cabin fever-第24部分

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n　weather　like　this。　I'll　tell　the　world　I　ain't！〃

He　went　searching　on　all　the　shelves　for　something　more　that　he　could　give　Cash。　He　found　a　box　of　liver　pills；　a　bottle　of　Jamaica　ginger；　and　some　iodinenot　an　encouraging　array　for　a　man　fifteen　miles　of　untrodden　snow　from　the　nearest　human　habitation。　He　took　three　of　the　liver　pillsjudging　them　by　size　rather　than　what　might　be　their　compositionand　a　cup　of　water　to　Cash　and　commanded　him　to　sit　up　and　swallow　them。　When　this　was　accomplished；　Bud　felt　easier　as　to　his　conscience；　though　he　was　still　anxious　over　the　possibilities　in　that　cough。

Twice　in　the　night　he　got　up　to　put　more　wood　on　the　fire　and　to　stand　beside　Cash's　bed　and　listen　to　his　breathing。　Pneumonia；　the　strong　man's　deadly　foe；　was　what　he　feared。　In　his　cow…punching　days　he　had　seen　men　die　of　it　before　a　doctor　could　be　brought　from　the　far…away　town。　Had　he　been　alone　with　Cash；　he　would　have　fought　his　way　to　town　and　brought　help；　but　with　Lovin　Child　to　care　for　he　could　not　take　the　trail。

At　daylight　Cash　woke　him　by　stumbling　across　the　floor　to　the　water　bucket。　Bud　arose　then　and　swore　at　him　for　a　fool　and　sent　him　back　to　bed；　and　savagely　greased　him　again　with　the　bacon　grease　and　turpentine。　He　was　cheered　a　little　when　Cash　cussed　back；　but　he　did　not　like　the　sound　of　his　voice；　for　all　that；　and　so　threatened　mildly　to　brain　him　if　he　got　out　of　bed　again　without　wrapping　a　blanket　or　something　around　him。

Thoroughly　awakened　by　this　little　exchange　of　civilities；　Bud　started　a　fire　in　the　stove　and　made　coffee　for　Cash；　who　drank　half　a　cup　quite　meekly。　He　still　had　that　tearing　cough；　and　his　voice　was　no　more　than　a　croak；　but　he　seemed　no　worse　than　he　had　been　the　night　before。　So　on　the　whole　Bud　considered　the　case　encouraging；　and　ate　his　breakfast　an　hour　or　so　earlier　than　usual。　Then　he　went　out　and　chopped　wood　until　he　heard　Lovin　Child　chirping　inside　the　cabin　like　a　bug…hunting　meadow　lark；　when　he　had　to　hurry　in　before　Lovin　Child　crawled　off　the　bunk　and　got　into　some　mischief。

For　a　man　who　was　wintering　in　what　is　called　enforced　idleness　in　a　snow…bound　cabin　in　the　mountains；　Bud　Moore　did　not　find　the　next　few　days　hanging　heavily　on　his　hands。　Far　from　it。



CHAPTER　EIGHTEEN。　THEY　HAVE　THEIR　TROUBLES

To　begin　with；　Lovin　Child　got　hold　of　Cash's　tobacco　can　and　was　feeding　it　by　small　handfuls　to　the　flames；　when　Bud　caught　him。　He　yelled　when　Bud　took　it　away；　and　bumped　his　head　on　the　floor　and　yelled　again；　and　spatted　his　hands　together　and　yelled；　and　threw　himself　on　his　back　and　kicked　and　yelled；　while　Bud　towered　over　him　and　yelled　expostulations　and　reprimands　and　cajolery　that　did　not　cajole。

Cash　turned　over　with　a　groan；　his　two　palms　pressed　against　his　splitting　head；　and　hoarsely　commanded　the　two　to　shut　up　that　infernal　noise。　He　was　a　sick　man。　He　was　a　very　sick　man；　and　he　had　stood　the　limit。

〃Shut　up？〃　Bud　shouted　above　the　din　of　Lovin　Child。　〃Ain't　I　trying　to　shut　him　up；　for　gosh　sake？　What　d'yuh　want　me　to　do？　let　him　throw　all　the　tobacco　you　got　into　the　fire？　Here；　you　young　imp；　quit　that；　before　I　spank　you！　Quick；　nowwe've　had　about　enough　outa　you！　You　lay　down　there；　Cash；　and　quit　your　croaking。　You'll　croak　right；　if　you　don't　keep　covered　up。　Hey；　Boy！　My　jumpin'　yellow…jackets；　you'd　drown　a　Klakon　till　you　couldn't　hear　it　ten　feet！　Cash；　you　old　fool；　you　shut　up；　I　tell　yuh；　or　I'll　come　over　there　and　shut　you　up！　I'll　tell　the　worldBoy！　Good　glory！　shut　up…p！〃

Cash　was　a　sick　man；　but　he　had　not　lost　all　his　resourcefulness。　He　had　stopped　Lovin　Child　once；　and　thereby　he　had　learned　a　little　of　the　infantile　mind。　He　had　a　coyote　skin　on　the　foot　of　his　bed；　and　he　raised　himself　up　and　reached　for　it　as　one　reaches　for　a　fire　extinguisher。　Like　a　fire　extinguisher　he　aimed　it；　straight　in　the　middle　of　the　uproar。

Lovin　Child；　thumping　head　and　heels　regularly　on　the　floor　and　punctuating　the　thumps　with　screeches；　was　extinguished　suddenly；　completely　silenced　by　the　muffling　fur　that　fell　from　the　sky；　so　far　as　he　knew。　The　skin　covered　him　completely。　Not　a　sound　came　from　under　it。　The　stillness　was　so　absolute　that　Bud　was　scared；　and　so　was　Cash；　a　little。　It　was　as　though　Lovin　Child；　of　a　demon　one　instant；　was　in　the　next　instant　snuffed　out　of　existence。

〃What　yuh　done？〃　Bud　ejaculated；　rolling　wild　eyes　at　Cash。　〃You〃

The　coyote　skin　rattled　a　little。　A　fluff　of　yellow；　a　spark　of　blue；　and　〃Pik…k？〃　chirped　Lovin　Child　from　under　the　edge；　and　ducked　back　again　out　of　sight

Bud　sat　down　weakly　on　a　box　and　shook　his　head　slowly　from　one　side　to　the　other。　〃You've　got　me　going　south；〃　he　made　solemn　confession　to　the　wobbling　skinor　to　what　it　concealed。　〃I　throw　up　my　hands；　I'll　tell　the　world　fair。〃　He　got　up　and　went　over　and　sat　down　on　his　bunk；　and　rested　his　hands　on　his　knees；　and　considered　the　problem　of　Lovin　Child。

〃Here　I've　got　wood　to　cut　and　water　to　bring　and　grub　to　cook；　and　I　can't　do　none　of　them　because　I've　got　to　ride　herd　on　you　every　minute。　You've　got　my　goat；　kid；　and　that's　the　truth。　You　sure　have。　Yes；　'Pik…k；'　doggone　yuhafter　me　going　crazy　with　yuh；　just　about；　and　thinking　you're　about　to　blow　your　radiator　cap　plumb　up　through　the　roof！　I'll　tell　yuh　right　here　and　now；　this　storm　has　got　to　let　up　pretty　quick　so　I　can　pack　you　outa　here；　or　else　I've　got　to　pen　you　up　somehow；　so　I　can　do　something　besides　watch　you。　Look　at　the　way　you　scattered　them　beans；　over　there　by　the　cupboard！　By　rights　I　oughta　stand　over　yuh　and　make　yuh　pick　every　one　of　'em　up！　and　who　was　it　drug　all　the　ashes　outa　the　stove；　I'd　like　to　know？〃

The　coyote　skin　lifted　a　little　and　moved　off　toward　the　fireplace；　growling　〃Ooo…ooo…ooo！〃　like　a　bearalmost。　Bud　rescued　the　bear　a　scant　two　feet　from　the　flames；　and　carried　fur；　baby　and　all；　to　the　bunk。　〃My　good　lord；　what's　a　fellow　going　to　do　with　yuh？〃　he　groaned　in　desperation。　〃Burn　yourself　up；　you　would！　I　can　see　now　why　folks　keep　their　kids　corralled　in　high　chairs　and　gocarts　all　the　time。　They　got　to；　or　they　wouldn't　have　no　kids。〃

Bud　certainly　was　learning　a　few　things　that　he　had　come　near　to　skipping　altogether　in　his　curriculum　of　life。　Speaking　of　high　chairs；　whereof　he　had　thought　little　enough　in　his　active　life；　set　him　seriously　to　considering　ways　and　means。　Weinstock…　Lubin　had　high　chairs　listed　in　their　catalogue。　Very　nice　high　chairs；　for　one　of　which　Bud　would　have　paid　its　weight　in　gold　dust　（if　one　may　believe　his　word）　if　it　could　have　been　set　down　in　that　cabin　at　that　particular　moment。　He　studied　the　small　cuts　of　the　chairs；　holding　Lovin　Child　off　the　page　by　main　strength　the　while。　Wishing　one　out　of　the　catalogue　and　into　the　room　being　impracticable；　he　went　after　the　essential　features；　thinking　to　make　one　that　would　answer　the　purpose。

Accustomed　as　he　was　to　exercising　his　inventive　faculty　in　overcoming　certain　obstacles　raised　by　the　wilderness　in　the　path　of　comfort；　Bud　went　to　work　with　what　tools　he　had；　and　with　the　material　closest　to　his　hand。　Crude　tools　they　were；　and　crude　materialslike　using　a　Stilson　wrench　to　adjust　a　carburetor；　he　told　Lovin　Child　who　tagged　him　up　and　down　the　cabin。　An　axe；　a　big　jack…knife；　a　hammer　and　some　nails　left　over　from　building　their　sluice　boxes；　these　were　the　tools。　He　took　the　axe　first；　and　having　tied　Lovin　Child　to　the　leg　of　his　bunk　for　safety's　sake；　he　went　out　and　cut　down　four　young　oaks　behind　the　cabin；　lopped　off　the　branches　and　brought　them　in　for　chair　legs。　He　emptied　a　dynamite　box　of　odds　and　ends；　scrubbed　it　out　and　left　it　to　dry　while　he　mounted　the　four　legs；　with　braces　of　the　green　oak　and　a　skeleton　frame　on　top。　Then　he　knocked　one　end　out　of　the　box；　padded　the　edges　of　the　box　with　burlap；　and　set　Lovin　Child　in　his　new　high　chair。

He　was　tempted　to　call　Cash's　attention　to　his　handiwork；　but　Cash　was　too　sick　to　be　disturbed；　even　if　the　atmosphere　between　them　had　been　clear　enough　for　easy　converse。　So　he　stifled　the　impulse　and　addressed　himself　to　Lovin　Child；　which　did　just　as　well。

Things　went　better　after　that。　Bud　could　tie　the　baby　in　the　chair；　give　him　a　tin　cup　and　a　spoon　and　a　bacon　rind；　and　go　out　to　the　woodpile　feeling　reasonably　certain　that　the　house　would　not　be　set　afire　during　his　absence。　He　could　cook　a　meal　in　peace；　without　fear　of　stepping　on　the　baby。　And　Cash　could　lie　as　close　as　he　liked　to　the　edge　of　the　bed　without　running　the　risk　of　having　his　eyes　jabbed　with　Lovin　Child's　finger；　or　something　slapped　unexpectedly　in　his　face。

He　needed　protection　from　slight　discomforts　while　he　lay　there　eaten　with　fever；　hovering　so　close　to　pneumonia　that　Bud　believed　he　really　had　it　and　watched　over　him　nights　as　well　as　daytimes。　The　care　he　gave　Cash　was　not；　perhaps；　such　as　the　medical　profession　would　have　endorsed；　but　it　was　faithful　and　it　made　for　comfort　and　so　aided　Nature　more　than　it　hindered。

Fair　weather　came；　and　days　of　melting　snow。　But　they　served　only　to　increase　Bud's　activities　at　the　woodpile　and　in　hunting　small　game　close　by；　while　Lovin　Child　took　his　nap　and　Cash　was　drowsing。　Sometimes　he　would　bundle　the　baby　in　an　extra　sweater　and　take　him　outside　and　let　him　wallow　in　the　snow　while　Bud　cut　wood　and　piled　it　on　the　sheltered　side　of　the　cabin　wall；　a　reserve　supply　to　draw　on　in　an　emergency。

It　may　have　been　the　wet　snowmore　likely　it　was　the　cabin　air　filled　with　germs　of　cold。　Whatever　it　was；　Lovin　Child　caught　cold　and　coughed　croupy　all　one　night；　and　fretted　and　would　not　sleep。　Bud　anointed　him　as　he　had　anointed　Cash；　and　rocked　him　in　front　of　the　fire；　and　met　the　morning　hollow…eyed　and　haggard。　A　great　fear　tore　at　his　heart。　Cash　read　it　in　his　eyes；　in　the　tones　of　his　voice　when　he　crooned　soothing　fragments　of　old　range　songs　to　the　baby；　and　at　daylight　Cash　managed　to　dress　himself　and　help；　though　what　assistance　he　could　possibly　give　was　not　all　clear　to　him；　until　he　saw　Bud's　glance　rove　anxiously　toward　the　cook…stove。

〃Hand　the　kid　over　here；〃　Cash　said　huskily。　〃I　can　hold　him　while　you　get　yourself　some　breakfast〃

Bud　looked　at　him　stupidly；　hesitated；　loo