the heritage of the sioux-第20部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



see。〃



〃I　wonder　if　another　dollar〃



But　Applehead　interrupted　him。　〃Another　dollar　might　git　him　warmed　up　so's

he'd　shake　his　danged　head　twicet　instid　uh　once't；〃　he　asserted

pessimistically；　〃but　that's　all　you'd　git　outa　him。　That　thar　buck　ain't

TALKIN'　today。　Yuh　better　come　an'　eat　'n'　rest　yer　laigs。　If　he　talked；　he'd

lie。　We're　a　heap　better　off　jest　doin'　our　own　trailin'　same　as　we　been　doin。

That　bunch　come　by　here；　the　tracks　show　that。　If　they　went　on；　the　tracks'll

show　where　they　headed　fur。　'N'　my　idee　is　that　they'll　take　their　time　from

now　on。　They　don't　know　we're　trailin'　'em　up。　I'll　bet　they　never　throwed

back　any　scout　t'　watch　the　back　trail；　In'　they're　in　Navvy　country　nowwhar

they're　purty　tol'ble　safe　if　they　stand　in　with　the　Injuns。　'N'　I'm　tellin'

yuh　right　now；　Luck；　I　wisht　I　could　say　as　much　fer　us！〃　Applehead　lifted　his

hat　and　rubbed　his　palm　over　his　bald　pate　that　was　covered　thickly　with　beads

of　perspiration；　as　if　his　head　were　a　stone　jar　filled　with　cold　water。　〃If

we　have　to　sep'rate；　Luck；　you　take　a　fool's　advice　and　keep　yore　dang　eyes

open。　The　boys；　they　think　I　been　stringin'　'em　along。　Mebby　you　think　so　too；

but　I　kin　tell　ye　right　now　't　we　gotta　keep　our　dang　eyes　in　our　haids！〃



〃I'm　taking　your　word　for　it；　Applehead；〃　Luck　told　him；　lowering　his　voice　a

little　because　they　were　nearing　the　others。　〃Besides；　I've　heard　a　lot　about

these　tricky　boys　with　the　Dutch…cut　on　their　hair。　I'm　keeping　it　all　in　mind

don't　worry。　But　I　sure　am　going　to　overhaul　Ramon；　if　we　have　to　follow　him

to　salt　water。〃



〃Well；　now；　I　ain't　never　turned　back　on　a　trail　yit；　fer　want　uh　nerve　to

foller　it；〃　AppleHead　stated　offendedly。　〃When　I　was　shurf〃



The　enlivened　jumble　of　voices；　each　proclaiming　the　owner's　hopes　or　desires

or　disbelief　to　ears　that　were　not　listening；　quite　submerged　Applehead's

remarks　upon　the　subject　of　his　wellknown　prowess　when　be　was　〃shurf。〃　The

Happy　Family　were　sprawled　in　unwonted　luxury　on　the　shady　side　of　an

outcropping　of　rock　from　under　which　a　little　spring　seeped　and　made　a　small

oasis　in　the　general　barrenness。　They　had　shade；　they　Had　water　and　food；　and

through　the　thin　aromatic　smoke　of　their　cigarettes　they　could　watch　their

horses　cropping　avidly　the　green　grass　that　meant　so　much　to　them。　The

knowledge　that　an　hour　later　they　would　be　traveling　again　in　the　blazing　heat

of　midday　but　emphasized　their　present　comfort。　They　were　enjoying　every

minute　to　its　full　sixty　seconds。　Laughter　came　easily　and　the　hardships　of

the　trail　were　pushed　into　the　background　of　their　minds。



They　were　not　particularly　anxious　over　the　success　or　failure　of　Luck's　trip

to　the　hogans。　They　were　on　Ramon's　trail　（or　so　they　firmly　believed）　and

sooner　or　later　they　would　overhaul　him　and　Bill　Holmes。　When　that　happened

they　believed　that　they　would　be　fully　equal　to　the　occasion；　and　that　Ramon

and　Bill　and　those　who　were　with　him　would　learn　what　it　means　to　turn　traitor

to　the　hand　that　has　fed　them；　and　to　fling　upon　that　hand　the　mud　of　public

suspicion。　But　just　now　they　were　not　talking　about　these　things；　they　were

arguing　very　earnestly　over　a　very　trivial　matter　indeed；　and　they　got　as　much

satisfaction　out　of　the　contention　as　though　it　really　amounted　to　something。



When　Luck　had　eaten　and　smoked　and　had　ground　his　cigarette　stub　under　his

heel　in　the　moist　earth　beside　the　spring；　and　had　looked　at　his　watch　and　got

upon　his　feet　with　a　sigh　to　say：　〃Well；　boys；　let's　go；〃　the　Happy　Family

（who　by　the　way　must　now　be　understood　as　including　Lite　Avery）　sighed　also

and　pulled　their　reluctant　feet　toward　them　and　got　up　also；　with　sundry

hitchings…into…place　as　to　gun…belts　and　sundry　resettlings　as　to　hats。　They

pulled　their　horses　more　reluctant　even　than　their　ridersaway　from　the　green

grass；　resaddled；　recinched　the　packs　on　the　four　animals　that　carried　the

camp　supplies；　gave　them　a　last　drink　at　the　little　irrigating　ditch　and

mounted　and　straggled　out　again　upon　the　trail　of　the　six　whom　they　seemed

never　able　to　overtake。



They　did　not　know　that　the　silent　Indian　with　the　dingy　overalls　and　the

bobbed　hair　had　watched　every　movement　they　made。　Through　all　that　hour　of

rest　not　even　a　papoose　had　been　visible　around　the　hoganswhich；　while　there

was　nothing　warlike　in　their　keeping　under　cover；　was　not　exactly　a　friendly

attitude。　Applehead　had　kept　turning　his　keen；　bright　blue　eyes　that　way　while

he　ate　and　afterwards　smoked　an　after…dinner　pipe；　but　when　they　were　actually

started　again　upon　the　trail　he　appeared　to　lay　aside　his　misgivings。



Not　even　Applehead　suspected　that　the　Indian　had　led　a　pony　carefully　down

into　a　draw；　keeping　the　buildings　always　between　himself　and　the　party　of

white　men；　nor　that　he　watched　them　while　they　spread　out　beyond　the

cultivated　patch　of　irrigated　ground　until　they　picked　up　the　trail　of　the　six

horses；　when　they　closed　the　gaps　between　them　and　followed　the　trail　straight

away　into　the　parched　mesa　that　was　lined　with　deep　washes　and　canons　and

crossed　with　stony　ridges　where　the　heat　radiated　up　from　the　bare　rocks　as

from　a　Heating　stove　when　the　fire　is　blazing　within。　When　they　rode　away

together；　the　Indian　ran　back　into　the　draw；　mounted　his　pony　and　lashed　it

into　a　heavy；　sure…footed　gallop。







CHAPTER　XIII。　SET　AFOOT



The　tracks　of　the　six　horses　led　down　into　a　rock…bottomed　arroyo　so　deep　in

most　places　that　all　view　of　the　surrounding　mesa　was　shut　off　completely；

save　where　the　ragged　tops　of　a　distant　line　of　hills　pushed　up　into　the

dazzling　blue　of　the　sky。　The　heat；　down　here　among　the　rocks；　was　all　but

unbearable；　and　when　they　discovered　that　no　tracks　led　out　of　the　arroyo　on

the　farther　side；　the　Happy　Family　dismounted　and　walked　to　save　their　horses

while　they　divided　into　two　parties　and　hunted　up　and　down　the　arroyo　for　the

best　trail。



It　was　just　such　vexatious　delays　as　this　which　had　kept　them　always　a　day's

ride　or　more　behind　their　quarry；　and　Luck's　hand　trembled　with　nervous

irritability　when　he　turned　back　and　banded　Applehead　one　of　those　small；

shrill　police　whistles　whose　sound　carries　so　far；　and　which　are　much　used　by

motion…picture　producers　for　the　long…distance　direction　of　scenes。



〃I　happened　to　have　a　couple　in　my　pocket；〃　he　explained　hurriedly。　〃You　know

the　signals；　don't　you？　One　long；　two　short　will　mean　you've　picked　up　the

trail。　Three　or　more　short；　quick　ones　is　an　emergency　call；　for　all　hands　to

come　running。〃



〃Well；　they's　one　thing　you　want　to　keep　in　mind；　Luck；〃　Applehead　urged　from

his　superior　trail　craft。　〃They　might　be　sharp　enough　to　ride　in　here　a　ways

and　come　out　the　same　side　they　rode　in　at。　Yuh　want　to　hunt　both　sides　as　yuh

go　up。〃



〃Sure；〃　said　Luck；　and　hurried　away　up　the　arroyo　with　Pink；　Big　Medicine；

Andy　and　the　Native　Son　at　his　heels；　leading　the　two　pack…horses　that

belonged　to　their　party。　In　the　opposite　direction　went　Applehead　and　the

others；　their　eyes　upon　the　ground　watching　for　the　faintest　sign　of

hoofprints。



That　blazing　ball　of　torment；　the　sun；　slid　farther　and　farther　down　to　the

skyline；　tempering　its　heat　with　the　cool　promise　of　dusk。　Away　up　the　arroyo；

Luck　stopped　for　breath　after　a　sharp　climb　up　through　a　narrow　gash　in　the

sheer　wall　of　what　was　now　a　small　canon；　and　saw　that　to　search　any　farther

in　that　direction　would　be　useless。　Across　the　arroyothat　had　narrowed　and

deepened　until　it　was　a　canonAndy　Green　was　mopping　his　face　with　his

handkerchief　and　studying　a　bold　hump　of　jumbled　bowlders　and　ledges；

evidently　considering　whether　it　was　worth　while　toiling　up　to　the　top。　A

little　below　him；　the　Native　Son　was　flinging　rocks　at　a　rattlesnake　with　the

vicious　precision　of　frank　abhorrence。　Down　in　the　canon　bottom　Big　Medicine

and　Pink　were　holding　the　horses　on　the　shady　side　of　the　gorge；　and　the　smoke

of　their　cigarettes　floated　lazily　upward　with　the　jumbled　monotone　of　their

voices。



Andy；　glancing　across　at　Luck；　waved　his　hand　and　sat　down　on　a　rock　that　was

shaded　by　a　high　bowlder；　reached　mechanically　for　his　〃makings〃　and　with　his

feet　far　apart　and　his　elbows　on　his　thighs；　wearily　rolled　a　cigarette。



〃How　about　it；　boss？〃　he　asked；　scarcely　raising　his　voice　above　the　ordinary

conversational　tone；　though　a　hard　fifteen…minutes'　climb　up　and　down

separated　the　two；　〃they　never　came　up　the　arroyo；　if　you　ask　ME。　My　side

don't　show　a　hoof　track　from　where　we　left　the　boys　down　below。〃



〃Mine　either；〃　Luck　replied；　by　the　power　of　suggestion　seating　himself　and

reaching　for　his　own　tobacco　and　papers。　〃We　might　as　well　work　back　down　and

connect　with　Applehead。　Wish　there　was　some　sign　of　water　in　this　darn　gulch。

By　the　time　we　get　down　where　we　started　from；　it'll　be　sundown。〃　He　glanced

down　at　Bud　and　Pink。　〃Hey！　You　can　start　back　any；　time；〃　he　called。　〃Nothing

up　this　way。〃



〃Here's　the　grandfather　of　all　rattlers；〃　Miguel　called　across　to　Luck；　and

held　up　by　the　tail　a　great　snake　that　had　not　ceased　its　muscular　writhings。

〃Twelve　rattles　and　a　button。　Have　I　got　time　to　skin　him？　He　tried　to　bite　me

on　the　legbut　I　beard　him　and　got　outa　reach。〃



〃We've　got　to　be　moving；〃　Luck　answered。　〃It's　a　long　ways　back　where　we

started　from；　and　we've　got　to　locate　water；　if　we　can。〃　He　rose　with　the

deliberateness　that　indicated　tired　muscles；　and　started　back；　and　to　himself

be　muttered　exasperatedly：　〃A　good　three　hours　all　shot　to　piecesand　not　a

mile　gained　on　that　bunch！〃



The　Native　Son；　calmly　pinching　the　rattles　of　the　snake　he　had　not　time　to

skin；　climbed　down　into　the　Canon　and　took　his　horse　by　the　bridle　reins。

Behind　him　Andy　Green　came　scrambling；　but　Luck；　still　faintly　hoping　for　a

clue；　kept　to　the　upper　rim　of　the　arroyo；　scanning　every　bit　of　soft　ground

where　it　seemed　possible　for　a　ho