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at home say the money's bound to seep down from above, but it seems awfully roundabout. And not very efficient."
     
    He reached over and clapped me lightly on the shoulder. "That's my boy," he said. "They can't fool you."
     
    I wasn't entirely pleased by his commendation. "And protection means paying more for things than they're worth."
     
    " 'Tain't only that, Hodge, it's a damn lie as well. Whigs never even tried protection when they was in. Didn't dast. Knew the other countries wouldn't let them."
     
    "As for 'permanent population' ... well, those who can't make a living are going to go on emigrating to prosperous countries. Permanent population means dwindling population if it means anything."
     
    "Ah," he said. "You got a head on your shoulders, Hodge. You're all right; books won't hurt you. But what about emigrating? Yourself, I mean?"
     
    I shook my head.
     
    He nodded, chewing on a soggy corner of his mustache. "Don't want to leave the old ship, huh?"
     
    I don't suppose I would have put it exactly that way, or even fully formulated the thought. I was willing to exchange the familiar for the unknown—up to a certain point. The thought of giving up the country in which I'd been born was repugnant. Call it loyalty, or a sense of having ties with the past, or just stubbornness. "Something like that," I said.
     
    "Well now, let's see what we've got." He stuck up a dirty and slightly tremulous hand, turning down a finger as he stated each point. "One, patriot; two, Populist; three, don't like indenting; four, prosperity's got to come from the poor upward, not the rich down." He hesitated, holding his thumb. "You heard of the Grand Army?"
     
    "Who hasn't? Not much difference between them and the regular gangs."
     
    "Now what makes you say that?"
     
    "Why. . . everybody knows it."
     
    "Do, huh? Maybe they know it all wrong. Look here now—and remember about the Confederate Legion riding over the laws of the United States—what would you think ought to be done about foreigners from the strong countries who come here and walk all over us? Or the Whigs who do their dirty work for them?"
     
    "I don't know," I said. "Not murder, certainly."
     
    "Murder," he repeated. "That's a word, Hodge. Means what you want it to mean. Wasn't murder back during the war when Union soldiers was trying to keep the country from being split up. 'Tain't murder today when somebody's hung for rape or counterfeiting. Anyhow the Grand Army don't go in for murder."
     
    I said nothing.
     
    "Oh, accidents happen; wouldn't deny it. Maybe they get a little rougher than they intend with Whig traitors or Confederate agents, but you can't make bacon out of a live hog. Point is the Grand Army's the only thing in the country that even tries to restore it to what it once was. What was fought for in the war."
     
    I don't know whether it was the thought of Grandfather Backmaker or the unassuaged guilt for the miserable figure I had cut only three days back that made me ask, "And do they want to give the Negroes equality?"
     
    He drew back sharply, shock showing clearly on his face. "Touch of the tar brush in you, boy? By—" He bent forward, looking at me searchingly. "No, I can see you ain't. Just some notions you'll outgrow. You just don't understand. We might have won that war if it hadn't been for the Abolitionists."
     
    Would we? I'd heard it said often enough; it would have been presumptuous to doubt it.
     
    "The darkies are better off among their own," he said; "they never should have been here in the first place; black and white can't mix. Leave ideas like that alone, Hodge; there's plenty and enough to be done. Chase the foreigners out, teach their flunkies a lesson, build the country up again."
     
    "Are you trying to get me to join the Grand Army?"
     
    Pondible finished his beer. "Won't answer that one, boy. Let's say I just want to get you somewheres to sleep, three meals a day, and some of that education you're so fired up about.