take a
cab into town to fetch sundry articles as he said--one day went for
shopping t'other for visitin'. Retirement had given him the necessary
time to concentrate almost exclusively on the latter. This was the
first trip in this week and already the day was abuzz with talk of the
recent mishap.

"Now let me get this straight," Russell was interjecting. "According to
what Humboldt says, the car just plain left the highway and crashed
through the barrier where seven meets the Bath road."

"That's what Thompson was saying and he was talking to the widder
Jocelyn the very morning after. Makin' a run into Kincaid and happened
to see the downed guard-rail. Accordin' to the widder, she was awakened
late Saturday night by the crash. She wasn't what you call definite
seening how it was in the middle of the night and all, but still claims
it scared her half to death the thought of that car entering the lake."

"Serve's 'im right," Humboldt began again. "Probably smokin' drugs and
boozin'. Ain't no proper place for the likes of him, anyhow. Just plain
crazy. Why that Scots boy was a born no good. Heard tell he let berries
fall off their stems rather than pick them, then go to town to buy a
quart basket. Blamed foolishness. Why me and Jimmy Robinson remember
hayin' with their old man when he'd fork a bale then sit under the tree
and smoke. Gave up farmin' good land to guard at Ronald Bay. Between
stints on welfare, of course. The two of them, Ester and he sitting in
that kitchen--too damn lazy to rototiller that garden. Had a big bitch
dog, Buzzy--tail like an ice pick that was always swishing and chased
my stock afore I got Scot to tie him down."

The conversation slowly became a praise of working values with an
occasional homily to flaunt the more ensconced rural virtues. Humboldt
referred to the List brothers both dead lazy and drinkers, too, as the
dialogue became more dogmatic.

"Seems he'd had to swear off the bottle or go blind," Humboldt
continued.

"And you know what List said? Guess I've seen all that's worth seeing.
He ended up in a sanitorium in Stephensville. The other stayed on
allowing bush to burst up through the cement walk and a tree to come
through the drive shed. Imagine that."

Humboldt and his friend were grinning the same wide smile. Apart from
an occasional story of their own garrulousness or resentment against
authority, their past was free of such tales and they knew it. It was
enough to make a