osc.am2.redprophet-第28节

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　　〃I'll　miss　you；　Pa。〃　And　then　he　did　a　crazy　fool　thing；　which　if　he　stopped　to　think　about　it　he　never　would've　done。　He　reached　down　and　tousled　his　father's　hair。　Even　while　he　was　doing　it；　he　thought；　Pa's　going　to　slap　me　silly　for　treating　him　like　a　boy！　Pa's　eyebrows　did　go　up；　and　he　reached　up　and　caught　Al　Junior's　hand　by　the　wrist。　But　then　he　got　him　a　twinkle　in　his　eye　and　laughed　loud　and　said；　〃I　reckon　you　can　do　that　once；　Son；　and　live。〃
　　Pa　was　still　laughing　when　he　stepped　back　to　give　Ma　space　to　say　her　good…bye。　She　had　tears　running　down　her　face；　but　she　didn't　have　no　last…minute　list　of　dos　and　don'ts　for　him；　the　way　she　had　for　Measure。　She　just　kissed　his　hand　and　clung　on；　to　it；　and　looked　him　in　the　eye　and　said；　〃If　I　let　you　go　today；　I'll　never　see　you　with　my　natural　eyes　again；　as　long　as　I　live。〃
　　〃No；　Ma；　don't　say　that；〃　he　told　her。　〃Nothing　bad's　going　to　happen　to　me。〃
　　〃You　just　remember　me；〃　she　said。　〃And　you　keep　that　amulet　I　gave　you。　You　wear　that　all　the　time。〃
　　〃What's　it　do？〃　he　asked；　taking　it　from　his　pocket　again。　〃I　don't　know　this　kind。〃
　　〃Never　you　mind；　you　just　keep　it　close　to　you　all　the　time。〃
　　〃I　will；　Ma。〃
　　Measure　walked　his　horse　up　beside　Al　Junior's。　〃We　best　be　going　now；〃　he　said。　〃We　want　to　get　to　country　we　don't　see　every　day　before　we　bed　down　tonight。〃
　　〃Don't　you　do　that；〃　said　Pa　sternly。　〃We　arranged　for　you　to　stay　with　the　Peachee　family　tonight。　That's　as　far　as　you　need　to　get　in　one　day。　Don't　want　you　to　spend　a　night　in　the　open　when　you　don't　have　to。〃
　　〃All　right；　all　right；〃　said　Measure；　〃but　we　at　least　ought　to　get　there　before　supper。〃
　　〃Go　on　then；〃　said　Ma。　〃Go　on　then；　boys。〃
　　They　only　got　a　rod　or　so　on　the　way　before　Pa　came　running　out　and　caught　Measure's　horse　by　the　bridle；　and　Al　Junior's；　too。　〃Boys；　you　remember！　Cross　rivers　at　the　bridges。　You　hear　me？　Only　at　the　bridges！　There's　bridges　at　every　river　on　this　road；　between　here　and　Hatrack　River。　〃
　　〃I　know；　Pa；〃　said　Measure。　〃I　helped　build　them　all；　you　know。〃
　　〃Use　them！　That's　all　I'm　saying。　And　if　it　rains；　you　stop；　you　find　a　house　and　stop；　you　hear　me？　I　don't　want　you　out　in　the　water。〃
　　They　both　pledged　most　solemnly　not　to　get　near　anything　wet。　〃Won't　even　stand　downstream　from　the　horses　when　they　spurt；〃　said　Measure。
　　Pa　shook　a　finger　at　him。　〃Don't　you　make　light；〃　he　said。
　　Finally　they　got　on　their　way；　not　looking　back　cause　that　was　awful　luck；　and　knowing　that　Ma　and　Pa　went　back　into　the　house　well　before　they　was　out　of　sight；　cause　it　was　calling　for　a　long　separation　if　you　watched　a　long　time　when　folks　were　leaving；　and　if　you　watched　them　clear　out　of　sight　it　was　a　good　chance　somebody'd　die　before　you　ever　saw　them　again。　Ma　took　that　real　serious。　Going　inside　quick　like　that　was　the　last　thing　she'd　be　able　to　do　to　help　protect　her　boys　on　their　way。
　　Al　and　Measure　stopped　in　a　stretch　of　woods　between　Hatchs'　and　Bjornsons'　farms；　where　the　last　storm　knocked　down　a　tree　half　onto　the　road。　They　could　get　by　all　right；　being　on　horseback　as　they　were；　but　you　don't　leave　a　thing　like　that　for　somebody　else　to　find。　Maybe　somebody　in　a　wagon；　hurrying　to　make　home　before　dark　on　a　stormy　night；　maybe　that's　who'd　e　by　next；　and　find　the　road　blocked。　So　they　stopped　and　ate　the　lunch　Ma　packed　for　them；　and　then　set　to　work　with　their　hatchets；　cutting　it　free　from　the　few　taut　strands　of　wood　that　clung　to　the　ragged　stump。　They　were　wishing　for　a　saw　long　before　they　were　done；　but　you　don't　carry　a　saw　with　you　on　a　three…hundred…mile　trip　on　horseback。　A　change　of　clothes；　a　hatchet；　a　knife；　a　musket　for　hunting；　powder　and　lead；　a　length　of　rope；　a　blanket；　and　a　few　odd　tokens　and　amulets　for　wardings　and　fendings。　Much　more　than　that　and　you'd　have　to　bring　a　wagon　or　a　pack　horse。
　　After　the　trunk　was　free；　they　tied　both　horses　to　it　and　pulled　it　out　of　the　way。　Hard　work；　sweaty　work；　cause　the　horses　weren't　used　to　pulling　as　a　team　and　they　bothered　each　other。　Tree　kept　snagging　up　on　them；　too；　and　they　had　to　keep　rolling　it　and　chopping　away　branches。　Now；　Al　knew　he　could've　used　his　knack　to　change　the　wood　of　that　tree　inside；　to　make　it　split　apart　in　all　the　right　places。　But　that　wouldn't　have　been　right；　he　knew。　The　Shining　Man　wouldn't've　stood　for　that　　it　would've　been　pure　selfishness；　pure　laziness；　and　no　good　to　anybody。　So　he　hacked　and　tugged　and　sweated　right　alongside　Measure。　And　it　wasn't　so　bad。　It　was　good　work；　and　when　it　was　all　done　it　was　no　more　than　an　hour。　It　was　time　well　spent。
　　They　talked　somewhat　during　the　work；　of　course。　Some　of　the　conversation　turned　on　the　stones　about　Red　massacres　down　south。　Measure　was　pretty　skeptical。　〃Oh；　I　hear　those　stories；　but　the　bloody　ones　are　all　things　somebody　heard　from　somebody　else　about　somebody　else。　The　folks　who　actually　lived　down　there　and　got　run　out；　all　they　ever　say　is　that　Ta…Kumsaw　e　and　run　off　their　pigs　and　chickens；　that's　all。　Not　a　one　ever　said　nothing　about　no　arrows　flying　or　folks　getting　killed。〃
　　Al；　being　ten　years　old；　was　more　inclined　to　believe　the　stories；　the　bloodier　the　better。　〃Maybe　when　they　kill　somebody；　they　kill　the　whole　family　so　nobody　talks　about　it。〃
　　〃Now　you　think　about　it；　Al。　That　don't　make　sense。　Ta…Kumsaw　wants　all　the　White　people　out　of　there；　don't　he？　So　he　wants　them　scared　to　death；　so　they　pack　up　and　move；　don't　he？　So　wouldn't　he　leave　one　alive　to　tell　about　it；　if　he　was　doing　massacres？　Wouldn't　somebody've　found　some　bodies；　at　least？〃
　　〃Well　where　do　the　stories　e　from；　then？〃
　　〃Armor…of…God　says　Harrison's　telling　lies；　to　try　to　get　people　het　up　against　the　Reds。〃
　　〃Well；　he　couldn't　very　well　lie　about　them　burning　down　his　house　and　his　stockade。　People　could　plain　see　if　it　got　burnt；　couldn't　they？　And　he　couldn't　very　well　lie　about　it　killing　his　wife　and　his　little　boy；　could　he？〃
　　〃Well　of　course　it　did　burn；　Al。　But　maybe　it　wasn't　fire　arrows　from　Ta…Kumsaw　started　that　fire。　You　ever　think　of　that？〃
　　〃Governor　Harrison　isn't　going　to　burn　down　his　own　house　and　kill　his　own　family　just　so　he　can　get　people　hot　against　the　Reds；〃　said　Al。　〃That's　plain　dumb。〃
　　And　they　speculated　on　and　on　about　Red　troubles　in　the　south　part　of　the　Wobbish　country；　because　that　was　the　most　important　topic　of　conversation　around；　and　since　nobody　knowed　anything　accurate　anyway；　everybody's　opinion　was　as　good　as　anybody　else's。
　　Seeing　how　they　weren't　more　than　a　half　mile　from　two　different　farms；　in　country　they'd　visited　four　or　five　times　a　year　for　ten　years；　it　never　even　came　to　mind　they　ought　to　keep　their　eyes　open　for　trouble。　You　just　don't　keep　too　wary　that　close　to　home；　not　even　when　you're　talking　about　Red　massacres　and　stones　about　murders　and　torture。　Fact　is；　though；　careful　or　not　there　wasn't　much　they　could've　done。　Al　was　coiling　ropes　and　Measure　was　cinching　up　the　saddles　when　all　of　a　sudden　there　was　about　a　dozen　Reds　around　them。　One　minute　nobody　but　crickets　and　mice　and　a　bird　here　and　there；　the　next　minute　Reds　all　painted　up。
　　It　took　a　few　seconds　even　at　that　for　them　to　be　afraid。　There　was　a　lot　of　Reds　in　Prophetstown；　and　they　came　pretty　regular　to　trade　at　Armor…of…God's　store。　So　Alvin　spoke　before　he　even　hardly　looked　at　them。　〃Howdy；〃　said　Alvin。
　　They　didn't　howdy　him　back。　They　had　paint　all　over　their　faces。
　　〃These　ain't　no　howdy　Reds；〃　said　Measure　softly。　〃They　got　muskets。〃
　　That　made　it　sure　these　weren't　no　Prophetsotwn　Reds。　The　Prophet　taught　his　followers　never　to　use　White　man's　weapons。　A　true　Red　didn't　need　to　hunt　with　a　gun；　because　the　land　knew　his　need；　and　the　game　would　e　near　enough　to　kill　with　a　bow。　Only　reason　for　a　Red　to　have　a　gun；　said　the　Prophet；　was　to　be　a　murderer；　and　murdering　was　for　White　men。　That's　what　he　said。　So　it　was　plain　these　weren't　Reds　that　put　much　store　in　the　Prophet。
　　Alvin　was　looking　one　right　in　the　face。　Al　must've　showed　his　fear；　cause　the　Red　got　a　glint　in　his　eye　and　smiled　a　little。　The　Red　reached　out　his　hand。
　　〃Give　him　the　rope；〃　said　Measure。
　　〃It's　our　rope；〃　said　Al。　As　soon　as　he　said　it　he　knew　it　didn't　make　no　sense。　Al　handed　both　ropes　to　him。
　　The　Red　took　the　coils；　gentle　as　you　please。　Then　he　tossed　one　over　the　White　boys'　heads；　to　another　Red；　and　the　whole　bunch　of　them　set　to　work；　stripping　off　the　boys'　outer　clothes　and　then　tying　their　arms　behind　them　so　tight　it　was　pulling　on　their　shoulder　joints　something　painful。
　　〃Why　do　they　want　our　clothes？〃　Al　asked。
　　In　answer；　one　of　the　Reds　slapped　him　hard　across　the　face。　He　must've　liked　the　sound　it　made；　because　he　slapped　him　again。　The　sting　of　it　brought　tears　to　Al's　eyes；　but　he　didn't　cry　out；　partly　cause　he　was　so　surprised；　partly　cause　it　made　him　mad　and　he　didn't　want　to　give　them　no　satisfaction。　Slapping　was　an　idea　that　caught　on　real　good　with　the　other　Reds；　cause　they　started　in　slapping　Measure；　too；　both　of　the　boys；　again　and　again；　till　they　were　half…dazed　and　their　cheeks　were　bleeding　inside　and　out。