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。 You know they had something in the old days about good and evil。〃
¨Plenty of people wouldnˇt classify you as a straight good；〃 Thomas Hudson told him。
¨No。 Nor do I claim to be。 Nor even good nor anywhere near good。 I wish I were though。 Being against evil doesnˇt make you good。 Tonight I was against it and then I was evil myself。 I could feel it coming in just like a tide。〃
¨All fights are bad。〃
¨I know it。 But what are you going to do about them？〃
¨You have to win them when they start。〃
¨Sure。 But I was taking pleasure in it from the minute it started。〃
¨You would have taken more pleasure if he could have fought。〃
¨I hope so；〃 Roger said。 ¨Though I donˇt know now。 I just want to destroy them。 But when you start taking pleasure in it you are awfully close to the thing youˇre fighting。〃
¨He was an awful type；〃 Thomas Hudson said。
¨He couldnˇt have been any worse than the last one on the coast。 The trouble is； Tommy； there are so many of them。 They have them in all countries and they are getting bigger all the time。 Times arenˇt good； Tommy。〃
¨When did you ever see them good？〃
¨We always had good times。〃
¨Sure。 We had good times in all sorts of good places。 But the times werenˇt good。〃
¨I never knew；〃 Roger said。 ¨Everybody claimed they were good and then everybody was busted。 I didnˇt have any money when they all had it。 Then when I had some was when things were really bad。 But people didnˇt always seem as goddamned mean and evil though。〃
¨Youˇve been going around with awful people； too。〃
¨I see some good ones once in a while。〃
¨Not very many。〃
¨Sure I do。 You donˇt know all my friends。〃
¨You run with a pretty seedy lot。〃
¨Whose friends were those tonight？ Your friends or my friends？〃
¨Our friends。 Theyˇre not so bad。 Theyˇre worthless but theyˇre not really evil。〃
¨No；〃 said Roger。 ¨I guess not。 Frank is pretty bad。 Bad enough。 I donˇt think heˇs evil though。 But thereˇs a lot of stuff I canˇt take anymore。 And he and Fred eviled up awfully fast。〃
¨I know about good and evil。 Iˇm not trying to misunderstand nor play dumb。〃
¨I donˇt know much about good because Iˇve always been a failure at it。 That evil is my dish。 I can recognize that old evil。〃
¨Iˇm sorry tonight turned out so lousy。〃
¨Iˇm just feeling low。〃
¨Do you want to turn in？ You better sleep here。〃
¨Thanks。 I will if you donˇt mind。 But I think Iˇll go in the library and read for a while。 Where are those Australian stories you had the last time I was here？〃
¨Henry Lawsonˇs？〃
¨Yes。〃
¨Iˇll get them。〃
Thomas Hudson went to bed and when he woke in the night the light was still on in the library。
V
WHEN THOMAS HUDSON WOKE there was a light east breeze blowing and out across the flats the sand was bone white under the blue sky and the small high clouds that were traveling with the wind made dark moving patches on the green water。 The wheel of the wind charger was turning in the breeze and it was a fine fresh…feeling morning。
Roger was gone and Thomas Hudson breakfasted by himself and read the Mainland paper that had come across yesterday。 He had put it away without reading it to save it for breakfast。
¨What time the boys coming in？〃 Joseph asked。
¨Around noon。〃
¨Theyˇll be here for lunch though？〃
¨Yes。〃
¨Mr。 Roger was gone when I came；〃 Joseph said。 ¨He didnˇt have any breakfast。〃
¨Maybe heˇll be in now。〃
¨Boy said he see him go off sculling in the dinghy。〃
After Thomas Hudson had finished breakfast and the paper he went out on the porch on the ocean side and went to work。 He worked well and was nearly finished when he heard Roger come in and come up the stairs。
Roger looked over his shoulder and said； ¨Itˇs going to be good。〃
¨Maybe。〃
¨Where did you see those waterspouts？〃
¨I never saw these。 These are some Iˇm doing to order。 Howˇs your hand？〃
¨Still puffy。〃
Roger watched him work and he did not turn around。
¨If it wasnˇt for the hand that would all seem just like a nasty dream。〃
¨Pretty nasty one。〃
¨Do you suppose that guy really did come out with a shotgun？〃
¨I donˇt know；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨And I donˇt care。〃
¨Sorry；〃 Roger said。 ¨Want me to go？〃
¨No。 Stick around。 Iˇm about through。 I wonˇt pay any attention to you。〃
¨They got away at first light；〃 Roger said。 ¨I saw them go。〃
¨What were you doing up then？〃
¨I couldnˇt sleep after I stopped reading and I wasnˇt very good company for myself so I went down to the docks and sat around with some of the boys。 The Ponce never did close up。 I saw Joseph。〃
¨Joseph said you were out sculling。〃
¨Right…hand sculling。 Trying to exercise it out。 I did too。 Feel fine now。〃
¨Thatˇs about all I can do now；〃 Thomas Hudson said and started to clean up and put the gear away。 ¨The kids will be just about taking off now。〃 He looked at his watch。 ¨Why donˇt we just have a quick one？〃
¨Fine。 I could use one。〃
¨It isnˇt quite twelve。〃
¨I donˇt think that makes any difference。 Youˇre through working and Iˇm on a vacation。 But maybe we better wait till twelve if thatˇs your rule。〃
¨All right。〃
¨Iˇve been keeping that rule too。 Itˇs an awful nuisance some mornings when a drink would make you feel all right。〃
¨Letˇs break it；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨I get awfully excited when I know Iˇm going to see them；〃 he explained。
¨I know。〃
¨Joe；〃 Roger called。 ¨Bring the shaker and rig for martinis。〃
¨Yes sir。 I got her rigged now。〃
¨What did you rig so early for？ Do you think we are rummies？〃
¨No sir； Mr。 Roger。 I figured that was what you were saving that empty stomach for。〃
¨Hereˇs to us and the kids；〃 Roger said。
¨They ought to have fun this year。 You better stay up here too。 You can always get away to the shack if they get on your nerves。〃
¨Iˇll stay up here part of the time if I donˇt bother you。〃
¨You donˇt bother me。〃
¨It will be wonderful to have them。〃
It was too。 They were good kids and now they had been at the house for a week。 The tuna run was over and there were few boats at the island now and the life was slow and normal again and the weather was early summer。
The boys slept on cots on the screened porch and it is much less lonely sleeping when you can hear children breathing when you wake in the night。 The nights were cool from the breeze that came across the banks and when the breeze fell it would be cool from the sea。
The boys had been a little shy when they first came and much neater than they were later。 But there was no great neatness problem if you had them rinse the sand from their feet before they came into the house and hang their wet swimming shorts outside and put on dry ones in the house。 Joseph aired their pajamas when he made up the cots in the morning and after sunning them folded the pajamas and put them away and there were only the shirts and the sweaters they wore in the evening to be scattered around。 That； at least； was how it was in principle。 Actually every sort of