the outlet-第44章

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d　my　crew　over　to　Runt　Pickett。　The　latter　was　raised　on　the　coast　of　Texas；　and　when　a　mere　boy　could　swim　all　day；　with　or　without　occasion。　Dividing　the　remaining　beeves　as　near　equally　as　possible；　Runt's　squad　pushed　off　slightly　in　advance　of　De　Manse；　the　remainder　of　us　riding　along　the　bank　with　the　horses　and　clothing；　and　cheering　our　respective　crews。　The　Frenchman　was　but　a　moment　later　in　taking　the　water；　and　as　pretty　and　thrilling　a　race　as　I　ever　witnessed　was　in　progress。　The　latter　practiced　a　trick；　when　catching　a　favorable　current；　of　dipping　the　rump　of　a　steer；　thus　lifting　his　fore　parts　and　rocking　him　forward　like　a　porpoise。　When　a　beef　dropped　to　the　rear；　this　process　was　resorted　to；　and　De　Manse　promised　to　overtake　Pickett。　From　our　position　on　the　bank；　we　shouted　to　Runt　to　dip　his　drag　cattle　in　swift　water；　but　amid　the　din　and　splash　of　the　struggling　swimmers　our　messages　failed　to　reach　his　ears。　De　Manse　was　gaining　slowly；　when　Pickett's　bunch　were　driven　inshore；　a　number　of　them　catching　a　footing；　and　before　they　could　be　again　pushed　off；　the　Frenchman's　cattle　were　at　their　heels。　A　number　of　De　Manse's　men　were　swimming　shoreward　of　their　charges；　and　succeeded　in　holding　their　beeves　off　the　ledge；　which　was　the　last　one　before　the　landing。　The　remaining　hundred　yards　was　eddy　water；　and　though　Pickett　fought　hard；　swimming　among　the　Frenchman's　lead　cattle；　to　hold　the　two　bunches　separate；　they　mixed　in　the　river。　As　an　evidence　of　victory；　however；　when　the　cattle　struck　a　foothold；　Runt　and　each　of　his　men　mounted　a　beef　and　rode　out　of　the　water　some　distance。　As　the　steers　recovered　and　attempted　to　dislodge　their　riders；　they　nimbly　sprang　from　their　backs　and　hustled　themselves　into　their　ragged　clothing。

I　breathed　easier　after　the　last　cattle　landed；　though　Forrest　contended　there　was　never　any　danger。　At　least　a　serious　predicament　had　been　blundered　into　and　handled；　as　was　shown　by　subsequent　events。　At　noon　that　day；　rumblings　of　thunder　were　heard　in　the　Black　Hills　country　to　the　west；　a　warning　to　get　across　the　river　as　soon　as　possible。　So　the　situation　at　the　close　of　the　day　was　not　a　very　encouraging　one　to　either　Forrest　or　myself。　The　former　had　his　cattle　split　in　two　bunches；　while　I　had　my　wagon　and　remuda　on　the　other　side　of　the　river　from　my　herd。　But　the　emergency　must　be　met。　I　sent　a　messenger　after　our　wagon；　it　was　brought　back　near　the　river；　and　a　hasty　supper　was　ordered。　Two　of　my　boys　were　sent　up　to　the　dry　wash　to　recross　the　river　and　drift　our　cattle　down　somewhere　near　the　wagon…crossing；　thus　separating　the　herds　for　the　night。　I　have　never　made　claim　to　being　overbright；　but　that　evening　I　did　have　sense　or　intuition　enough　to　take　our　saddle　horses　back　across　the　river。　My　few　years　of　trail　life　had　taught　me　the　importance　of　keeping　in　close　touch　with　our　base　of　subsistence；　while　the　cattle　and　the　saddle　stock　for　handling　them　should　under　no　circumstances　ever　be　separated。　Yet　under　existing　conditions　it　was　impossible　to　recross　our　commissary；　and　darkness　fell　upon　us　encamped　on　th&　south　side　of　the　Big　Cheyenne。

The　night　passed　with　almost　constant　thunder　and　lightning　in　the　west。　At　daybreak　heavy　dark　clouds　hung　low　in　a　semicircle　all　around　the　northwest；　threatening　falling　weather；　and　hasty　preparations　were　made　to　move　down　the　stream　in　search　of　a　crossing。　In　fording　the　river　to　breakfast；　my　outfit　agreed　that　there　had　been　no　perceptible　change　in　the　stage　of　water　overnight；　which　quickened　our　desire　to　move　at　once。　The　two　wagons　were　camped　close　together；　and　as　usual　Forrest　was　indifferent　and　unconcerned　over　the　threatening　weather；　he　had　left　his　remuda　all　night　on　the　north　side　of　the　river；　and　had　actually　turned　loose　the　rescued　contingent　of　cattle。　I　did　not　mince　my　words　in　giving　Mr。　Forrest　my　programme；　when　he　turned　on　me；　saying：　〃Quirk；　you　have　more　trouble　than　a　married　woman。　What　do　I　care　if　it　is　raining　in　London　or　the　Black　Hills　either？　Let　her　rain；　our　sugar　and　salt　are　both　covered；　and　we　can　lend　you　some　if　yours　gets　wet。　But　you　go　right　ahead　and　follow　up　Sponsilier；　he　may　not　find　a　crossing　this　side　of　the　Belle　Fourche。　I　can　take　spades　and　axes；　and　in　two　hours'　time　cut　down　and　widen　that　wagon…way　until　the　herds　can　cross。　I　would　ft　be　as　fidgety　as　you　are　for　a　large　farm。　You　ought　to　take　something　for　your　nerves。〃

I　had　a　mental　picture　of　John　Quincy　Forrest　doing　any　manual　labor　with　an　axe　or　spade。　During　our　short　acquaintance　that　had　been　put　to　the　test　too　often　to　admit　of　question；　but　I　encouraged　him　to　fly　right　at　the　bank；　assuring　him　that　in　case　his　tools　became　heated；　there　was　always　water　at　hand　to　cool　them。　The　wrangler　had　rustled　in　the　wagon…mules　for　our　cook；　and　Forrest　was　still　ridiculing　my　anxiety　to　move；　when　a　fusillade　of　shots　was　heard　across　and　up　the　river。　Every　man　at　both　wagons　was　on　his　feet　in　an　instant；　not　one　of　us　even　dreaming　that　the　firing　of　the　boys　on　herd　was　a　warning；　when　Quince's　horsewrangler　galloped　up　and　announced　a　flood…wave　coming　down　the　river。　A　rush　was　made　for　our　horses；　and　we　struck　for　the　ford；　dashing　through　the　shallows　and　up　the　farther　bank　without　drawing　rein。　With　a　steady　rush；　a　body　of　water；　less　than　a　mile　distant；　greeted　our　vision；　looking　like　the　falls　of　some　river；　rolling　forward　like　an　immense　cylinder。　We　sat　our　horses　in　bewilderment　of　the　scene；　though　I　had　often　heard　Jim　Flood　describe　the　sudden　rise　of　streams　which　had　mountain　tributaries。　Forrest　and　his　men　crossed　behind　us；　leaving　but　the　cooks　and　a　horse…wrangler　on　the　farther　side。　It　was　easily　to　be　seen　that　all　the　lowlands　along　the　river　would　be　inundated；　so　I　sent　Levering　back　with　orders　to　hook　up　the　team　and　strike　for　tall　timber。　Following　suit；　Forrest　sent　two　men　to　rout　the　contingent　of　cattle　out　of　a　bend　which　was　nearly　a　mile　below　the　wagons。　The　wave；　apparently　ten　to　twelve　feet　high；　moved　forward　slowly；　great　walls　lopping　off　on　the　side　and　flooding　out　over　the　bottoms；　while　on　the　farther　shore　every　cranny　and　arroyo　claimed　its　fill　from　the　avalanche　of　water。　The　cattle　on　the　south　side　were　safe；　grazing　well　back　on　the　uplands；　so　we　gave　the　oncoming　floodour　undivided　attention。　It　was　traveling　at　the　　rate　of　eight　to　ten　miles　an　hour；　not　at　a　steady　pace；　but　　sometimes　almost　halting　when　the　bottoms　absorbed　its　volume；　　only　to　catch　its　breath　and　forge　ahead　again　in　angry　impetuosity。　　As　the　water　passed　us　on　the　bluff　bank；　several　waves　broke　over　　and　washed　around　our　horses'　feet；　filling　the　wagon…way；　but　the　main　volume　rolled　across　the　narrow　valley　on　the　opposite　side。　The　wagons　had　pulled　out　to　higher　ground；　and　while　every　eye　was　strained；　watching　for　the　rescued　beeves　to　come　out　of　the　bend　below；　Vick　Wolf；　who　happened　to　look　upstream；　uttered　a　single　shout　of　warning　and　dashed　away。　Turning　in　our　saddles；　we　saw　within　five　hundred　feet　of　us　a　second　wave　about　half　the　height　of　the　first　one。　Rowels　and　quirts　were　plied　with　energy　and　will；　as　we　tore　down　the　river…bank；　making　a　gradual　circle　until　the　second　bottoms　were　reached；　outriding　the　flood　by　a　close　margin。

The　situation　was　anything　but　encouraging；　as　days　might　elapse　before　the　water　would　fall。　But　our　hopes　revived　as　we　saw　the　contingent　of　about　six　hundred　beeves　stampede　out　of　a　bend　below　and　across　the　river；　followed　by　two　men　who　were　energetically　burning　powder　and　flaunting　slickers　in　their　rear。　Within　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　a　halfmile　of　roaring；　raging　torrent；　filled　with　floating　driftwood；　separated　us　from　the　wagons　which　contained　the　staples　of　life。　But　in　the　midst　of　the　travail　of　mountain　and　plain；　the　dry　humor　of　the　men　was　irrepressible；　one　of　Forrest's　own　boys　asking　him　if　he　felt　any　uneasiness　now　about　his　salt　and　sugar。

〃Oh；　this　is　nothing；〃　replied　Quince；　with　a　contemptuous　wave　of　his　hand。　〃These　freshets　are　liable　to　happen　at　any　time；　rise　in　an　hour　and　fall　in　half　a　day。　Look　there　how　it　is　clearing　off　in　the　wes