the jacket (the star-rover)-第24章

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



In　her　anxiety　mother　left　the　baby　with　Sarah　Dunlap；　and　came　as

far　as　the　trench　with　me。　　There；　under　a　wagon　and　behind　the

little　breast…work　of　sand；　Jed　and　I　received　our　last

instructions。　　Then　we　crawled　out　and　stood　up　in　the　open。　　We

were　dressed　precisely　alikewhite　stockings；　white　dresses；　with

big　blue　sashes；　and　white　sunbonnets。　　Jed's　right　and　my　left　hand

were　clasped　together。　　In　each　of　our　free　hands　we　carried　two

small　pails。



〃Take　it　easy；〃　father　cautioned；　as　we　began　our　advance。　　〃Go

slow。　　Walk　like　girls。〃



Not　a　shot　was　fired。　　We　made　the　spring　safely；　filled　our　pails；

and　lay　down　and　took　a　good　drink　ourselves。　　With　a　full　pail　in

each　hand　we　made　the　return　trip。　　And　still　not　a　shot　was　fired。



I　cannot　remember　how　many　journeys　we　madefully　fifteen　or

twenty。　　We　walked　slowly；　always　going　out　with　hands　clasped；

always　coming　back　slowly　with　four　pails　of　water。　　It　was

astonishing　how　thirsty　we　were。　　We　lay　down　several　times　and　took

long　drinks。



But　it　was　too　much　for　our　enemies。　　I　cannot　imagine　that　the

Indians　would　have　withheld　their　fire　for　so　long；　girls　or　no

girls；　had　they　not　obeyed　instructions　from　the　whites　who　were

with　them。　　At　any　rate　Jed　and　I　were　just　starting　on　another　trip

when　a　rifle　went　off　from　the　Indian　hill；　and　then　another。



〃Come　back！〃　mother　cried　out。



I　looked　at　Jed；　and　found　him　looking　at　me。　　I　knew　he　was

stubborn　and　had　made　up　his　mind　to　be　the　last　one　in。　　So　I

started　to　advance；　and　at　the　same　instant　he　started。



〃You！Jesse！〃　cried　my　mother。　　And　there　was　more　than　a　smacking

in　the　way　she　said　it。



Jed　offered　to　clasp　hands；　but　I　shook　my　head。



〃Run　for　it；〃　I　said。



And　while　we　hotfooted　it　across　the　sand　it　seemed　all　the　rifles

on　Indian　hill　were　turned　loose　on　us。　　I　got　to　the　spring　a

little　ahead；　so　that　Jed　had　to　wait　for　me　to　fill　my　pails。



〃Now　run　for　it；〃　he　told　me；　and　from　the　leisurely　way　he　went

about　filling　his　own　pails　I　knew　he　was　determined　to　be　in　last。



So　I　crouched　down；　and；　while　I　waited；　watched　the　puffs　of　dust

raised　by　the　bullets。　　We　began　the　return　side　by　side　and

running。



〃Not　so　fast；〃　I　cautioned　him；　〃or　you'll　spill　half　the　water。〃



That　stung　him；　and　he　slacked　back　perceptibly。　　Midway　I　stumbled

and　fell　headlong。　　A　bullet；　striking　directly　in　front　of　me；

filled　my　eyes　with　sand。　　For　the　moment　I　thought　I　was　shot。



〃Done　it　a…purpose；〃　Jed　sneered　as　I　scrambled　to　my　feet。　　He　had

stood　and　waited　for　me。



I　caught　his　idea。　　He　thought　I　had　fallen　deliberately　in　order　to

spill　my　water　and　go　back　for　more。　　This　rivalry　between　us　was　a

serious　matterso　serious；　indeed；　that　I　immediately　took

advantage　of　what　he　had　imputed　and　raced　back　to　the　spring。　　And

Jed　Dunham；　scornful　of　the　bullets　that　were　puffing　dust　all

around　him；　stood　there　upright　in　the　open　and　waited　for　me。　　We

came　in　side　by　side；　with　honours　even　in　our　boys'　foolhardiness。

But　when　we　delivered　the　water　Jed　had　only　one　pailful。　　A　bullet

had　gone　through　the　other　pail　close　to　the　bottom。



Mother　took　it　out　on　me　with　a　lecture　on　disobedience。　　She　must

have　known；　after　what　I　had　done；　that　father　wouldn't　let　her

smack　me；　for；　while　she　was　lecturing；　father　winked　at　me　across

her　shoulder。　　It　was　the　first　time　he　had　ever　winked　at　me。



Back　in　the　rifle　pit　Jed　and　I　were　heroes。　　The　women　wept　and

blessed　us；　and　kissed　us　and　mauled　us。　　And　I　confess　I　was　proud

of　the　demonstration；　although；　like　Jed；　I　let　on　that　I　did　not

like　all　such　making…over。　　But　Jeremy　Hopkins；　a　great　bandage

about　the　stump　of　his　left　wrist；　said　we　were　the　stuff　white　men

were　made　out　ofmen　like　Daniel　Boone；　like　Kit　Carson；　and　Davy

Crockett。　　I　was　prouder　of　that　than　all　the　rest。



The　remainder　of　the　day　I　seem　to　have　been　bothered　principally

with　the　pain　of　my　right　eye　caused　by　the　sand　that　had　been

kicked　into　it　by　the　bullet。　　The　eye　was　bloodshot；　mother　said；

and　to　me　it　seemed　to　hurt　just　as　much　whether　I　kept　it　open　or

closed。　　I　tried　both　ways。



Things　were　quieter　in　the　rifle　pit；　because　all　had　had　water；

though　strong　upon　us　was　the　problem　of　how　the　next　water　was　to

be　procured。　　Coupled　with　this　was　the　known　fact　that　our

ammunition　was　almost　exhausted。　　A　thorough　overhauling　of　the

wagons　by　father　had　resulted　in　finding　five　pounds　of　powder。　　A

very　little　more　was　in　the　flasks　of　the　men。



I　remembered　the　sundown　attack　of　the　night　before；　and　anticipated

it　this　time　by　crawling　to　the　trench　before　sunset。　　I　crept　into

a　place　alongside　of　Laban。　　He　was　busy　chewing　tobacco；　and　did

not　notice　me。　　For　some　time　I　watched　him；　fearing　that　when　he

discovered　me　he　would　order　me　back。　　He　would　take　a　long　squint

out　between　the　wagon　wheels；　chew　steadily　a　while；　and　then　spit

carefully　into　a　little　depression　he　had　made　in　the　sand。



〃How's　tricks？〃　I　asked　finally。　　It　was　the　way　he　always　addressed

me。



〃Fine；〃　he　answered。　　〃Most　remarkable　fine；　Jesse；　now　that　I　can

chew　again。　　My　mouth　was　that　dry　that　I　couldn't　chew　from　sun…up

to　when　you　brung　the　water。〃



Here　a　man　showed　head　and　shoulders　over　the　top　of　the　little　hill

to　the　north…east　occupied　by　the　whites。　　Laban　sighted　his　rifle

on　him　for　a　long　minute。　　Then　he　shook　his　head。



〃Four　hundred　yards。　　Nope；　I　don't　risk　it。　　I　might　get　him；　and

then　again　I　mightn't；　an'　your　dad　is　mighty　anxious　about　the

powder。〃



〃What　do　you　think　our　chances　are？〃　I　asked；　man…fashion；　for；

after　my　water　exploit；　I　was　feeling　very　much　the　man。



Laban　seemed　to　consider　carefully　for　a　space　ere　he　replied。



〃Jesse；　I　don't　mind　tellin'　you　we're　in　a　damned　bad　hole。　　But

we'll　get　out；　oh；　we'll　get　out；　you　can　bet　your　bottom　dollar。〃



〃Some　of　us　ain't　going　to　get　out；〃　I　objected。



〃Who；　for　instance？〃　he　queried。



〃Why；　Bill　Tyler；　and　Mrs。　Grant；　and　Silas　Dunlap；　and　all　the

rest。〃



〃Aw；　shucks；　Jessethey're　in　the　ground　already。　　Don't　you　know

everybody　has　to　bury　their　dead　as　they　traipse　along？　　They've　ben

doin'　it　for　thousands　of　years　I　reckon；　and　there's　just　as　many

alive　as　ever　they　was。　　You　see；　Jesse；　birth　and　death　go　hand…in…

hand。　　And　they're　born　as　fast　as　they　diefaster；　I　reckon；

because　they've　increased　and　multiplied。　　Now　you；　you　might　a…got

killed　this　afternoon　packin'　water。　　But　you're　here；　ain't　you；　a…

gassin'　with　me　an'　likely　to　grow　up　an'　be　the　father　of　a　fine

large　family　in　Californy。　　They　say　everything　grows　large　in

Californy。〃



This　cheerful　way　of　looking　at　the　matter　encouraged　me　to　dare

sudden　expression　of　a　long　covetousness。



〃Say；　Laban；　supposin'　you　got　killed　here〃



〃Who？me？〃　he　cried。



〃I'm　just　sayin'　supposin'；〃　I　explained。



〃Oh；　all　right　then。　　Go　on。　　Supposin'　I　am　killed？〃



〃Will　you　give　me　your　scalps？〃



〃Your　ma'll　smack　you　if　she　catches　you　a…wearin'　them；〃　he

temporized。



〃I　don't　have　to　wear　them　when　she's　around。　　Now　if　you　got

killed；　Laban；　somebody'd　have　to　get　them　scalps。　　Why　not　me？〃



〃Why　not？〃　he　repeated。　　〃That's　correct；　and　why　not　you？　　All

right；　Jesse。　　I　like　you；　and　your　pa。　　The　minute　I'm　killed　the

scalps　is　yourn；　and　the　scalpin'　knife；　too。　　And　there's　Timothy

Grant　for　witness。　　Did　you　hear；　Timothy？〃



Timothy　said　he　had　heard；　and　I　lay　there　speechless　in　the

stifling　trench；　too　overcome　by　my　greatness　of　good　fortune　to　be

able　to　utter　a　word　of　gratitude。



I　was　rewarded　for　my　foresight　in　going　to　the　trench。　　Another

general　attack　was　made　at　sundown；　and　thousands　of　shots　were

fired　into　us。　　Nobody　on　our　side　was　scratched。　　On　the　other

hand；　although　we　fired　barely　thirty　shots；　I　saw　Laban　and　Timothy

Grant　each　get　an　Indian。　　Laban　told　me　that　from　the　first　only

the　Indians　had　done　the　shooting。　　He　was　certain　that　no　white　had

fired　a　shot。　　All　of　which　sorely　puzzled　him。　　The　whites　neither

offered　us　aid　nor　attacked　us；　and　all　the　while　were　on　visiting

terms　with　the　Indians　who　were　attacking　us。



Next　morning　found　the　thirst　harsh　upon　us。　　I　was　out　at　the　first

hint　of　light。　　There　had　been　a　heavy　dew；　and　men；　women；　and

children　were　lapping　it　up　with　their　tongues　from　off　the　wagon…

tongues；　brake…blocks；　and　wheel…tyres。



There　was　talk　that　Laban　had　returned　from　a　scout　just　before

daylight；　that　he　had　crept　close　to　the　position　of　the　whites；

that　they　were　already　up；　and　that　in　the　light　of　their　camp…fires

he　had　seen　them　praying　in　a　large　circle。　　Also　he　reported　from

what　few　words　he　caught　that　they　were　praying　about　us　and　what

was　to　be　done　with　us。



〃May　God　send　them　the　light　then；〃　I　heard　one　of　the　Demdike

sisters　say　to　Abby　Foxwell。



〃And　soon；〃　said　Abby　Foxwell；　〃for　I　don't　know　what　we'll　do　a

whole　day　without　water；　and　our　powder　is　about　gone。〃



Nothing　happened　all　morning。　　Not　a　shot　was　fired。　　Only　the　sun

blazed　down　through　the　quiet　air。　　Our　thirst　grew；　and　soon　the

babies　were　crying　and　the　younger　children　whimpering　and

complaining。　　At　noon　Will　Hamilton　took　two　large　pails　and　started

for　the　spring。　　But　before　he　could　crawl　under　the　wagon　Ann

Demdike　ran　and　got　her　arms　around　him　and　tried　to　hold　him　back。

But　he　talked　to　her；　and　kissed　her；　and　went　on。　　Not　a　shot　was

fired；　nor　was　any　fired　all　the　time　he　continued　to　go　out　and

bring　back　water。



〃Praise　God！〃　cried　old　Mrs。　Demdike。　　〃It　is　a　sign。　　They　have

relented。〃



This　was　the　opinion　of　many　of　the　women。



About　two　o'clock；　after　we　had　eaten　and　felt　better；　a　white　man

appeared；　carrying　a　white　flag。　　Will　Hamilton　went　out　and　talked

to　him；　came　back　and　talked　with　father　and　the　rest　of　our　men；

and　then　went　out　to　the　stranger　again。　　Farther　back　we　could　see

a　man　standing　and　looking　on；　whom　we　recognized　as　Lee。



With　us　all　was　excitement。　　The　women　were　so　relieved　that　they

were　crying　and　kissing　one　another；　and　old　Mrs。　Demdike　and　others

were　hallelujahing　and　blessing　God。　　The　proposal；　which　our　men

had　accepted；　was　that　we　would　put　ourselves　under　the　flag　of

truce　and　be　protected　from　the　Indians。



〃We　had　to　do　it；〃　I　heard　father　tell　mother。



He　was　sitting；　droop…shouldered　and　dejected；　on　a　wagon…tongue。



〃But　what　if　they　intend　treachery？〃　mother　asked。



He　shrugged　his　shoulders。



〃We've　got　to　take　the　chance　that　they　don't；〃　he　said。　　〃Our

ammunition　is　gone。〃



Some　of　our　men　were　unchaining　one　of　our　wagons　and