the seventh man-第36部分

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of　foam；　but　beyond　these　rocks；　a　little　past　the　middle；　the　tree　like　a　dam　smoothed　out　the　current；　it　was　still　swift　but　not　torn　with　swirls　or　cross…currents；　and　in　that　triangle　of　comparatively　still　water　of　which　the　base　was　the　fallen　tree；　the　apex　lay　on　a　sand　bar；　jutting　a　few　yards　from　the　bank。　And　the　forlorn　hope　of　Barry　was　to　swing　the　stallion　a　little　distance　away　from　the　banks；　run　him　with　the　last　of　his　ebbing　strength　straight　for　the　bank；　and　try　to　clear　the　rocky　portion　of　the　river　bed　with　a　long　leap　that　might；　by　the　grace　of　God；　shoot　him　into　the　comparatively　protected　current。　Even　then　it　would　be　a　game　only　a　tithe　won；　for　the　chances　were　ten　to　one　that　before　they　could　struggle　close　to　the　shore；　the　currents　would　suck　them　out　toward　the　center。　They　would　never　reach　that　shelving　bit　of　sand；　but　the　sharp　rocks　of　the　stream　would　tear　them　a　moment　later　like　teeth。　Yet　the　dimmest　chance　was　a　good　chance　now。

He　called　Satan　away　from　his　course；　and　at　the　change　of　direction　the　stallion　staggered；　but　went　on；　turned　at　another　call；　and　headed　straight　for　the　stream。　He　was　blind　with　running；　he　was　numbed　by　the　long　horror　of　that　effort；　no　doubt；　but　there　was　enough　strength　left　in　him　to　understand　the　master's　mind。　He　tossed　his　head　high；　he　flaunted　out　his　tail；　and　sped　with　a　ghost　of　his　old　sweeping　gallop　toward　the　bank。

〃Bart！〃　shouted　the　master；　and　waved　his　arm。

And　the　wolf　saw　too。　He　seemed　to　cringe　for　a　moment；　and　then；　like　some　old　leader　of　a　pack　who　knows　he　is　about　to　die　and　defies　his　death；　he　darted　for　the　river　and　flung　himself　through　the　air。

An　instant　later　Satan　reared　on　the　bank　and　shot　into　the　air。　Below　him　the　teeth　of　the　rocks　seemed　to　lift　up　in　hunger；　and　the　white　foam　jumped　to　take　him。　The　crest　of　the　arc　of　his　jump　was　passed；　he　shot　lower　and　grazing　the　last　of　the　stones　he　plunged　out　of　sight　in　the　swift　water　beyond。　There　were　two　falls；　not　one；　for　even　while　the　black　was　in　the　air　Barry　slipped　from　his　back　and　struck　the　water　clear　of　Satan。

They　came　up　again　struggling　in　the　last　effort　toward　the　shore。　The　impetus　of　their　leap　had　washed　them　well　in　toward　the　bank；　but　the　currents　dragged　them　out　again　toward　the　center　of　the　stream　where　the　rocks　waited。　Down　river　they　went；　and　Black　Bart　alone　had　a　ghost　of　a　chance　for　success。　His　leap　had　been　farther　and　he　skimmed　the　surface　when　he　struck　so　that　by　dint　of　fierce　swimming　he　hugged　close　to　the　shore；　and　then　his　claws　bedded　in　the　sand…bank。

As　for　Barry；　the　waters　caught　him　and　sent　him　spinning　over　and　over；　like　a　log；　whipping　down　stream；　while　the　heavier　body　of　Satan　was　struggling　whole　yards　above。　There　was　no　chance　for　the　master　to　reach　the　sand…bank；　and　even　if　he　reached　it　he　could　not　cling；　but　the　wolf…dog　knew　many　things　about　water。　In　the　times　of　famine　long　years　before　the　days　of　the　master　there　had　been　ways　of　catching　fish。

He　edged　forward　until　the　water　foamed　about　his　shoulders。　Down　came　Dan；　his　arms　tumbling　as　he　whirled；　and　on　the　sleeve　of　one　of　those　arms　the　teeth　of　Bart　closed。　The　cloth　was　stout；　and　yet　it　ripped　as　if　it　were　rotten　veiling；　and　the　tug　nearly　swept　Bart　from　his　place。　Still；　he　clung；　his　teeth　shifted　their　hold　with　the　speed　of　light　and　closed　over　the　arm　of　the　master　itself；　slipped；　sank　deeper；　drew　blood；　and　held。　Barry　swung　around　and　a　moment　later　stood　with　his　feet　buried　firmly　in　the　bank。

He　had　not　a　moment　to　spare；　for　Satan；　only　his　eyes　and　his　nose　showing；　rushed　down　the　current；　making　his　last　fight。　Barry　thrust　his　feet　deeper　in　the　sand；　leaned；　buried　both　hands　in　the　mane　of　the　stallion。　It　was　a　far　fiercer　tug…of…war　this　time；　for　the　ample　body　of　the　horse　gave　the　water　a　greater　surface　to　grapple　on；　yet　the　strength　of　the　man　sufficed。　His　back　bowed；　his　shoulders　ached　with　the　strain；　and　then　the　forefeet　of　Satan　pawed　the　sand；　and　all　three　staggered　up　the　shelving　bank；　reeled　among　the　trees；　and　collapsed　in　safety。

So　great　was　the　roar　of　the　water　that　they　heard　neither　shouts　nor　the　reports　of　the　guns；　but　for　several　minutes　the　bullets　of　the　posse　combed　the　shrubbery　as　high　as　the　breast　of　a　man。



Chapter　XXXVI。　The　Empty　Cave

Through　ten　months　of　the　year　a　child　of　ten　could　wade　the　Asper　but　now　its　deep　roaring　that　set　the　ground　quivering　under　Barry　gave　him　perfect　assurance　of　safety。　Not　one　of　that　posse　would　attempt　the　crossing；　he　felt；　but　he　slipped　back　through　the　shrubbery　close　to　the　bank　to　make　sure。　He　was　in　time　to　see　Mark　Retherton　give　a　command　with　gestures　that　sent　reluctant　guns　into　the　holsters。　Fists　were　brandished　toward　the　green　covert　on　the　farther　side　of　the　river；　so　close；　such　an　unreachable　distance。　One　or　two　rode　their　horses　down　to　the　very　edge　of　the　water；　but　they　gave　up　the　thought　and　the　whole　troop　turned　back　toward　Wilsonville；　even　the　horses　were　down…headed。

Back　in　the　covert　he　found　Bart　lying　with　his　head　on　his　paws；　his　eyes　closed；　his　sides　swelling　and　closing　till　every　rib　seemed　broken；　yet　now　and　then　he　opened　one　red　eye　to　look　at　Satan。　The　stallion　lay　in　almost　exactly　the　same　position；　and　the　rush　and　rattle　of　his　breathing　was　audible　even　in　the　noise　of　the　Asper；　Barry　dropped　prone　and　pressed　his　ear　against　the　left　side　of　the　horse；　just　behind　the　shoulder。　The　fierce　vibration　fairly　shook　his　head；　he　could　hear　the　rush　of　the　blood　except　when　that　deadly　rattling　of　the　breath　came。　When　he　rose　to　his　knees　the　face　of　the　master　was　serious；　thoughtful。

〃Satan！〃　he　called；　but　the　river　must　have　drowned　his　voice。　Only　when　he　passed　his　fingers　down　the　wet　neck；　one　of　Satan's　ears　pricked；　and　fell　instantly　back。　It　would　not　do　to　let　him　lie　there　in　the　cool　mold　by　the　water；　for　he　knew　that　the　greatest　danger　in　overheating　a　horse　is　that　it　may　cool　too　quickly　afterward。

He　stooped　directly　in　front　of　Satan　and　swept　up　an　arm　in　command；　it　brought　only　a　flicker　of　the　eyelid；　the　eyelid　which　drooped　over　a　glazing　eye。

〃Up！〃　he　commanded。

One　ear　again　pricked；　the　head　lifted　barely　clear　of　the　ground；　the　forelegs　stiffened　with　effort；　trembled；　and　were　still　again。

〃Bart！〃　shouted　the　master；　〃wake　him　up！〃

The　voice　could　not　have　carried　to　the　wolf　through　the　uproar　of　the　waters；　but　the　gesture；　the　expression　brought　home　the　order；　and　Black　Bart　came　to　his　feet；　staggering。　Right　against　the　nose　of　Satan　he　bared　his　great　teeth　and　his　snarl　rattled。　No　living　creature　could　hear　that　sound　without　starting；　and　the　head　of　Satan　raised　high。　Still　before　him　Bart　growled　and　under　his　elbow　and　his　chest　the　hands　of　the　master　strained　up。　He　swayed　with　a　snort　very　like　a　human　groan；　struggled；　the　forelegs　secured　their　purchase；　and　he　came　slowly　to　his　feet。　There　he　stood；　braced　and　head　low；　a　child　might　have　caught　him　by　the　mane　and　toppled　him　upon　his　side；　and　already　his　hind　legs　were　buckling。

〃Get　on！〃　cried　Barry。

There　was　a　lift　of　the　head；　a　quivering　of　the　tensed　nostrils；　but　that　was　all。　He　seemed　to　be　dying　on　his　feet；　when　the　master　whistled。　The　sound　cut　through　the　rushing　of　the　Asper　as　a　ray　of　light　probes　a　dark　room；　shrill；　harsh；　like　the　hissing　of　some　incredible　snake；　and　Satan　went　an　uncertain　step　forward；　reeled；　almost　fell；　but　the　shoulder　of　the　master　was　at　his　side　lifting　up；　and　the　arm　of　the　master　was　under　his　chest；　raising。　He　tried　another　step；　he　went　on　among　the　trees　with　his　forelegs　sprawling　and　his　head　drooped　as　though　he　were　trying　to　crop　grass。　Black　Bart　did　his　part　to　recall　that　flagging　spirit。　Sometimes　it　was　his　snarl　that　startled　the　black；　sometimes　he　leaped；　and　his　teeth　clashed　a　hair's　breadth　from　Satan's　nose。

By　degrees　the　congealing　blood　flowed　freely　again　through　Satan's　body；　he　no　longer　staggered；　and　now　he　lifted　a　forepaw　and　struck　vaguely　at　Bart　as　the　wolf…dog　leaped。　Barry　stepped　away。

〃Bart！〃　he　called；　and　the　shouting　of　the　Asper　was　now　so　far　away　that　he　could　be　heard。　〃Come　round　here；　old　boy；　and　stop　botherin'　him。　He's　goin'　to　pull　through。〃

He　leaned　against　a　willow；　his　face　suddenly　old　and　white　with　something　more　than　exhaustion；　and　laughed　in　such　an　oddly　pitched；　cracked　tone　that　the　wolf…dog　slunk　to　him　on　his　belly　and　licked　the　dangling　hand。　He　caught　the　scarred　head　of　Bart　and　looked　steadily　down　into　the　eyes　of　the　wolf。

〃It　was　a　close　call；　Bart。　There　wasn't　more　than　half　an　inch　between　Satan　and〃

The　black　turned　his　head　and　whinnied　feebly。

〃Listen　to　him　callin'　for　help　like　a　new…foaled　colt；〃　said　the　master；　and　went　to　Satan。

The　head　of　the　stallion　rested　on　his　shoulder　as　they　went　slowly　on。

〃Tonight；〃　said　the　master；　〃you　get　two　pieces　of　pone　without　askin'。〃　The　cold　nose　of　the　jealous　wolf…dog　thrust　against　his　left　hind。　〃You　too；　Bart。　You　showed　us　the　way。〃

The　rattle　had　left　the　breathing　of　Satan；　the　stagger　was　gone　from　his　walk；　with　each　instant　he　grew　perceptibly　larger　as　they　approached　the　border　of　the　wood。　It　fell　off　to　a　scattering　thicket　with　the　Grizzly　Peaks　stepping　swiftly　up　to　the　sky。　This　was　their　magic　instant　in　all　the　day；　when　the　sun；　grown　low　in　the　west；　with　bulging　sides；　gave　the　mountains　a　yellow　light。　They　swelled　up　larger　with　warm　tints　of　gold　rolling　off　into　the　blue　of　the　canyons；　at　the　foot　of　the　nearest　slope　a　thicket　of　quaking　aspens　was　struck　by　a　breeze　and　flashed　all　silver。　Not　many　moments　more；　and　all　the　peaks　would　be　falling　back　into　the　evening；

It　seemed　that　Satan　saw　this；　for　he　raised　his　head　from　the　shoulder　of　the　master　and　stopped　to　look。

〃Step　on；〃　commanded　Barry。

The　stallion　shook　himself　violently　as　a　dog　that　knocks　the　water　from　his　pelt；　but　he　took　no　pace　forward。

〃Satan！〃

The　order　made　him　sway　forward；　but　he　checked　the　movement。

〃I　ask　you　man　to　man；　Bart；〃　said　the　master　in　sudden　anger；　〃was　there　ever　a　worse