arizona nights(亚利桑那之夜)-第33章
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brown mountains； and the ghastly yellow glare of the sun； and the blue
waves racing by outside； and the big strong wind that blew through us so
hard that it seemed to blow empty our souls； had turned our judgment。
Anyway； we left a full meal there in the beanpot。 So without any
further delay we set off up the ridge I had started to cross that morning。
Schwartz lagged； sulky as a muley cow； but we managed to keep him with
us。 At the top of the ridge we took our bearings for the next deep bay。
Already we had made up our minds to stick to the sea…coast； both on
account of the lower country over which to travel and the off chance of
falling in with a fishing vessel。 Schwartz muttered something about its
being too far even to the next bay； and wanted to sit down on a rock。
Denton didn't say anything； but he jerked Schwartz up by the collar so
fiercely that the German gave it over and came along。 We dropped
down into the gully； stumbled over the boulder wash； and began to toil in
the ankle…deep sand of a little sage…brush flat this side of the next ascent。
Schwartz followed steadily enough now； but had fallen forty or fifty feet
behind。 This was a nuisance； as we bad to keep turning to see if he still
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kept up。
Suddenly he seemed to disappear。 Denton and I hurried back to
find him on his hands and knees behind a sagebrush； clawing away at the
sand like mad。 〃Can't be water on this flat；〃 said Denton； 〃he must
have gone crazy。〃 〃What's the matter； Schwartz？〃 I asked。 For
answer he moved a little to one side； showing beneath his knee one corner
of a wooden box sticking above the sand。 At this we dropped beside
him； and in five minutes had uncovered the whole of the chest。 It was
not very large； and was locked。 A rock from the wash fixed that；
however。 We threw back the lid。 It was full to the brim of gold coins；
thrown in loose； nigh two bushels of them。 〃The treasure！〃 I cried。
There it was； sure enough； or some of it。 We looked the rest through； but
found nothing but the gold coins。 The altar ornaments and jewels were
lacking。 〃Probably buried in another box or so；〃 said Denton。
Schwartz wanted to dig around a little。 〃No good；〃 said I。 〃We've
got our work cut out for us as it is。〃 Denton backed me up。 We were
both old hands at the business； had each in our time suffered the 〃cotton…
mouth〃 thirst； and the memory of it outweighed any desire for treasure。
But Schwartz was money…mad。 Left to himself he would have staid on
that sand flat to perish； as certainly as had poor Billy。 We had fairly to
force him away； and then succeeded only because we let him fill all his
pockets to bulging with the coins。 As we moved up the next rise； he kept
looking back and uttering little moans against the crime of leaving it。
Luckily for us it was winter。 We shouldn't have lasted six hours at this
time of year。 As it was； the sun was hot against the shale and the little
stones of those cussed hills。 We plodded along until late afternoon；
toiling up one hill and down another； only to repeat immediately。
Towards sundown we made the second bay； where we plunged into the sea；
clothes and all； and were greatly refreshed。 I suppose a man absorbs a
good deal that way。 Anyhow； it always seemed to help。 We were
now pretty hungry； and； as we walked along the shore； we began to look
for turtles or shellfish； or anything else that might come handy。 There
was nothing。 Schwartz wanted to stop for a night's rest； but Denton and I
knew better than that。 〃Look here； Schwartz；〃 said Denton； 〃you don't
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realise you're entered against time in this raceand that you're a damn fool
to carry all that weight in your clothes。〃 So we dragged along all
night。 It was weird enough； I can tell you。 The moon shone cold
and white over that dead； dry country。 Hot whiffs rose from the baked
stones and hillsides。 Shadows lay under the stones like animals
crouching。 When we came to the edge of a silvery hill we dropped off
into pitchy blackness。 There we stumbled over boulders for a minute or
so； and began to climb the steep shale on the other side。 This was fearful
work。 The top seemed always miles away。 By morning we didn't seem
to have made much of anywhere。 The same old hollow…looking
mountains with the sharp edges stuck up in about the same old places。
We had got over being very hungry； and； though we were pretty dry； we
didn't really suffer yet from thirst。 About this time Denton ran across
some fishhook cactus； which we cut up and chewed。 They have a sticky
wet sort of inside； which doesn't quench your thirst any； but helps to keep
you from drying up and blowing away。 All that day we plugged
along as per usual。 It was main hard work； and we got to that state where
things are disagreeable； but mechanical。 Strange to say； Schwartz kept in
the lead。 It seemed to me at the time that he was using more energy than
the occasion called forjust as man runs faster before he comes to the
giving…out point。 However； the hours went by； and he didn't seem to get
any more tired than the rest of us。 We kept a sharp lookout for
anything to eat； but there was nothing but lizards and horned toads。
Later we'd have been glad of them； but by that time we'd got out of their
district。 Night came。 Just at sundown we took another wallow in the
surf； and chewed some more fishhook cactus。 When the moon came up
we went on。 I'm not going to tell you how dead beat we got。 We
were pretty tough and strong； for all of us had been used to hard living； but
after the third day without anything to eat and no water to drink； it came to
be pretty hard going。 It got to the point where we had to have some
REASON for getting out besides just keeping alive。 A man would
sometimes rather die than keep alive； anyway； if it came only to that。 But
I know I made up my mind I was going to get out so I could smash up that
Anderson； and I reckon Denton had the same idea。 Schwartz didn't say
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anything； but he pumped on ahead of us； his back bent over； and his
clothes sagging and bulging with the gold he carried。 We used to
travel all night； because it was cool； and rest an hour or two at noon。
That is all the rest we did get。 I don't know how fast we went； I'd got
beyond that。 We must have crawled along mighty slow；
