ATDTDA (7): To Nevada, 199-200

[Paul Nightingale]

Reef and Frank reappear, last seeen as children being
tutored by Webb (90-95); although Webb does think of
them whilst being beaten by Sloat (197-198). If
anything the relationship between the brothers
recalls, kind of, that between Deuce and Sloat: Reef's
joke about Frank covering his back (199), "...
everybody has to have somebody to make em look good
..." etc (200).

Whereas Frank is in college, planning for the future,
Reef lives from day to day ("his rooster-in-the-morn
attitude", 199). But Frank is funded by Reef's
gambling; so they complement each other, Frank's
studies giving meaning to Reef's drifting. 

The question is asked by Frank ("What did you need me
along for, again?") but not really answered by Reef,
who turns it into a joke. It seems that Reef has a
habit ("out of the usual nowhere") of appearing
suddenly: his proposal to Frank disrupts the student's
routine.

The journey by train ("another world they were riding
through ..." etc, 200) recalls the earlier scene
featuring the railroad, Lew and the two Ns (187).