n
the town, gutted it, and then jumped out ... and we poor harmless bums
are the ones that have to pay."

"--guess that's about how it is."

I passed the word along the line. My companion tramps cursed the yegg
and his ways....

"They're always raisin' hell ... an' we git the blame ... when all we
want is not loot, but hand-outs and a cup o' coffee ... and a piece of
change now and then."

The yegg, the tiger among tramps--the criminal tramp--despises the
ordinary bum and the "gaycat." And they in turn fear him for his
ruthlessness and recklessness.

He joins with them at their camp-fires ... rides with them on the road
... robs his store or house, or cracks his safe, then flies on, taking
the blinds or decking on top of a "flyer." The law, missing the right
quarry, descends on the slower-moving, harmless bum. And often some poor
"fall-guy" gets a good "frame-up" for a job he never thought of ... and
the majesty of the law stands vindicated.

* * * * *

The charge against us was vagrancy. We were tried by twos.

"Come on, buddy!... you an' your pal."

My companion and I were led in before, I think, a justice of the peace.
The latter was kindly-disposed toward me because I was young and looked
delicate.

When I began my plea for clemency I appropriated the name, career, and
antecedents of Simmons, the young soldier whose body-servant I had been,
back in San Francisco. The man on the bench was impressed by my story of
coming of a wealthy family ... my father was a banker, no less.

The justice waved me aside. He asked my buddy to show his hands. As the
callouses on the palms gave evidence of recent hard work, he was set
free along with me. We were the only two who were let off. The rest were
sent up for three months each, I am told....

And, after all that, what did my buddy do but up and steal my blanket
roll, with all in it--including my Caesar and Shakespeare--and my extra
soldier uniform--the first chance he got!...

* * * * *

An American who had married a Mexican girl gave me work sawing and
chopping wood. I stayed with him long enough to earn a second-hand suit
of clothes he owned, which was too small for him, but almost fitted me
... civilian clothes ... my soldier clothes were worn to tatters.

* * * * *

I picked up another pal. A chunky, beefy nondescript. I was meditating a
jump across "the desert.