lost likker ine by bringing in the scum of the earth； the worst kind of White man； the river rats who spent the night in jail with me。 You've used them to collect taxes； right？ Farmers don't like taxes。 They specially don't like taxes when they're collected by scum like this。〃
Harrison poured himself three fingers of whisky in a tumbler and drank off half of it in a single gulp。
〃So you been losing your whisky…Reds； and you been losing your White farmers； and all you got left is your soldiers； the river rats； and whatever money you can steal from the United States Army appropriation for peace…keeping in the west。〃
Harrison drank the rest of the whisky and belched。
〃What that means is you've been unlucky and you've been stupid； and somehow you think you can make me get you out of it。〃
Harrison poured another three fingers into the glass。
But instead of drinking it； he hauled off and threw it into Hooch's face。 The whisky splashed in his eyes； the tumbler bounced off his forehead； and Hooph found himself rolling on the floor trying to dig the alcohol out of his eyes。
A while later； with a wet cloth pressed against his forehead； Hooch was sitting in the chair again； acting a lot more meek and reasonable。 But that was because he knew Harrison had a flush and his own hand was just two pair。 Get out of here alive and then just see what es next； right？
〃I wasn't stupid；〃 Harrison said。