the jacket (the star-rover)-第23章

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！





Jed　and　I　beat　up　the　brush　for　hundreds　of　yards　all　around。　　They

hadn't　told　us　how　long　we　were　to　be　gone；　and　since　the　Indians

did　not　fire　on　us　we　kept　on　going。　　We　were　away　over　two　hours；

though　had　either　of　us　been　alone　he　would　have　been　back　in　a

quarter　of　the　time。　　But　Jed　was　bound　to　outbrave　me；　and　I　was

equally　bound　to　outbrave　him。



Our　foolishness　was　not　without　profit。　　We　walked；　boldly　about

under　our　white　flag；　and　learned　how　thoroughly　our　camp　was

beleaguered。　　To　the　south　of　our　train；　not　more　than　half　a　mile

away；　we　made　out　a　large　Indian　camp。　　Beyond；　on　the　meadow；　we

could　see　Indian　boys　riding　hard　on　their　horses。



Then　there　was　the　Indian　position　on　the　hill　to　the　east。　　We

managed　to　climb　a　low　hill　so　as　to　look　into　this　position。　　Jed

and　I　spent　half　an　hour　trying　to　count　them；　and　concluded；　with

much　guessing；　that　there　must　be　at　least　a　couple　of　hundred。

Also；　we　saw　white　men　with　them　and　doing　a　great　deal　of　talking。



North…east　of　our　train；　not　more　than　four　hundred　yards　from　it；

we　discovered　a　large　camp　of　whites　behind　a　low　rise　of　ground。

And　beyond　we　could　see　fifty　or　sixty　saddle…horses　grazing。　　And　a

mile　or　so　away；　to　the　north；　we　saw　a　tiny　cloud　of　dust

approaching。　　Jed　and　I　waited　until　we　saw　a　single　man；　riding

fast；　gallop　into　the　camp　of　the　whites。



When　we　got　back　into　the　corral　the　first　thing　that　happened　to　me

was　a　smack　from　mother　for　having　stayed　away　so　long；　but　father

praised　Jed　and　me　when　we　gave　our　report。



〃Watch　for　an　attack　now　maybe；　Captain；〃　Aaron　Cochrane　said　to

father。　　〃That　man　the　boys　seen　has　rid　in　for　a　purpose。　　The

whites　are　holding　the　Indians　till　they　get　orders　from　higher　up。

Maybe　that　man　brung　the　orders　one　way　or　the　other。　　They　ain't

sparing　horseflesh；　that's　one　thing　sure。〃



Half　an　hour　after　our　return　Laban　attempted　a　scout　under　a　white

flag。　　But　he　had　not　gone　twenty　feet　outside　the　circle　when　the

Indians　opened　fire　on　him　and　sent　him　back　on　the　run。



Just　before　sundown　I　was　in　the　rifle　pit　holding　the　baby；　while

mother　was　spreading　the　blankets　for　a　bed。　　There　were　so　many　of

us　that　we　were　packed　and　jammed。　　So　little　room　was　there　that

many　of　the　women　the　night　before　had　sat　up　and　slept　with　their

heads　bowed　on　their　knees。　　Right　alongside　of　me；　so　near　that

when　he　tossed　his　arms　about　he　struck　me　on　the　shoulder；　Silas

Dunlap　was　dying。　　He　had　been　shot　in　the　head　in　the　first　attack；

and　all　the　second　day　was　out　of　his　head　and　raving　and　singing

doggerel。　　One　of　his　songs；　that　he　sang　over　and　over；　until　it

made　mother　frantic　nervous；　was：





〃Said　the　first　little　devil　to　the　second　little　devil；

'Give　me　some　tobaccy　from　your　old　tobaccy　box。'

Said　the　second　little　devil　to　the　first　little　devil；

'Stick　close　to　your　money　and　close　to　your　rocks；

An'　you'll　always　have　tobaccy　in　your　old　tobaccy　box。'〃





I　was　sitting　directly　alongside　of　him；　holding　the　baby；　when　the

attack　burst　on　us。　　It　was　sundown；　and　I　was　staring　with　all　my

eyes　at　Silas　Dunlap　who　was　just　in　the　final　act　of　dying。　　His

wife；　Sarah；　had　one　hand　resting　on　his　forehead。　　Both　she　and　her

Aunt　Martha　were　crying　softly。　　And　then　it　cameexplosions　and

bullets　from　hundreds　of　rifles。　　Clear　around　from　east　to　west；　by

way　of　the　north；　they　had　strung　out　in　half　a　circle　and　were

pumping　lead　in　our　position。　　Everybody　in　the　rifle　pit　flattened

down。　　Lots　of　the　younger　children　set　up　a…squalling；　and　it　kept

the　women　busy　hushing　them。　　Some　of　the　women　screamed　at　first；

but　not　many。



Thousands　of　shots　must　haven　rained　in　on　us　in　the　next　few

minutes。　　How　I　wanted　to　crawl　out　to　the　trench　under　the　wagons

where　our　men　were　keeping　up　a　steady　but　irregular　fire！　　Each　was

shooting　on　his　own　whenever　he　saw　a　man　to　pull　trigger　on。　　But

mother　suspected　me；　for　she　made　me　crouch　down　and　keep　right　on

holding　the　baby。



I　was　just　taking　a　look　at　Silas　Dunlaphe　was　still　quivering

when　the　little　Castleton　baby　was　killed。　　Dorothy　Castleton；

herself　only　about　ten；　was　holding　it；　so　that　it　was　killed　in　her

arms。　　She　was　not　hurt　at　all。　　I　heard　them　talking　about　it；　and

they　conjectured　that　the　bullet　must　have　struck　high　on　one　of　the

wagons　and　been　deflected　down　into　the　rifle　pit。　　It　was　just　an

accident；　they　said；　and　that　except　for　such　accidents　we　were　safe

where　we　were。



When　I　looked　again　Silas　Dunlap　was　dead；　and　I　suffered　distinct

disappointment　in　being　cheated　out　of　witnessing　that　particular

event。　　I　had　never　been　lucky　enough　to　see　a　man　actually　die

before　my　eyes。



Dorothy　Castleton　got　hysterics　over　what　had　happened；　and　yelled

and　screamed　for　a　long　time　and　she　set　Mrs。　Hastings　going　again。

Altogether　such　a　row　was　raised　that　father　sent　Watt　Cummings

crawling　back　to　us　to　find　out　what　was　the　matter。



Well　along　into　twilight　the　heavy　firing　ceased；　although　there

were　scattering　shots　during　the　night。　　Two　of　our　men　were　wounded

in　this　second　attack；　and　were　brought　into　the　rifle　pit。　　Bill

Tyler　was　killed　instantly；　and　they　buried　him；　Silas　Dunlap；　and

the　Castleton　baby；　in　the　dark　alongside　of　the　others。



All　during　the　night　men　relieved　one　another　at　sinking　the　well

deeper；　but　the　only　sign　of　water　they　got　was　damp　sand。　　Some　of

the　men　fetched　a　few　pails　of　water　from　the　spring；　but　were　fired

upon；　and　they　gave　it　up　when　Jeremy　Hopkins　had　his　left　hand　shot

off　at　the　wrist。



Next　morning；　the　third　day；　it　was　hotter　and　dryer　than　ever。　　We

awoke　thirsty；　and　there　was　no　cooking。　　So　dry　were　our　mouths

that　we　could　not　eat。　　I　tried　a　piece　of　stale　bread　mother　gave

me；　but　had　to　give　it　up。　　The　firing　rose　and　fell。　　Sometimes

there　were　hundreds　shooting　into　the　camp。　　At　other　times　came

lulls　in　which　not　a　shot　was　fired。　　Father　was　continually

cautioning　our　men　not　to　waste　shots　because　we　were　running　short

of　ammunition。



And　all　the　time　the　men　went　on　digging　the　well。　　It　was　so　deep

that　they　were　hoisting　the　sand　up　in　buckets。　　The　men　who　hoisted

were　exposed；　and　one　of　them　was　wounded　in　the　shoulder。　　He　was

Peter　Bromley；　who　drove　oxen　for　the　Bloodgood　wagon；　and　he　was

engaged　to　marry　Jane　Bloodgood。　　She　jumped　out　of　the　rifle　pit

and　ran　right　to　him　while　the　bullets　were　flying　and　led　him　back

into　shelter。　　About　midday　the　well　caved　in；　and　there　was　lively

work　digging　out　the　couple　who　were　buried　in　the　sand。　　Amos

Wentworth　did　not　come　to　for　an　hour。　　After　that　they　timbered　the

well　with　bottom　boards　from　the　wagons　and　wagon　tongues；　and　the

digging　went　on。　　But　all　they　could　get；　and　they　were　twenty　feet

down；　was　damp　sand。　　The　water　would　not　seep。



By　this　time　the　conditions　in　the　rifle　pit　were　terrible。　　The

children　were　complaining　for　water；　and　the　babies；　hoarse　from

much　crying；　went　on　crying。　　Robert　Carr；　another　wounded　man；　lay

about　ten　feet　from　mother　and　me。　　He　was　out　of　his　head；　and　kept

thrashing　his　arms　about　and　calling　for　water。　　And　some　of　the

women　were　almost　as　bad；　and　kept　raving　against　the　Mormons　and

Indians。　　Some　of　the　women　prayed　a　great　deal；　and　the　three　grown

Demdike　sisters；　with　their　mother；　sang　gospel　hymns。　　Other　women

got　damp　sand　that　was　hoisted　out　of　the　bottom　of　the　well；　and

packed　it　against　the　bare　bodies　of　the　babies　to　try　to　cool　and

soothe　them。



The　two　Fairfax　brothers　couldn't　stand　it　any　longer；　and；　with

pails　in　their　hands；　crawled　out　under　a　wagon　and　made　a　dash　for

the　spring。　　Giles　never　got　half　way；　when　he　went　down。　　Roger

made　it　there　and　back　without　being　hit。　　He　brought　two　pails

part…full；　for　some　splashed　out　when　he　ran。　　Giles　crawled　back；

and　when　they　helped　him　into　the　rifle　pit　he　was　bleeding　at　the

mouth　and　coughing。



Two　part…pails　of　water　could　not　go　far　among　over　a　hundred　of　us；

not　counting　the；　men。　　Only　the　babies；　and　the　very　little

children；　and　the　wounded　men；　got　any。　　I　did　not　get　a　sip；

although　mother　dipped　a　bit　of　cloth　into　the　several　spoonfuls　she

got　for　the　baby　and　wiped　my　mouth　out。　　She　did　not　even　do　that

for　herself；　for　she　left　me　the　bit　of　damp　rag　to　chew。



The　situation　grew　unspeakably　worse　in　the　afternoon。　　The　quiet

sun　blazed　down　through　the　clear　windless　air　and　made　a　furnace　of

our　hole　in　the　sand。　　And　all　about　us　were　the　explosions　of

rifles　and　yells　of　the　Indians。　　Only　once　in　a　while　did　father

permit　a　single　shot　from　the　trench；　and　at　that　only　by　our　best

marksmen；　such　as　Laban　and　Timothy　Grant。　　But　a　steady　stream　of

lead　poured　into　our　position　all　the　time。　　There　were　no　more

disastrous　ricochets；　however；　and　our　men　in　the　trench；　no　longer

firing；　lay　low　and　escaped　damage。　　Only　four　were　wounded；　and

only　one　of　them　very　badly。



Father　came　in　from　the　trench　during　a　lull　in　the　firing。　　He　sat

for　a　few　minutes　alongside　mother　and　me　without　speaking。　　He

seemed　to　be　listening　to　all　the　moaning　and　crying　for　water　that

was　going　up。　　Once　he　climbed　out　of　the　rifle　pit　and　went　over　to

investigate　the　well。　　He　brought　back　only　damp　sand；　which　he

plastered　thick　on　the　chest　and　shoulders　of　Robert　Carr。　　Then　he

went　to　where　Jed　Dunham　and　his　mother　were；　and　sent　for　Jed's

father　to　come　in　from　the　trench。　　So　closely　packed　were　we　that

when　anybody　moved　about　inside　the　rifle　pit　he　had　to　crawl

carefully　over　the　bodies　of　those　lying　down。



After　a　time　father　came　crawling　back　to　us。



〃Jesse；　he　asked；　〃are　you　afraid　of　the　Indians？〃



I　shook　my　head　emphatically；　guessing　that　I　was　to　be　seat　on

another　proud　mission。



〃Are　you　afraid　of　the　damned　Mormons？〃



〃Not　of　any　damned　Mormon；〃　I　answered；　taking　advantage　of　the

opportunity　to　curse　our　enemies　without　fear　of　the　avenging　back

of　mother's　hand。



I　noted　the　little　smile　that　curled　his　tired　lips　for　the　moment

when　he　heard　my　reply。



〃Well；　then；　Jesse；〃　he　said；　〃will　you　go　with　Jed　to　the　spring

for　water？〃



I　was　all　eagerness。



〃We're　going　to　dress　the　two　of　you　up　as　girls；〃　he　continued；　〃so

that　maybe　they　won't　fire　on　you。〃



I　insisted　on　going　as　I　was；　as　a　male　human　that　wore　pants；　but　I

surrendered　quickly　enough　when　father　suggested　that　he　would　find

some　other　boy　to　dress　up　and　go　along　with　Jed。



A　chest　was　fetched　in　from　the　Chattox　wagon。　　The　Chattox　girls

were　twins　and　of　about　a　size　with　Jed　and　me。　　Several　of　the

women　got　around　to　help。　　They　were　the　Sunday　dresses　of　the

Chattox　twins；　and　had　come　in　the　chest　all　the　way　from　Arkansas。



In　he