Королі та капуста

           Thispresidentmanandhiscompanioninplay,theystandupoverinSanMateo,readyfortherun,andshout:‘Fox-inthe-Morning!’Meandyou,standinghere,wesay:‘GooseandtheGander!’Theysay:‘HowmanymilesisittoLondontown?’Wesay:‘Onlyafew,ifyourlegsarelongenough.Howmanycomesout?’Theysay:‘Morethanyou’reabletocatch.’Andthenthegamecommences."

           "Icatchtheidea,"saidGoodwin."Itwon’tdotoletthegooseandganderslipthroughourfingers,Billy;theirfeathersaretoovaluable.Ourcrowdispreparedandabletostepintotheshoesofthegovernmentatonce;butwiththetreasuryemptywe’dstayinpoweraboutaslongasatenderfootwouldstickonanuntamedbronco.Wemustplaythefoxoneveryfootofthecoasttopreventtheirgettingoutofthecountry."

           "Bythemule-backschedule,"saidKeogh,"it’sfivedaysdownfromSanMateo.We’vegotplentyoftimetosetouroutposts.There’sonlythreeplacesonthecoastwheretheycanhopetosailfrom—hereandSolitasandAlazan.They’retheonlypointswe’llhavetoguard.It’saseasyasachessproblem—foxtoplay,andmateinthreemoves.Oh,goosey,goosey,gander,whitherdoyouwander?Bytheblessingoftheliterarytelegraphtheboodleofthisbenightedfatherlandshallbepreservedtothehonestpoliticalpartythatisseekingtooverthrowit."

           ThesituationhadbeenjustlyoutlinedbyKeogh.Thedowntrailfromthecapitalwasatalltimesawearyroadtotravel.