lla.thelonelymen-第11部分

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d　he　went　down　in　a　heap；　out　cold。
　〃All　right；〃　I　said　to　the　children；　〃we're　all　going　home。　Wrap　those　skins　around　you　and　e　on。〃
　Turning　to　the　young　Indian　woman；　who　had　not　stirred；　I　spoke　quietly　in　Spanish。　〃I　do　not　wish　to　hurt　anybody。　I　want　only　to　take　these　children　home。〃
　She　merely　looked　at　me　as　the　three　children　ran　toward　me。　I　saw　that　one　of　them　was　a　girl。　I　waved　them　past；　toward　the　wickiup　entrance；　and　they　went　out　quickly　into　the　rain。　With　another　glance　at　the　squaw；　I　followed。
　Tampico　Rocca　was　already　hurrying　the　youngsters　toward　the　brush…clad　hill　where　we　had　e　down；　and　he　was　backing　away；　covering　the　wickiups　with　his　rifle。　I　ran　toward　him；　and　was　almost　to　the　hillside　when　a　man　with　a　bloody　head　sprang　from　the　wickiup　from　which　we　had　taken　the　children。
　He　leaped　out；　staggered；　then　glared　wildly　around。　His　first　yell　failed　him；　but　he　shouted　again　and　his　voice　came　full　and　strong。　As　he　yelled　he　lifted　his　rifle；　and　Rocca　shot　him。
　The　children　were　in　the　brush　and　climbing　the　steep　slope；　faster　than　I　would　have　believed　possible。
　Backing　after　them；　I　let　the　Apaches　e　boiling　out　into　the　rain；　and　then　fired　rapidly。
　One　Indian　spun　and　dropped　his　rifle；　another　yelled　and　started　for　me。　I　let　him　e；　and　shot　past　him　at　another　who　was　lifting　a　rifle　to　fire。　That　Indian　staggered　and　fell；　then　started　up　again。
　The　running　Indian　had　a　knife；　and　he　was　almost　on　me。　Shortening　my　grip　on　my　rifle；　I　took　a　long　swing　that　caught　the　running　Indian　in　the　belly。　He　caved　in　with　a　choking　cry；　and　I　scrambled　up　the　muddy　slope；　grabbing　at　branches。
　From　above　there　was　a　sudden　cannonade　of　fire　as　our　friends　up　there；　who　had　heard　the　shooting；　opened　up　on　the　Indians　to　cover　our　retreat。
　Scrambling；　falling；　and　scrambling　on；　we　made　the　crest；　and　when　the　little　girl　fell　I　caught　her　up　and　ran　after　Rocca；　with　the　others　covering　us　as　best　they　could。
　We　made　our　camp；　swung　into　our　saddles；　and　with　three　of　us　each　carrying　a　child；　we　raced　off　along　the　ridge；　rain　whipping　our　faces。
　We　ran　our　horses　when　we　could；　then　slowed　for　the　steep；　dangerous　trail　down。　Falling　rain　masked　the　depths　below；　the　great　peaks　were　shrouded　in　cloud。　Thunder　rumbled　around　us；　tremendous　sounds　as　if　we　were　inside　an　enormous　drum。　We　dashed　into　a　pine　forest；　ran　our　horses　for　a　hundred　yards；　then　slowed　for　a　steep　slide　and　a　muddy　scramble。
　Battles'　horse　slipped　and　fell；　spilling　him　from　the　saddle；　but　the　horse　was　game　and　scrambled　up。　By　the　time　it　was　on　its　feet；　Battles　was　in　the　saddle　again。
　There　was　no　chance　now　for　the　black　rock　atop　the　boulder。　Anyway；　because　of　the　rain　Harry　could　not　see　it。
　Me；　I　kept　looking　back　over　my　shoulder；　wondering　when　the　Indians　would　catch　up。　The　rain　might　have　muffled　the　shots　enough　so　that　the　other　rancherias　would　not　be　alerted　to　our　ing。　We　drew　up　briefly　under　the　trees　and　I　eased　the　girl　into　a　better　position　on　the　saddle　before　me。
　〃Were　there　any　other　children　back　there？〃　I　asked　her。　〃White　ones；　I　mean？〃
　〃No；〃　she　said。　Her　eyes　were　bright；　but　she　looked　excited　rather　than　scared。
　〃Which　one　is　Orry　Sackett？〃　I　asked。
　She　just　looked　at　me。　〃Neither　one。　Those　two　are　the　Creed　boys。　I　never　heard　of　any　boy　called　Orry。〃
　Something　turned　over　inside　me。　'Tamp；〃　I　yelled；　〃my　nephew　isn't　here！〃
　〃I　know　it；〃　he　said。　〃He　ain't　here　at　all。　These　were　the　youngsters　the　Taches　took。　The　only　ones。〃
　〃That's　not　possible！〃
　〃You　better　get　goin'　〃　Spanish　said。　〃This　here　is　no　time　to　talk。〃
　We　started　on；　knowing　there　could　be　no　hesitating；　no　turning　back。　The　hills　would　be　alive　with　Apaches　now；　and　if　we　got　out　of　here　alive　we'd　have　to　have　unmon　luck；　which　we　had　e　into　the　mountains　knowing。
　Slipping　and　running；　scrambling　up　and　down　muddy　slopes；　slapped　by　wet　branches；　racing　through　the　forest　。。。　first　and　last；　it　was　a　nightmare。
　We　came　finally　to　the　place　above　the　first　Indian　encampment；　and　I　passed　the　girl　over　to　Battles。　〃I've　got　to　get　that　boy　Harry！〃　I　told　him。　〃Don't　be　a　fool！　There's　no　chance！〃
　〃Keep　going；〃　I　said。　〃I　promised　him。〃
　They　all　looked　at　me；　each　of　them　holding　a　youngster　…　three　tough；　hard…bitten　men　with　no　families；　no　homes；　nothing　to　call　their　own　but　a　set　of　guns　and　saddles。　They　sat　there　in　the　rain；　and　not　one　of　them　could　e　with　me　because　now　they　had　the　children　to　think　of。
　〃Run　for　it；〃　I　said。　〃This　here's　my　scalp。〃
　〃Good　luck；〃　Spanish　said；　and　they　were　gone。　Me；　I　watched　them　go；　then　swung　my　horse　toward　that　boulder。　Far　back　up　the　mountains；　I　thought　I　heard　a　shout　and　a　shot。　But　I　went　down　that　trail　to　the　place　where　I'd　met　the　boy。
　Hounding　the　boulder；　rifle　ready；　I　stared　toward　the　rancheria；　and　suddenly　out　of　the　wet　brush　came　the　boy；　Harry　Brook。　He　was　soaked　to　the　skin　and　he　was　scared；　but　he　came　toward　me。　〃Mister；〃　he　said；　and　he　was　crying。　〃Mister；　I　was　scared　you　wouldn't　make　it。〃
　Reaching　down；　I　caught　his　hand　and　swung　him　up　to　the　saddle。
　〃They　know　you're　gone？〃　I　asked。　〃I　think　so　。。。　by　now。　Somebody　came　in　and　said　he'd　heard　shootin'；　but　the　old　bucks　wouldn't　believe　him。　No　chance　in　this　rain；　they　said；　not　in　these　mountains。　I　figured　it　was　you；　so　first　chance　I　had；　I　cut　and　run。〃
　We　started　up　the　trail。　Up　there　on　the　ridge　I　could　see　the　muddy　tracks　of　the　other　horses；　and　I　swung　into　the　trail　after　them；　but　then　pulled　up　sharp。　Their　trail　was　almost　wiped　out　by　the　track　of　other　horses；　unshod　horses。
　〃Apaches；〃　I　said。　〃Is　there　another　trail？〃
　〃Down　there。〃　The　boy　pointed　toward　the　canyon。　〃The　Old　Ones'　trail。　An　Apache　boy　showed　it　to　me。　It　goes　out　across　Sonora　to　the　big　water。〃　Harry　looked　up　at　me；　his　face　glistening　with　rain。　〃Anyway；　that's　what　he　said。〃
　The　black　was　fidgeting。　He　liked　the　situation　no　more　than　I　did；　so　I　pointed　his　nose　where　the　boy　said。　He　shied　at　the　trail；　then　took　it　gingerly。
　It　was　no　kind　of　a　place　to　ride　even　in　good　weather；　let　alone　in　a　rain　like　this。　Thunder　crashed；　and　there　was　a　vivid　streak　of　lightning　that　lit　up　everything　around。　The　trail　was　only　a　glistening　thread　along　the　face　of　a　cliff。
　But　the　black　was　game。　He　went　as　if　stepping　on　eggs；　but　he　went；　and　I　held　my　breath　for　the　three　of　us。　Far　down　below　my　right　stirrup　I　could　see　the　tops　of　pine　trees；　maybe　five　hundred　feet　down　there。　We　edged　along；　taking　one　careful　step　at　a　time；　until　we　were　almost　at　the　bottom；　when　the　trail　widened　out。
　It　took　no　time　at　all　to　see　that　this　was　no　traveled　trail。　Rocks　had　fallen　into　it　ages　back；　trees　had　grown　up　right　in　the　middle；　and　we　had　to　skirt　around　them。　Me；　I　kept　looking　back。　Sure　as　shootin'　we　were　going　to　get　ourselves　trapped。　Still；　all　a　body　could　do　was　push　on；　so　we　pushed。
　Night　was　a…ing；　and　with　all　those　clouds　and　rain　it　was　going　to　e　soon；　but　there　was　no　place　to　stop。
　We　had　e　down　about　a　thousand　feet；　and　were　moving　along　a　watercourse　that　wound　through　poplars　and　maples；　gigantic　agaves　and　clumps　of　maidenhair　fern。　Everything　was　wet。
　Suddenly；　off　to　our　left；　I　saw　one　of　those　ruins　…　an　ancient　wall；　half　broken　by　a　huge　maple　that　had　grown　through　it。　There　was　a　stream　running　that　way；　and　it　was　only　niches　deep。　Turning　the　black；　I　walked　him　along　the　stream　until　we　could　turn　behind　the　wall　where　the　maple　grew。
　There　was　a　sort　of　clearing　there；　sheltered　on　one　side　by　the　wall；　and　falling　away　on　the　other　toward　a　bigger　stream；　trees　were　all　around。　The　maple　had　huge　limbs　that　stretched　out　over　the　wall　and　made　a　shelter。　I　swung　down　under　it　and　lifted　the　boy　to　the　ground。　〃Stay　up　close　to　the　tree；〃　I　said；　〃until　I　can　rig　something　for　us。〃
　Now；　a　body　doesn't　spend　his　years　wandering　around　the　country　without　learning　how　to　make　do。　I'd　made　wet　camp　a　good　many　times　before　this；　and　I　had　been　keeping　my　eyes　open　for　a　likely　spot；　one　that　had　what　we'd　need。
　First　off；　I　saw　how　the　ground　slanted　away　toward　the　big　creek；　and　I　figured　that　wall　offered　fair　protection。　The　maple　was　alive；　but　in　some　storm　the　wind　had　broken　off　a　big　limb；　with　a　lot　of　branches　on　it；　and　it　lay　there　on　the　ground。　Maple　burns　mighty　well；　and　makes　a　hot　fire。
　That　big　tree　would　give　some　shelter；　and　the　wall　would　make　a　reflector　for　my　fire。　One　branch　of　the　tree　extended　across　a　corner　of　the　wall；　and　I　ducked　under　it　and　rolled　away　a　couple　of　fallen　stones　that　lay　there。　The　big　fallen　limb　and　its　branches　offered　partial　cover　for　the　er；　so　I　cut　some　pine　branches　and　wove　them　in　among　the　branches　of　the　maple　until　I　had　a　fair　shelter。
　Tying　the　black　horse　under　the　maple；　but　on　a　rope　long　enough　so　he　could　graze；　I　carried　the　saddle　and　gear　to　the　shelter。　The　boy　was　already　seated　in　the　corner。
　From　under　a　couple　of　fallen　trees　I　peeled　some　dry　bark；　gathered　twigs　from　the　fallen　maple　limb；　and　in　a　few　minutes　I　had　a　fire　going。　It　looked　good；　and　felt　better。
　I　had　built　the　fire　close　against　the　wall　so　the　heat　would　be　reflected；　and　there　we　huddled　in　reasonable　fort。　The　wall；　the　sheltering　trees；　and　our　improvised　shelter　kept　off　most　of　the　rain。　After　a　few　minutes；　the　boy　fell　asleep。
　I　checked　my　guns；　made　sure　my　rifle　was　fully　loaded；　and　trusting　to　the　black　to　warn　me；　I　huddled　against　the　wall　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　fire　from　the　boy；　and　slept　too。
　
　Chapter　8
　
　The　night　wind　moaned　in　the　passes；　and　the　small　fire　sputtered。　The　fuel　burned　down　to　coals；　and　the　coals　were　a　dull　red　except　when　touched　briefly　by　the　wind。　The　rain　had　e　to　an　end；　but　big　drops　fell　now　and　again　from　the　leaves　of　the　maple。
　From　time　to　time　I　opened　my　eyes；　looked　around；　land　slept　again。　It　was　always　so　with　me　。。。　I　can　remember　few　nights　when　I　slept　the　hours　through　without　awakening；　usually　to　lie　awake　listening　for　a　while；　sometimes　to　get　up　and　prowl　restlessly。
　The　black　horse；