arizona nights(亚利桑那之夜)-第32章
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before the sun would be hot。 The hill I had to climb was steep and
covered with chollas； so I didn't get along very fast。 When I was about
half way to the top I heard a shot from the beach。 I looked back。
Anderson was in the small boat； rowing rapidly out to the vessel。 Denton
was running up the beach from one direction and Schwartz from the other。
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I slid and slipped down the bluff； getting pretty well stuck up with the
cholla spines。
At the beach we found Billy Simpson lying on his ace； shot through
the back。 We turned him over； but he was apparently dead。 Anderson
had hoisted the sail； had cut loose from the anchor； and was sailing away。
Denton stood up straight and tall； looking。 Then he pulled his belt in a
hole； grabbed my arm； and started to run up the long curve of the beach。
Behind us came Schwartz。 We ran near a mile； and then fell among some
tules in an inlet at the farther point。 〃What is it？〃 I gasped。 〃Our
only chanceto get him said Denton。 〃He's got to go around this point…
…big windperhaps his mast will bustthen he'll come ashore〃 He
opened and shut his big brown hands。 So there we two fools lay； like
panthers in the tules； taking our only one…in…a…million chance to lay hands
on Anderson。 Any sailor could have told us that the mast wouldn't break；
but we had winded Schwartz a quarter of a mile back。 And so we waited；
our eyes fixed on the boat's sail； grudging her every inch； just burning to
fix things to suit us a little better。 And naturally she made the point in
what I now know was only a fresh breeze； squared away； and dropped
down before the wind toward Guaymas。 We walked back slowly to
our camp； swallowing the copper taste of too hard a run。 Schwartz we
picked up from a boulder； just recovering。 We were all of us crazy mad。
Schwartz half wept； and blamed and cussed。 Denton glowered away in
silence。 I ground my feet into the sand in a help less sort of anger； not
only at the man himself； but also at the whole way things had turned out。
I don't believe the least notion of our predicament had come to any of us。
All we knew yet was that we had been done up； and we were hostile about
it。 But at camp we found something to occupy us for the moment。
Poor Billy was not dead； as we had supposed； but very weak and sick； and
a hole square through him。 When we returned he was conscious； but that
was about all。 His eyes were shut； and he was moaning。 I tore open his
shirt to stanch the blood。 He felt my hand and opened his eyes。 They
were glazed； and I don't think he saw me。 〃Water； water！〃 he cried。
At that we others saw all at once where we stood。 I remember I rose to
my feet and found myself staring straight into Tom Denton's eyes。 We
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looked at each other that way for I guess it was a full minute。 Then Tom
shook his head。 〃Water； water！〃 begged poor Billy。 Tom
leaned over him。 〃My God； Billy； there ain't any water！〃 said he。
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CHAPTER THIRTEEN BURIED
TREASURE
The Old Timer's voice broke a little。 We had leisure to notice that
even the drip from the eaves had ceased。 A faint； diffused light
vouchsafed us dim outlines of sprawling figures and tumbled bedding。
Far in the distance outside a wolf yelped。
We could do nothing for him except shelter him from the sun； and
wet his forehead with sea…water； nor could we think clearly for ourselves
as long as the spark of life lingered in him。 His chest rose and fell
regularly； but with long pauses between。 When the sun was overhead he
suddenly opened his eyes。 〃Fellows；〃 said he； 〃it's beautiful over there；
the grass is so green； and the water so cool； I am tired of marching； and I
reckon I'll cross over and camp。〃 Then he died。 We scooped out a
shallow hole above tide…mark； and laid him in it； and piled over him stones
from the wash。 Then we went back to the beach； very solemn； to
talk it over。 〃Now； boys；〃 said I； 〃there seems to me just one thing to
do； and that is to pike out for water as fast as we can。〃 〃Where？〃
asked Denton。 〃Well；〃 I argued； 〃I don't believe there's any water
about this bay。 Maybe there was when that chart was made。 It was a
long time ago。 And any way； the old pirate was a sailor； and no
plainsman； and maybe he mistook rainwater for a spring。 We've looked
around this end of the bay。 The chances are we'd use up two or three
days exploring around the other； and then wouldn't be as well off as we are
right now。〃 〃Which way？〃 asked Denton again； mighty brief。
〃Well；〃 said I； 〃there's one thing I've always noticed in case of folks held
up by the desert： they generally go wandering about here and there looking
for water until they die not far from where they got lost。 And usually
they've covered a heap of actual distance。〃 〃That's so；〃 agreed
Denton。 〃Now； I've always figured that it would be a good deal better
to start right out for some particular place； even if it's ten thousand miles
away。 A man is just as likely to strike water going in a straight line as he
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is going in a circle； and then； besides； he's getting somewhere。〃
〃Correct；〃 said Denton； 〃So；〃 I finished； 〃I reckon we'd better
follow the coast south and try to get to Mollyhay。〃 〃How far is that？〃
asked Schwartz。 〃I don't rightly know。 But somewheres between
three and five hundred miles； at a guess。〃 At that he fell to glowering
and grooming with himself； brooding over what a hard time it was going
to be。 That is the way with a German。 First off he's plumb scared at the
prospect of suffering anything； and would rather die right off than take
long chances。 After he gets into the swing of it； he behaves as well as
any man。
〃We took stock of what we had to depend on。 The total assets proved
to be just three pairs of legs。 A pot of coffee had been on the fire； but that
villain had kicked it over when he left。 The kettle of beans was there； but
somehow we got the notion they might have been poisoned； so we left
them。 I don't know now why we were so foolishif poison was his game；
he'd have tried it beforebut at that time it seemed reasonable enough。
Perhaps the horror of the morning's work； and the sight of the brittle…
brown mountains； and the ghastly yellow glare of the sun； and the blue
wave
