Barcelona snarled, "Put the big arm on Wilson here. He's the fast man
with the big fix."
"Wilson didn't fix any race, Joseph. He just parlayed some of the laws
of human nature into a win for himself and a lose for you."
"Now see here--what's this guff about human nature?"
"Well, there's the human desire to ride with a winner, and the human
frailty that hopes to get something for nothing. To say nothing of the
great human desire to be 'On the Inside' track or 'In the Know' so that
they can bet on the 'Sure Thing'. And so," said Delancey, "we've about
twenty thousand human beings full of human nature holding tickets on
your three dogs, Joseph. They bet their money because the 'Inside Dope'
said that the big fix was in. And I can tell you that what twenty
thousand people are going to do to this 'Inside Dope' when their nags
run last is going to make Torquemada ask permission to return to life
for a Second Inquisition, this time with extrasensory tortures." He
turned to me as Barcelona went pale. "Wally," he asked, "want to bet
that someone doesn't remember that old question of whether it is
possible to break every bone in a man's body without killing him?"
"I'd be a fool to cover that one," I said. "But I'll play even money and
on either side of whether Joseph dies or lives through the process."
"Stop it!" screamed Barcelona. He grabbed me by the arm. "Wilson," he
pleaded, "Can you? Stop it, I mean? Can you fix it?"
"Sure," I said.
"Legally?"
"Yep. But it'll cost you."
"Just money?"
"Just money--and admitting that you lost, Joseph!"
"I lose," he said. "Go ahead!"
"O.K., Joseph. Now, let's be real honest. Those three longshore turtles
belong to you, don't they?"
"Yes."
"And right now you wouldn't even want to see them run, would you? In
fact, you really want that they shouldn't run."
"Yes."
"All right, Joseph. Call off your noisemakers and toss the Head Steward
a thought. Tell him you're scratching your entries."
"But that won't stop the people from losing their money."
"Natch. So next you broadcast a thought that because of this terrible,
grievous error you are refunding their money out of your own pocket
since the Track Association will not or is not obliged to."