arizona nights(亚利桑那之夜)-第22章
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off Antonio Curvez；〃 said he。 〃Maybe；〃 growled the sailor。 He
still held the hook under the man's jaw； but with the other hand he ran
rapidly under and over the Mexican's left shoulder。 In the half light I
could see his face change。 The gleam died from his eye； the snarl left his
lips。 Without further delay he arose to his feet。 〃Get up and give it
here！〃 he demanded。 The Mexican was only too glad to get off so
easy。 I don't know whether he'd really won the coat at monte or not。 In
any case； he flew poco pronto； leaving me and my friend together。
The man with the hook felt the left shoulder of the coat again； looked up；
met my eye； muttered something intended to be pleasant； and walked
away。 This was in December。 During the next two months he
was a good deal about town； mostly doing odd jobs。 I saw him off and
on。 He always spoke to me as pleasantly as he knew how； and once
made some sort of a bluff about paying me back for my trouble in bringing
him around。 However； I didn't pay much attention to that； being at the
time almighty busy holding down my card games。 The last day of
February I was sitting in my shack smoking a pipe after supper； when my
one…armed friend opened the door a foot； slipped in； and shut it
immediately。 By the time he looked towards me I knew where my six…
shooter was。 〃That's all right；〃 said I； 〃but you better stay right there。〃
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I intended to take no more chances with that hook。 He stood there
looking straight at me without winking or offering to move。 〃What do
you want？〃 I asked。 〃I want to make up to you for your trouble；〃 said
he。 〃I've got a good thing； and I want to let you in on it。〃 〃What kind
of a good thing？〃 I asked。 〃Treasure；〃 said he。 〃H'm；〃 said I。
I examined him closely。 He looked all right enough； neither drunk
nor loco。
〃Sit down；〃 said I〃over there； the other side the table。〃 He did so。
〃Now； fire away；〃 said I。 He told me his name was Solomon
Anderson； but that he was generally known as Handy Solomon； on
account of his hook； that he had always followed the sea； that lately he had
coasted the west shores of Mexico； that at Guaymas he had fallen in with
Spanish friends； in company with whom he had visited the mines in the
Sierra Madre； that on this expedition the party had been attacked by
Yaquis and wiped out； he alone surviving； that his blanket…mate before
expiring had told him of gold buried in a cove of Lower California by the
man's grandfather； that the man had given him a chart showing the
location of the treasure； that he had sewn this chart in the shoulder of his
coat； whence his suspicion of me and his being so loco about getting it
back。 〃And it's a big thing；〃 said Handy Solomon to me； 〃for they's
not only gold； but altar jewels and diamonds。 It will make us rich； and a
dozen like us； and you can kiss the Book on that。〃
〃That may all be true；〃 said I； 〃but why do you tell me？ Why don't
you get your treasure without the need of dividing it？〃
〃Why； mate；〃 he answered； 〃it's just plain gratitude。 Didn't you save
my life； and nuss me； and take care of me when I was nigh killed？〃
〃Look here； Anderson； or Handy Solomon； or whatever you please to call
yourself；〃 I rejoined to this； 〃if you're going to do business with meand I
do not understand yet just what it is you want of meyou'll have to talk
straight。 It's all very well to say gratitude； but that don't go with me。
You've been around here three months； and barring a half…dozen civil
words and twice as many of the other kind； I've failed to see any
indications of your gratitude before。 It's a quality with a hell of a hang…
fire to it。〃 He looked at me sideways； spat； and looked at me
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sideways again。 Then he burst into a laugh。 〃The devil's a preacher；
if you ain't lost your pinfeathers；〃' said he。 〃Well； it's this then： I got to
have a boat to get there； and she must be stocked。 And I got to have help
with the treasure； if it's like this fellow said it was。 And the Yaquis and
cannibals from Tiburon is through the country。 It's money I got to have；
and it's money I haven't got； and can't get unless I let somebody in as
pardner。〃 〃Why me？〃 I asked。 〃Why not？〃 he retorted。 〃I ain't see
anybody I like better。〃 We talked the matter over at length。 I had to
force him to each point； for suspicion was strong in him。 I stood out for a
larger party。 He strongly opposed this as depreciating the shares； but I
had no intention of going alone into what was then considered a wild and
dangerous country。 Finally we compromised。 A third of the treasure
was to go to him； a third to me； and the rest was to be divided among the
men whom I should select。 This scheme did not appeal to him。
〃How do I know you plays fair？〃 he complained。 〃They'll be four of you
to one of me； and I don't like it； and you can kiss the Book on that。〃 〃If
you don't like it； leave it；〃 said I； 〃and get out； and be damned to you。〃
Finally he agreed； but he refused me a look at the chart； saying that he had
left it in a safe place。 I believe in reality he wanted to be surer of me； and
for that I can hardly blame him。
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CHAPTER TWELVE THE
MURDER ON THE BEACH At
this moment the cook stuck his head
in at the open door。 〃Say； you
fellows；〃 he complained； 〃I got to be
up at three o'clock。 Ain't you never
going to turn in？〃 〃Shut up；
Doctor！〃 〃Somebody kill him！〃
〃Here； sit down and listen to this
yarn！〃 yelled a savage chorus。
There ensued a slight scuffle； a few
objections。 Then silence； and the
stranger took up his story。
I had a chum named Billy Simpson； and I rung him in for friendship。
Then there was a solemn； tall Texas young fellow； strong as a bull； straight
and tough； brought up fighting Injins。 He never said much； but I knew
he'd be right there when the gong struck。 For fourth man I picked out a
German named Schwartz。 He and Simpson had just come back from the
mines together。 I took him because he was a friend of Billy's； and
besides was young and strong； and was the only man in town excepting
the sailor； Anderson； who knew anything about running a boat。 I forgot
to say that the Texas fellow was named Denton。 Handy Solomon
had his boat all picked out。 It belonged to some Basques who had sailed
her around from California。 I must say when I saw her I felt inclined to
renig； for she wasn't more'n about twenty…five feet long； was open except
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for a little sort of cubbyhole up in the front of her； had one mast； and was
pointed at both ends。 However； Schwartz said she was all right。 He
claimed he knew the kind； that she was the sort used by French fishermen；
and could stand all sorts of trouble。 She didn't look it。 We worked
her up to Yuma； partly with oars and partly by sails。 Then we loaded her
with grub for a month。 Each of us had his own weapons； of course。 In
addition we put in picks and shovels； and a small cask of water。 Handy
Solomon said that would be enough； as there was water marked down on
his chart。 We told the gang that we were going trading。 At the end
of the week we started； and were out four days。 There wasn't much room；
what with the supplies and the baggage； for the five of us。 We had to curl
up 'most anywheres to sleep。 And it certainly seemed to me that we were
in lots of danger。 The waves were much bigger than she was； and
splashed on us considerable； but Schwartz and Anderson didn't seem to
mind。 They laughed at us。 Anderson sang that song of his； and
Schwartz told us of the placers he had worked。 He and Simpson had
made a pretty good clean…up； just enough to make them want to get rich。
The first day out Simpson showed us a belt with about an hundred ounces
of dust。 This he got tired of wearing； so he kept it in a compass…box；
which was empty。 At the end of the four days we turned in at a deep
bay and came to anchor。 The country was the usual propositionvery
light…brown； brittle…looking mountains； about two thousand feet high； lots
of sage and cactus； a pebbly beach； and not a sign of anything fresh and
green。 But Denton and I were mighty glad to see any sort of land。
Besides； our keg of water was pretty low； and it was getting about time to
discover the spring the chart spoke of。 So we piled our camp stuff in the
small boat and rowed ashore。
Anderson led the way confidently enough up a dry arroyo； whose sides
were clay and conglomerate。 But； though we followed it to the end； we
could find no indications that it was anything more than a wash for rain
floods。 〃That's main queer；〃 muttered Anderson； and returned to the
beach。 There he spread out the char
