BANJO 80
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Not much change coming outa ten francs,” he flungback. “Tt’s no ten; it’s twenty,whites rob you.” “Sweet nuts, ef it ain’ t!” exclaimed Banjo. “All right,mamma. I got you.” .When Banjo returned with the wine he forgot tohand over the change. Latnah drew the cot into themiddle of the little room and, spreading newspapers, sheserved the feast on it. The boys ranged themselves oneach side of the cot, Latnah sitting where she could leana little against Banjo. Ginger came in when they were in the middle of the feast. “Whar you been? We been looking for you all over,”said Malty. “T was cruising around,” said Ginger, “but Ise righthere with you, all right. What it takes to find you whenthere’s a high feeding going on Ise got right here.” Hepointed to his nose. “Sure, youse got a combination of color there,” saidBanjo, ‘‘that oughta smell out lots a things in this heahwhite man’s wul’.” “Chuts, combination!” said Bugsy. ‘You got to showme that there’s any more to it than there is to naturaliza-tion, that you and me and Malty is. Ginger here ain'tnothing from combination but a mistake.” ‘““What’s that, you Bugsyboo ?”’ said Ginger. “You heared me, Lights-out,”’ replied Bugsy. Latnah rolled up the newspapers in a bundle and putthem in a corner. They smoked cigarettes. Banjo fellinto a talking mood and gave a highly extravagant ac-count of how he met Ray. ‘The proprietress of therestaurant became a terrifying virago who would havehim arrested by the police, if Ray had not intervened.And when he threatened to call in the police against her, ” she said. ‘“‘Don’t let the ”
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