arizona nights-第24部分

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through　me；　and　actually　the　grey　mist　thinned　and　lifted　for　a

moment；　until　I　could　make　out　dimly　the　line　of　cliffs　and　the

tumbling　sea。

　　　

I　was　not　a　bit　hungry；　but　I　chewed　on　the　sugar　cane；　and　made

Schwartz　do　the　same。　　When　we　went　on　I　kept　close　to　the　cliff；

even　though　the　walking　was　somewhat　heavier。

　　　

I　remember　after　that　its　getting　dark　and　then　light　again；　so

the　night　must　have　passed；　but　whether　we　rested　or　walked　I　do

not　know。　　Probably　we　did　not　get　very　far；　though　certainly　we

staggered　ahead　after　sun…up；　for　I　remember　my　shadow。

　　　

About　midday；　I　suppose；　I　made　out　a　dim　trail　leading　up　a

break　in　the　cliffs。　　Plenty　of　such　trails　we　had　seen　before。　

They　were　generally　made　by　peccaries　in　search　of　cast…up　fish

I　hope　they　had　better　luck　than　we。

　　　

But　in　the　middle　of　this；　as　though　for　a　sign；　lay　another

piece　of　chewed　sugar　cane。





　　　　　　　　　　

CHAPTER　FIFTEEN

THE　CALABASH　STEW



I　had　agreed　with　Denton　to　stick　to　the　beach；　but　Schwartz

could　not　last　much　longer；　and　I　had　not　the　slightest　idea　how

far　it　might　prove　to　be　to　Mollyhay。　　So　I　turned　up　the　trail。

　　　

We　climbed　a　mountain　ten　thousand　feet　high。　　I　mean　that；　and　I

know；　for　I've　climbed　them　that　high；　and　I　know　just　how　it

feels；　and　how　many　times　you　have　to　rest；　and　how　long　it

takes；　and　how　much　it　knocks　out　of　you。　　Those　are　the　things

that　count　in　measuring　height；　and　so　I　tell　you　we　climbed　that

far。　　Actually　I　suppose　the　hill　was　a　couple　of　hundred　feet；

if　not　less。　　But　on　account　of　the　grey　mist　I　mentioned；　I

could　not　see　the　top；　and　the　illusion　was　complete。

　　　

We　reached　the　summit　late　in　the　afternoon；　for　the　sun　was

square　in　our　eyes。　　But　instead　of　blinding　me；　it　seemed　to

clear　my　sight；　so　that　I　saw　below　me　a　little　mud　hut　with

smoke　rising　behind　it；　and　a　small　patch　of　cultivated　ground。

　　　　

I'll　pass　over　how　I　felt　about　it：　　they　haven't　made　the　

words

　　　

Well；　we　stumbled　down　the　trail　and　into　the　hut。　　At　first　I

thought　it　was　empty；　but　after　a　minute　I　saw　a　very　old　man

crouched　in　a　corner。　　As　I　looked　at　him　he　raised　his　bleared

eyes　to　me；　his　head　swinging　slowly　from　side　to　side　as　though

with　a　kind　of　palsy。　　He　could　not　see　me；　that　was　evident；　nor

hear　me；　but　some　instinct　not　yet　decayed　turned　him　toward　a

new　presence　in　the　room。　　In　my　wild　desire　for　water　I　found

room　to　think　that　here　was　a　man　even　worse　off　than　myself。

　　　

A　vessel　of　water　was　in　the　corner。　　I　drank　it。　It　was　more

than　I　could　hold；　but　I　drank　even　after　I　was　filled；　and　the

waste　ran　from　the　corners　of　my　mouth。　　I　had　forgotten

Schwartz。　　The　excess　made　me　a　little　sick；　but　I　held　down　what

I　had　swallowed；　and　I　really　believe　it　soaked　into　my　system　as

it　does　into　the　desert　earth　after　a　drought。

　　　

In　a　moment　or　so　I　took　the　vessel　and　filled　it　and　gave　it　to

Schwartz。　　Then　it　seemed　to　me　that　my　responsibility　had　ended。　

A　sudden　great　dreamy　lassitude　came　over　me。　　I　knew　I　needed

food；　but　I　had　no　wish　for　it；　and　no　ambition　to　search　it　out。　

The　man　in　the　corner　mumbled　at　me　with　his　toothless　gums。　　I

remember　wondering　if　we　were　all　to　starve　there　peacefully

togetherSchwartz　and　his　remaining　gold　coins；　the　man　far　gone

in　years；　and　myself。　　I　did　not　greatly　care。

　　　

After　a　while　the　light　was　blotted　out。　　There　followed　a　slight

pause。　　Then　I　knew　that　someone　had　flown　to　my　side；　and　was

kneeling　beside　me　and　saying　liquid；　pitying　things　in　Mexican。　

I　swallowed　something　hot　and　strong。　　In　a　moment　I　came　back

from　wherever　I　was　drifting；　to　look　up　at　a　Mexican　girl　about

twenty　years　old。

　　　

She　was　no　great　matter　in　looks；　but　she　seemed　like　an　angel　to

me　then。　　And　she　had　sense。　　No　questions；　no　nothing。　　Just

business。　　The　only　thing　she　asked　of　me　was　if　I　understood

Spanish。

　　　

Then　she　told　me　that　her　brother　would　be　back　soon；　that　they

were　very　poor；　that　she　was　sorry　she　had　no　meat　to　offer　me；

that　they　were　VERY　poor；　that　all　they　had　was　calabasha　sort

of　squash。　　All　this　time　she　was　bustling　things　together。　　Next

thing　I　know　I　had　a　big　bowl　of　calabash　stew　between　my　knees。

　　　　

Now；　strangely　enough；　I　had　no　great　interest　in　that　calabash

stew。　　I　tasted　it；　sat　and　thought　a　while；　and　tasted　it　again。　

By　and　by　I　had　emptied　the　bowl。　　It　was　getting　dark。　　I　was

very　sleepy。　　A　man　came　in；　but　I　was　too　drowsy　to　pay　any

attention　to　him。　　I　heard　the　sound　of　voices。　　Then　I　was

picked　up　bodily　and　carried　to　an　out…building　and　laid　on　a

pile　of　skins。　　I　felt　the　weight　of　a　blanket　thrown　over　me

　　　

I　awoke　in　the　night。　　Mind　you；　I　had　practically　had　no　rest　at

all　for　a　matter　of　more　than　two　weeks；　yet　I　woke　in　a　few

hours。　　And；　remember；　even　in　eating　the　calabash　stew　I　had

felt　no　hunger　in　spite　of　my　long　fast。　　But　now　I　found　myself

ravenous。　　You　boys　do　not　know　what　hunger　is。　　It　HURTS。　　And

all　the　rest　of　that　night　I　lay　awake　chewing　on　the　rawhide　of

a　pack…saddle　that　hung　near　me。

　　　

Next　morning　the　young　Mexican　and　his　sister　came　to　us　early；

bringing　more　calabash　stew。　　I　fell　on　it　like　a　wild　animal；

and　just　wallowed　in　it；　so　eager　was　I　to　eat。　　They　stood　and

watched　meand　I　suppose　Schwartz；　too；　though　I　had　now　lost

interest　in　anyone　but　myselfglancing　at　each　other　in　pity

from　time　to　time。

　　　

When　I　had　finished　the　man　told　me　that　they　　had　decided　to

kill　a　beef　so　we　could　have　meat。　　They　were　very　poor；　but　God

had　brought　us　to　them

　　　

I　appreciated　this　afterward。　　At　the　time　I　merely　caught　at　the

word　〃meat。〃　　It　seemed　to　me　I　could　have　eaten　the　animal

entire；　hide；　hoofs；　and　tallow。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　it　was

mighty　lucky　they　didn't　have　any　meat。　　If　they　had；　we'd

probably　have　killed　ourselves　with　it。　　I　suppose　the　calabash

was　about　the　best　thing　for　us　under　the　circumstances。

　　　

The　Mexican　went　out　to　hunt　up　his　horse。　　I　called　the　girl

back。

　　

〃How　far　is　it　to　Mollyhay？〃　I　asked　her。

　　

〃A　league；〃　said　she。

　　　

So　we　bad　been　near　our　journey's　end　after　all；　and　Denton　was

probably　all　right。

　　　

The　Mexican　went　away　horseback。　　The　girl　fed　us　calabash。　　We

waited。

　　　

About　one　o'clock　a　group　of　horsemen　rode　over　the　hill。　　When

they　came　near　enough　I　recognised　Denton　at　their　head。　　That

man　was　of　tempered　steel



They　had　followed　back　along　the　beach；　caught　our　trail　where　we

had　turned　off；　and　so　discovered　us。　　Denton　had　fortunately

found　kind　and　intelligent　people。

　　　

We　said　good…bye　to　the　Mexican　girl。　　I　made　Schwartz　give　her

one　of　his　gold　pieces。

　　　

But　Denton　could　not　wait　for　us　to　say　〃hullo〃　even；　he　was　so

anxious　to　get　back　to　town；　so　we　mounted　the　horses　he　had

brought　us；　and　rode　off；　very　wobbly。

　　　

We　lived　three　weeks　in　Mollyhay。　　It　took　us　that　long　to　get

fed　up。　　The　lady　I　stayed　with　made　a　dish　of　kid　meat　and

stuffed　olives

　　　

Why；　an　hour　after　filling　myself　up　to　the　muzzle　I'd　be　hungry

again；　and　scouting　round　to　houses　looking　for　more　to　eat！

　　　

We　talked　things　over　a　good　deal；　after　we　had　gained　a　little

strength。　　I　wanted　to　take　a　little　flyer　at　Guaymas　to　see　if　I

could　run　across　this　Handy　Solomon　person；　but　Denton　pointed

out　that　Anderson　would　be　expecting　just　that；　and　would　take

mighty　good　care　to　be　scarce。　　His　idea　was　that　we'd　do　better

to　get　hold　of　a　boat　and　some　water　casks；　and　lug　off　the

treasure　we　had　stumbled　over。　　Denton　told　us　that　the　idea　of

going　back　and　scooping　all　that　dinero　up　with　a　shovel　　had

kept　him　going；　just　as　the　idea　of　getting　even　with　Anderson

had　kept　me　going。　　Schwartz　said　that　after　he'd　carried　that

heavy　gold　over　the　first　day；　he　made　up　his　mind　he'd　get　the

spending　of　it　or　bust。　　That's　why　he　hated　so　to　throw　it　away。

　　　　　　　　　　

There　were　lots　of　fishing　boats　in　the　harbour；　and　we　hired

one；　and　a　man　to　run　it　for　next　to　nothing　a　week。　　We　laid　a

course　north；　and　in　six　days　anchored　in　our　bay。

　　　　

I　tell　you　it　looked　queer。　　There　were　the　charred　sticks　of　the

fire；　and　the　coffeepot　lying　on　its　side。　　We　took　off　our　hats

at　poor　Billy's　grave　a　minute；　and　then　climbed　over　the

cholla…covered　hill　carrying　our　picks　and　shovels；　and　the

canvas　sacks　to　take　the　treasure　away　in。

　　　　

There　was　no　trouble　in　reaching　the　sandy　flat。　　But　when　we　got

there　we　found　it　torn　up　from　one　end　to　the　other。　　A　few

scattered　timbers　and　three　empty　chests　with　the　covers　pried

off　alone　remained。　　Handy　Solomon　had　been　there　before　us。

　　　　

We　went　back　to　our　boat　sick　at　heart。　　Nobody　said　a　word。　　We

went　aboard　and　made　our　Greaser　boatman　head　for　Yuma。　　It　took

us　a　week　to　get　there。　　We　were　all　of　us　glum；　but　Denton　was

the　worst　of　the　lot。　　Even　after　we'd　got　back　to　town　and

fallen　into　our　old　ways　of　life；　he　couldn't　seem　to　get　over

it。　　He　seemed　plumb　possessed　of　gloom；　and　moped　around　like　a

chicken　with　the　pip。　　This　surprised　me；　for　I　didn't　think　the

loss　of　money　would　hit　him　so　hard。　　It　didn't　hit　any　of　us

very　hard　in　those　days。

　　　　

One　evening　I　took　him　aside　and　fed　him　a　drink；　and

expostulated　with　him。

　　　

〃Oh；　HELL；　Rogers；〃　he　burst　out；　〃I　don't　care　about　the　loot。　

But；　suffering　cats；　think　how　that　fellow　sized　us　up　for　a　lot

of　pattern…made　fools；　and　how　right　he　was　about；　it。　　Why　all

he　did　was　to　sail　out　of　sight　around　the　next　corner。　　He　knew

we'd　start　across　country；　and　we　did。　　All　we　had　to　do　was　to

lay　low；　and　save　our　legs。　　He　was　BOUND　to　come　back。　　And　we

might　have　nailed　him　when　he　landed。〃





〃That's　about　all　there　was　to　it；〃　concluded　Col