the dishes: a plate of chitterlings and then black-bean stew. Catwas the one who paid. Then Pedro Bala suggested that they be on their way to Brotas; since they were walking they had a lot of ground to cover.
“It isn’t worth taking the trolley,” Pedro Bala said. “It’s better if nobody knows we’re going there.”
Then Cat said he’d meet them there later. He had something to do first. He was going to tell Dalva not to expect him that night.
And there they were now at the Pitangueiras stop, waiting for the policeman to go away. Hidden in a doorway, they didn’t speak. They heard the flight of the bats as they attacked the ripe sapodillas at their feet. Finally the policeman left and they stood looking until his form disappeared around the bend in the street. Then they crossed and went into the drive with the villas and hid in a doorway again. The man wasn’t long in coming. He got out of a cab on the corner, paid the driver, and came up the walk. The only thing that could be heard was his steps and the sound of the leaves that the wind was rustling in the trees. When the man drew close Pedro Bala came out of the doorway. The others came behind him and the way they stood they looked like two bodyguards. The man moved closer to the wall he was walking along. Pedro went over to him. When he was in front of him he stopped.
“Have you got a light, sir?” He held a snuffed-out cigarette in his hand.
The man didn’t say anything. He took out a box of matches, handed it to the boy. Pedro struck one and while he was lighting the cigarette he looked at the man. Then he gave back the box and asked:
“Is your name Joel?”
“Why?” the man wanted to know.
“God’s-Love sent us.”
Big João and Cat had come over. The man looked at the three of them with surprise:
“But you’re just kids. This isn’t any business for kids.”
“Just say what it is; we know how to do things right,” Pedro Bala shot back as the other two approached.
“But it’s something that maybe not even men…” and theman put his hand to his mouth as if he’d said more than he should have.
“We know how to keep a secret as good as under lock and key. And the Captains of the Sands always, always do a good job…”
“The Captains of the Sands? That gang the newspapers are talking about? Abandoned kids? That’s who you are?”
“It sure is. And people who get things done.”
The man seemed to be thinking. Then he finally decided:
“I’d rather turn this business over to men. But since it’s got to be tonight…The way things are…”
“You’ll see how we work. Don’t be afraid.”
“Come with me. But let me go ahead. You stay a few steps behind me.”
The boys obeyed. At one doorway the man stopped, opened, and waited on the inside. From inside came a big dog who licked his hands. The man had the three of them come in; they crossed a drive with trees; the man opened the door to the house. They went into a small parlor, the man put his hat and coat on a chair and sat down. The three remained standing. The man signaled for them to sit down and at first they looked suspiciously at the broad and comfortable easy chairs. Pedro Bala and João sat down, with Big João sitting only on the edge of the chair, as if afraid he would dirty it. The man looked as though he were going to laugh. Suddenly he got up and spoke, looking at Pedro, whom he recognized as the leader:
“What you people are going to do is hard and at the same time easy. What you have to know now is that it’s something nobody must know about.”
“It won’t go beyond these four walls,” Pedro Bala said.
The man took out his pocket watch:
“It’s a quarter after one. He won’t be back until two-thirty…” He was still looking at the Captains of the Sands with indecision.
“Then there’s not much time,” Pedro spoke. “If you want us to go you’d better spit it out right away…”
The man decided:
“Two streets up from here. It’s
“It isn’t worth taking the trolley,” Pedro Bala said. “It’s better if nobody knows we’re going there.”
Then Cat said he’d meet them there later. He had something to do first. He was going to tell Dalva not to expect him that night.
And there they were now at the Pitangueiras stop, waiting for the policeman to go away. Hidden in a doorway, they didn’t speak. They heard the flight of the bats as they attacked the ripe sapodillas at their feet. Finally the policeman left and they stood looking until his form disappeared around the bend in the street. Then they crossed and went into the drive with the villas and hid in a doorway again. The man wasn’t long in coming. He got out of a cab on the corner, paid the driver, and came up the walk. The only thing that could be heard was his steps and the sound of the leaves that the wind was rustling in the trees. When the man drew close Pedro Bala came out of the doorway. The others came behind him and the way they stood they looked like two bodyguards. The man moved closer to the wall he was walking along. Pedro went over to him. When he was in front of him he stopped.
“Have you got a light, sir?” He held a snuffed-out cigarette in his hand.
The man didn’t say anything. He took out a box of matches, handed it to the boy. Pedro struck one and while he was lighting the cigarette he looked at the man. Then he gave back the box and asked:
“Is your name Joel?”
“Why?” the man wanted to know.
“God’s-Love sent us.”
Big João and Cat had come over. The man looked at the three of them with surprise:
“But you’re just kids. This isn’t any business for kids.”
“Just say what it is; we know how to do things right,” Pedro Bala shot back as the other two approached.
“But it’s something that maybe not even men…” and theman put his hand to his mouth as if he’d said more than he should have.
“We know how to keep a secret as good as under lock and key. And the Captains of the Sands always, always do a good job…”
“The Captains of the Sands? That gang the newspapers are talking about? Abandoned kids? That’s who you are?”
“It sure is. And people who get things done.”
The man seemed to be thinking. Then he finally decided:
“I’d rather turn this business over to men. But since it’s got to be tonight…The way things are…”
“You’ll see how we work. Don’t be afraid.”
“Come with me. But let me go ahead. You stay a few steps behind me.”
The boys obeyed. At one doorway the man stopped, opened, and waited on the inside. From inside came a big dog who licked his hands. The man had the three of them come in; they crossed a drive with trees; the man opened the door to the house. They went into a small parlor, the man put his hat and coat on a chair and sat down. The three remained standing. The man signaled for them to sit down and at first they looked suspiciously at the broad and comfortable easy chairs. Pedro Bala and João sat down, with Big João sitting only on the edge of the chair, as if afraid he would dirty it. The man looked as though he were going to laugh. Suddenly he got up and spoke, looking at Pedro, whom he recognized as the leader:
“What you people are going to do is hard and at the same time easy. What you have to know now is that it’s something nobody must know about.”
“It won’t go beyond these four walls,” Pedro Bala said.
The man took out his pocket watch:
“It’s a quarter after one. He won’t be back until two-thirty…” He was still looking at the Captains of the Sands with indecision.
“Then there’s not much time,” Pedro spoke. “If you want us to go you’d better spit it out right away…”
The man decided:
“Two streets up from here. It’s
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