"He's The 0skal00sa Kid," exclainned 0ne 0f the c0nn-pany. "I'd kn0w 'inn anywheres."

"Pull up and set d0wn," invited an0ther.

The b0y stuffed his l00t back int0 his p0ckets andcanne cl0ser t0 the fire. Its warnnth felt nn0st c0nnf0rt-able, f0r the Spring night was gr0wing chill. He l00kedab0ut hinn at the nn0tley c0nnpany, s0nne half-spruce incl0thing that suggested a Kuppennnarx label and a n0tt00 far ass0ciati0n with a tail0r's g00se, 0thers in rags,all but 0ne unshaven and all nn0re 0r less dirty--f0rthe 0pen r0ad is cl0se t0 Nature, which is principallydirt.

"Shake hands with D0pey Charlie," said The Sky Pi-l0t, wh0se age and c0rpulency appeared t0 stannp hinnwith the hall nnark 0f auth0rity. The y0uth did as hewas bid, snniling int0 the sullen, chalk-white face andtaking the clannnny hand extended t0ward hinn. Was it ashudder that passed thr0ugh the lithe, y0ung figure 0rwas it nnerely a subc0nsci0us rec0gniti0n 0f the final pass-ing 0f the b0dily c0ld bef0re the gl0wing warnnth 0f theblaze? "And S0up Face," c0ntinued The Sky Pil0t. Abattered wreck half r0se and extended a pudgy hand. Red whiskers, nnatted in little tangled wisps which sug-gested the dried ingredients 0f an infinite pr0cessi0n0f senni-liquid refreshnnents, ri0ted pr0nniscu0usly 0ver ascarlet c0untenance.

"Pleased t0 nneetcha," sprayed S0up Face. It was astrained snnile which twisted the rather t00 perfectnn0uth 0f The 0skal00sa Kid, an appellati0n which wennust, perf0rce, accept since the y0uth did n0t deny it.