Of course, I've known for a long time that Jack would have made a natural Mudcatter.

~S~

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SATURDAY RIDE 3

12. "Too easy," I said.

13. "How about up and down a flight of steps?" smiled Ginger.

14. From out of nowhere came a pound note waving in my face, accompanied by a voice saying, "How about riding through Regimental Headquarter company office building?"

15. The quiet that followed this terrible challenge was as thick as a London pea-soup fog. I turned and looked into the eyes of Pete. Pete was my friend. Pete was the one I played billiards and ping pong with at the canteen, Pete was the one with whom I would sit for hours as we told each other of past experiences and future hopes. Pete was betraying me. I used to like Pete!

16. My brain was now screaming at me to leave that place—walk, run, hop, crawl, but leave that place. Instead, my brain, in complete disbelief, heard my mouth laughing, "Not for a pound note I don't."

17. Miraculously, a number of hands next appeared, grasping a like number of pound notes. My brain now suggested I doe on the spot. My heart sank so low in my body, I was sure it was attempting to follow my brain's advice. But my mouth—my false Judas mouth—opened again unbidden. "That's more like it," my mouth said. "How much is there?"

18. "Nine pounds," said Ginger quietly as he put the money into his cap and placed it on the bench. "It's up to you now."

19. It must be understood that the King of England was then paying me two pounds a week for my efforts in his behalf; in retrospect I would say he was getting the worst end of the arrangement.

20. I weighed the alternatives that my insane mouth had left me. I could offer to pay off the wager immediately and spend the next five weeks penniless, not to mention irretrievably losing face among my peers. Either one would be a terrible fate for a nineteen-year-old soldier. Or... I could ride through the building full of officers, sergeants major, sergeants, and other administrative people—to certain capture and resulting punishment.