‘I don’t suppose so.’
‘No-o-o-o? Huh!’ Lem hunched his shoulders, leaned his elbows on his knees and considered Rex closely.
‘You used to be a sailor, didn’t yuh?’
‘No.’
‘Uh-huh. Bunty thought yuh did.’
‘I don’t think I mentioned such a thing to him.’
‘Mebbe not. Bunty prob’ly had a few drinks. He said yuh told him about stoppin’ a runaway team by throwin’ out the anchor.’
‘And I did,’ smiled Rex.
‘Shore,’ agreed Lem heartily. ‘Lotsa folks do. He tells me that yuh came to Mesa City out of curiosity.’
‘That is true; I did. My mother died a short while ago. I guess I don’t know much, except what I learned from books,’ he confessed wearily. ‘After she died I began to realize it more than ever. I have never worked. As long as I can remember I have always studied.[’]