“What I can’t understand,” Sandy said, examining the walkie-talkie radio, “is why you don’t have a whole flock of these things all along the fire line. If every gang boss had one, you’d know exactly what was going on in every sector.”
The ranger yawned. “Tell it to the taxpayers, my boy. It’s always the things that are most important to their own safety and welfare that they gripe most about paying for.... Well, I’m going to rest my tired bones.” He stretched out on the hard, rocky ground and fell asleep immediately.
“Come on, Quiz,” Jerry said. “Let’s get on the ball. I’ll give you a break and take the line across the hill, so you won’t have to walk so far.”
Quiz snorted. “Big deal! Then I’m the guy who has to climb this hill every fifteen minutes to check in. Unh-uh! I’ll flip you for it.”
“Okay,” Jerry conceded grudgingly. “Sandy, you flip the coin.”
Sandy grinned as he took a quarter from his pocket and spun it high in the air. “You call, Quiz.”
“Heads!” Quiz snapped.
Sandy caught the coin deftly in one hand and slapped it down on the back of his other hand. Slowly he uncovered it as Quiz and Jerry bent over to look.
“It’s tails,” he announced blandly.
“I win!” Jerry exclaimed. “So I pick the far side of the hill. Don’t take it so hard, pal. A little climbing will help to reduce that spare tire of yours.”