whirligigs-第16部分

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outward　surface　of　Alabama　that　lay　exposed　to　my　view。

〃Perhaps；〃　says　I　to　myself；　〃it　has　not　yet　been　discov…

ered　that　the　wolves　have　home　away　the　tender　lambkin

from　the　fold。　　Heaven　help　the　wolves！〃　　says　I；　and　I

went　down　the　mountain　to　breakfast。



When　I　got　to　the　cave　I　found　Bill　backed　up　against

the　side　of　it；　breathing　hard；　and　the　boy　threatening

to　smash　him　with　a　rock　half　as　big　as　a　cocoanut。



〃He　put　a　red…hot　boiled　potato　down　my　back；〃

explained　Bill；　〃and　the　mashed　it　with　his　foot；　and

I　boxed　his　ears。　　Have　you　got　a　gun　about　you；

Sam？



I　took　the　rock　away　from　the　boy　and　kind　of　patched

up　the　argument。　　〃I'll　fix　you；〃　says　the　kid　to　Bill。

〃No　man　ever　yet　struck　the　Red　Chief　but　what　he　got

paid　for　it。　　You　better　beware！〃



After　breakfast　the　kid　takes　a　piece　of　leather　with

strings　wrapped　around　it　out　of　his　pocket　and　goes　out…

side　the　cave　unwinding　it。



〃What's　he　up　to　now？〃　　says　Bill；　anxiously。　　〃You

don't　think　he'll　run　away；　do　you；　Sam？〃



〃No　fear　of　it；〃　says　I。　　〃He　don't　seem　to　be　much　of

a　home　body。　　But　we've　got　to　fix　up　some　plan　about　the

ransom。　　There　don't　seem　to　be　much　excitement　around

Summit　on　account　of　his　disappearance；　but　maybe

they　haven't　realized　yet　that　he's　gone。　　His　folks

may　think　he's　spending　the　night　with　Aunt　Jane　or　one

of　the　neighbours。　　Anyhow；　he'll　be　missed　to…day。

To…night　we　must　get　a　message　to　his　father　demanding

the　two　thousand　dollars　for　his　return。〃



Just　then　we　heard　a　kind　Of　war…whoop；　such　as　David

might　have　emitted　when　he　knocked　out　the　champion

Goliath。　　It　was　a　sling　that　Red　Chief　had　pulled　out

of　his　pocket；　and　he　was　whirling　it　around　his　head。



I　dodged；　and　heard　a　heavy　thud　and　a　kind　of　a　sigh

from　Bill；　like　a　horse　gives　out　when　you　take　his　saddle

off。　　A　niggerhead　rock　the　size　of　an　egg　had　caught

Bill　just　behind　his　left　ear。　　He　loosened　himself　all　over

and　fell　in　the　fire　across　the　frying　pan　of　hot　water　for

washing　the　dishes。　　I　dragged　him　out　and　poured　cold

water　on　his　head　for　half　an　hour。



By　and　by；　Bill　sits　up　and　feels　behind　his　ear　and

says：　〃Sam；　do　you　know　who　my　favourite　Biblical

character　is？〃



〃Take　it　easy；〃　says　I。　　〃You'll　come　to　your　senses

presently。〃



〃King　Herod；〃　says　he。　　〃You　won't　go　away　and

leave　me　here　alone；　will　you；　Sam？〃



I　went　out　and　caught　that　boy　and　shook　him　until

his　freckles　rattled。



〃If　you　don't　behave；〃　says　I；　〃I'll　take　you　straight

home。　　Now；　are　you　going　to　be　good；　or　not？〃



〃I　was　only　funning；〃　says　he　sullenly。　　〃I　didn't

mean　to　hurt　Old　Hank。　　But　what　did　he　hit　me　for？

〃I'll　behave；　Snake…eye；　if　you　won't　send　me　home；　and

if　you'll　let　me　play　the　Black　Scout　to…day。〃



〃I　don't　know　the　game；〃　says　I。　　〃That's　for　you　and

Mr。　Bill　to　decide。　　He's　your　playmate　for　the　day。

I'm　going　away　for　a　while；　on　business。　　Now；　you

come　in　and　make　friends　with　him　and　say　you　are

sorry　for　hurting　him；　or　home　you　go；　at　once。〃



I　made　him　and　Bill　shake　hands；　and　then　I　took　Bill

aside　and　told　him　I　was　going　to　Poplar　Cove；　a　little

village　three　miles　from　the　cave；　and　find　out　what　I

could　about　how　the　kidnapping　had　been　regarded　in

Summit。　　Also；　I　thought　it　best　to　send　a　peremptory

letter　to　old　man　Dorset　that　day；　demanding　the　ransom

and　dictating　how　it　should　be　paid。



〃You　know；　Sam；〃　says　Bill；　〃I've　stood　by　you　with…

out　batting　an　eye　in　earthquakes；　fire　and　flood　　in

poker　games；　dynamite　outrages；　police　raids；　train

robberies　and　cyclones。　　I　never　lost　my　nerve　yet　till

we　kidnapped　that　two…legged　skyrocket　of　a　kid。　　He's

got　me　going。　　You　won't　leave　me　long　with　him；　will

you；　Sam？〃



〃I'll　be　back　some　time　this　afternoon；〃　says　I。　　〃You

must　keep　the　boy　amused　and　quiet　till　I　return。　　And

now　we'll　write　the　letter　to　old　Dorset。〃



Bill　and　I　got　paper　and　pencil　and　worked　on　the

letter　while　Red　Chief；　with　a　blanket　wrapped　around

him；　strutted　up　and　down；　guarding　the　mouth　of　the

cave。　　Bill　begged　me　tearfully　to　make　the　ransom

fifteen　hundred　dollars　instead　of　two　thousand。　　〃I

ain't　attempting；〃　says　he；　〃to　decry　the　celebrated　moral

aspect　of　parental　affection；　but　we're　dealing　with

humans；　and　it　ain't　human　for　anybody　to　give　up　two

thousand　dollars　for　that　forty…pound　chunk　of　freckled

wildcat。　　I'm　willing　to　take　a　chance　at　fifteen　hundred

dollars。　　You　can　charge　the　difference　up　to　me。〃



So；　to　relieve　Bill；　I　acceded；　and　we　collaborated　a

letter　that　ran　this　way：



Ebenezer　Dorset；　Esq。：

　　　We　have　your　boy　concealed　in　a　place　far　from　Summit。

It　is　useless　for　you　or　the　most　skilful　detectives　to

attempt　to　find　him。　　Absolutely；　the　only　terms　on

which　you　can　have　him　restored　to　you　are　these：　We

demand　fifteen　hundred　dollars　in　large　bills　for　his　return；

the　money　to　be　left　at　midnight　to…night　at　the　same

spot　and　in　the　same　box　as　your　reply　　as　hereinafter

described。　　If　you　agree　to　these　terms；　send　your　answer

in　writing　by　a　solitary　messenger　to…night　at　half…past

eight　o'clock。　　After　crossing　Owl　Creek；　on　the　road

to　Poplar　Cove；　there　are　three　large　trees　about　a　hundred

yards　apart；　close　to　the　fence　of　the　wheat　field　on　the

right…hand　side。　　At　the　bottom　of　the　fence…post；　opposite

the　third　tree；　will　be　found　a　small　pasteboard　box。

The　messenger　will　place　the　answer　in　this　box　and

return　immediately　to　Summit。

　　　If　you　attempt　any　treachery　or　fail　to　comply　with

our　demand　as　stated；　you　will　never　see　your　boy　again。

　　　If　you　pay　the　money　as　demanded；　he　will　be　returned

to　you　safe　and　well　within　three　hours。　　These　terms

are　final；　and　if　you　do　not　accede　to　them　no　further　coin…

munication　will　be　attempted。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TWO　DESPERATE　MEN。



I　addressed　this　letter　to　Dorset；　and　put　it　in　my　pocket。

As　I　was　about　to　start；　the　kid　comes　up　to　me　and　says：



〃Aw；　Snake…eye；　you　said　I　could　play　the　Black　Scout

while　you　was　gone。〃



〃Play　it；　of　course；〃　says　I。　　〃Mr。　Bill　will　play

with　you。　　What　kind　of　a　game　is　it？〃



〃I'm　the　Black　Scout；〃　says　Red　Chief；　〃and　I

have　to　ride　to　the　stockade　to　warn　the　settlers　that　the

Indians　are　coming。　　I'm　tired　of　playing　Indian　myself。

I　want　to　be　the　Black　Scout。〃



〃All　right；〃　says　I。　　〃It　sounds　harmless　to　me。

I　guess　Mr。　Bill　will　help　you　foil　the　pesky

savages。〃



〃What　am　I　to　do？〃　　asks　Bill；　looking　at　the　kid

suspiciously。



〃You　are　the　hoss；〃　says　Black　Scout。　　〃Get　down　

on　your　hands　and　knees。　　How　can　I　ride　to　the　stockade

without　a　hoss？〃



〃You'd　better　keep　him　interested；〃　said　I；　〃till　we

get　the　scheme　going。　　Loosen　up。〃



Bill　gets　down　on　his　all　fours；　and　a　look　comes　in

his　eye　like　a　rabbit's　when　you　catch　it　in　a　trap。



〃How　far　is　it　to　the　stockade；　kid？〃　　he　asks；　in　a　husky

manner　of　voice。



〃Ninety　miles；〃　says　the　Black　Scout。　　〃And　you　have

to　hump　yourself　to　get　there　on　time。　　Whoa；　now！〃



The　Black　Scout　jumps　on　Bill's　back　and　digs　his

heels　in　his　side。



〃For　Heaven's　sake；〃　says　Bill；　〃hurry　back；　Sam；

as　soon　as　you　can。　　I　wish　we　hadn't　made　the　ransom

more　than　a　thousand。　　Say；　you　quit　kicking　me　or　I'll

get　up　and　warm　you　good。〃



I　walked　over　to　Poplar　Cove　and　sat　around　the　post…

office　and　store；　talking　with　the　chawbacons　that　came

in　to　trade。　　One　whiskerando　says　that　he　hears　Summit

is　all　upset　on　account　of　Elder　Ebenezer　Dorset's　boy

having　been　lost　or　stolen。　　That　was　all　I　wanted　to　know。

I　bought　some　smoking　tobacco；　referred　casually　to　the

price　of　black…eyed　peas；　posted　my　letter　surreptitiously

and　came　away。　　The　postmaster　said　the　mail…carrier

would　come　by　in　an　hour　to　take　the　mail　on　to　Summit。



When　I　got　back　to　the　cave　Bill　and　the　boy　were　not

to　be　found。　　I　explored　the　vicinity　of　the　cave；　and　risked

a　yodel　or　two；　but　there　was　no　response。



So　I　lighted　my　pipe　and　sat　down　on　a　mossy　bank　to

await　developments。



In　about　half　an　hour　I　heard　the　bushes　rustle；　and

Bill　wabbled　out　into　the　little　glade　in　front　of　the　cave。

Behind　him　was　the　kid；　stepping　softly　like　a　scout；　with

a　broad　grin　on　his　face。　　Bill　stopped；　took　off　his　hat

and　wiped　his　face　with　a　red　handkerchief。　　The　kid

stopped　about　eight　feet　behind　him。



〃Sam；〃　says　Bill；　〃I　suppose　you'll　think　I'm　a　rene…

gade；　but　I　couldn't　help　it。　　I'm　a　grown　person　with

masculine　proclivities　and　habits　of　self…defense；　but　there

is　a　time　when　all　systems　of　egotism　and　predominance

fail。　　The　boy　is　gone。　　I　have　sent　him　home。　　All

is　off。　　There　was　martyrs　in　old　times；〃　goes　on　Bill；

〃that　suffered　death　rather　than　give　up　the　particular

graft　they　enjoyed。　　None　of　'em　ever　was　subjugated

to　such　supernatural　tortures　as　I　have　been。　　I　tried　to

be　faithful　to　our　articles　of　depredation；　but　there　came

a　limit。〃



〃What's　the　trouble；　Bill？〃　　I　asks　him。



〃I　was　rode；〃　says　Bill；　〃the　ninety　miles　to　the　stockade；

not　barring　an　inch。　　Then；　when　the　settlers　was　rescued；

I　was　given　oats。　　Sand　ain't　a　palatable　substitute。

And　then；　for　an　hour　I　had　to　try　to　explain　to　him

why　there　was　nothin'　in　holes；　how　a　road　can　run　both

ways　and　what　makes　the　grass　green。　　I　tell　you；　Sam；

a　human　can　only　stand　so　much。　　I　takes　him　by　the

neck　of　his　clothes　and　drags　him　down　the　mountain。

On　the　way　he　kicks　my　legs　black…and…blue　from　the　knees

down；　and　I've　got　to　have　two　or　three　bites　on　my　thumb

and　hand　cauterized。



〃But　he's　gone〃　　　continues　Bill　　〃gone　home。

I　showed　him　the　road　to　Summit　and　kicked　him　about

eight　feet　nearer　there　at　one　kick。　　I'm　sorry　we　lose　the

ransom；　but　i