osc.am2.redprophet-第41节
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lumb scared to death； looking this way and that； waiting to see a Red man flitch an arrow at him。 Kind of an idiot； Measure decided； since there wasn't no chance of seeing a Red man in the woods till his arrow was already in you。
The soldier didn't e right to him。 He circled around； got beside him。 Then he looped a rope and tossed it to Measure。 〃You hitch this around your chest； under your arms；〃 said the soldier。
〃What for？〃
〃So I can lead you along。〃
〃The hell I will；〃 said Measure。 〃If I thought you were going to drag me along by a rope in the middle of a creek； I'd've stayed on dry land and walked home myself。〃
〃If you don't put this rope around you in five seconds； them boys are going to blow your head off。〃
〃What are you talking about？〃 Measure demanded。 〃I'm Measure Miller。 I was captured with my little brother； Alvin； almost a week ago； and I'm just going home to Vigor Church。〃
〃Well； ain't that a real pretty story？〃 said the soldier。 He drew back the rope； sopping wet； and cast it again。 This time it hit Measure in the face。 Measure caught at it； held it in his hand。 The soldier drew his sword。 〃Get ready to shoot； boys！〃 shouted the soldier。 〃It's that renegade； all right！〃
〃Renegade！ I〃 Then it finally occurred to Measure that something had gone real bad with this。 They knew who he was； and they still wanted to take him prisoner。
With three muskets and a sword close by； they had a fair chance of maybe even killing him if he tried to run away。 This was the U。S。 Army； wasn't it？ Once they got him to an officer； he could explain and all this would get cleared up。 So he put the rope over his head； and pulled the loop around his chest。
It wasn't too bad as long as they were in the water； sometimes he just floated along。 But pretty soon they got out and then they made him walk along behind as they picked their waythrough the woods。 They were looping east； around behind Vigor Church。
Measure tried talking； but they told him to shut up。 〃I tell you； we been told we can bring in renegades like you alive or dead。 White man dressed like a Red we know what you are。〃
From their conversation he was able to gather a few things。 They were on a scout…around from General Harrison。 It made Measure sick； to think things had got to the point where they'd call on that likker…dealing scoundrel to e north。 And he got here awful fast； too。
They spent the night camped in a clearing。 They made so much noise that Measure thought it was a wonder they didn't have every Red in the whole country nosing around before morning。
The next day； he flat refused to be dragged along on a rope。 〃I'm near naked； I got no weapons； and you can kill me or let me ride。〃 They could talk about bringing him in alive or dead and not caring which； but he knew that that was talk。 These were a crude bunch； but they didn't hanker much after killing white men in cold blood。 So he ended up on horseback； holding one of them around the waist。 Pretty soon they reached country that had some roads and trails； and they made good time。
Just after noon they reached an army camp。 Not much of an army； maybe a hundred in uniform and another two hundred marching and drilling on a parade ground that used to be a pasture。 Measure couldn't remember the name of the family that lived here。 They were new folks； just e up from the area around Carthage。 Turned out it didn't matter who they were； though。 It was General Harrison had their house for his headquarters； and these scouts led him straight to Harrison。
〃Ah；〃 said Harrison。 〃One of the renegades。〃
〃I'm no renegade；〃 said Measure。 〃They been treating me like a prisoner this whole way。 I swear the Reds treated me better than your White soldiers。〃
〃I ain't surprised much；〃 said Harrison。 〃They treated you real nice； I'm sure。 Where's the other renegade？〃
〃Other renegade？ You mean my brother Alvin？ You know who I am； and you ain't letting me go home？〃
〃You answer my questions； and then I'll give some thought to answering yours。〃
〃My brother Alvin ain't here； and he ain't ing； and from what I see before me I'm real glad he didn't e。〃
〃Alvin？ Ah； yes； they told me you were claiming to be Measure Miller。 Well； we know that Measure Miller was murdered by Ta…Kurnsaw and the Prophet。〃
Measure spat on the floor。 〃You know that？ From a few tore…up bloody clothes？ Well you don't fool me。 Do you think I don't see what you're doing？〃
〃Take him to the cellar；〃 said Harrison。 〃Be real gentle with him。〃
〃You don't want folks to know I'm alive； cause then they'll see they don't need you up here！〃 shouted Measure。 〃I wouldn't be surprised if you got them Chok…Taw to capture us in the first place！〃
〃If that's true；〃 said Harrison； 〃then if I were you I'd watch how I talked and what I said。 I'd be real worried about getting home alive； ever。 Now look at yourself； boy。 Skin red as a redbird； wearing a loincloth； looking wild as a real bad dream。 No； I reckon if it turned out you was shot dead by mistake； nobody'd blame us； not a soul。〃
〃My father'd know；〃 said Measure。 〃You can't fool him with a lie like that； Harrison。 And Armor…of…God； he'll〃
〃Armor…of…God？ That pathetic weakling？ The one who keeps telling people that Ta…Kumsaw and the Prophet are innocent； and we shouldn't be getting ready to wipe them out？ Nobody listens to him no more； Measure。〃
〃They will。 Alvin's alive； and you'll never catch him。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Cause he's with Ta…Kumsaw。〃
〃Ah； and where is that？〃
〃Not around here； you can bet。〃
〃You've seen him？ And the Prophet？〃
The hungry look in Harrison's eyes made Measure kind of step back and hold his tongue。 〃I seen what I seen；〃 said Measure。 〃And I'll say what I say。〃
〃Say what I ask； or you'll be dead；〃 said Harrison。
〃Kill me； and I won't say nothing at all。 But I'll tell you this。 I saw the Prophet call a tornado out of a storm。 I saw him walk on water。 I saw him prophesy； and his prophecies all e true。 He knows everything you plan to do。 You think you're doing what you want； but you'll end up serving his purpose； you watch and see。〃
〃What an idea；〃 said Harrison； chuckling。 〃By that reckoning； boy； it serves his purpose for you to be in my hands； don't it？〃 He waved his hands； and the soldiers dragged him out of the house and down into the root cellar。 They treated him real gentle on the way kicked him and knocked him down and all they could before they threw him down the steps and barred the door behind him。
Since these folks came from Carthage country； the cellar door had a lock； as well as the bar。 Down with the carrots； potatoes； and spiders； Measure tested that door as best he could。 His whole body was one big ache。 All the scratches and the sunburn were nothing pared to the raw skin inside his thighs from riding behind with bare legs。 And that was nothing pared to the pain from the kicks and bashes they gave him on the way here。
Measure didn't waste no more time。 He knew what was going on well enough to know Harrison couldn't let him out alive。 He had those scouts out looking for him and Alvin。 If they turned up alive； it would undo all his plans； and that'd be a real shame； cause things were going just right for Harrison。 After all these years； here he was at Vigor Church； training the local men to be soldiers； while nobody was listening to Armor…of…God at all。 Measure didn't much like the Prophet； but pared to Harrison the Prophet was a saint。
Or was he？ The Prophet had him wait for the gatlopp why？ So he'd leave in the afternoon two days ago； instead of morning。 So he'd reach the Tippy…Canoe just when them soldiers were riding down。 Otherwise he would've e to Prophetstown and then hopped on over into Vigor Church without seeing a soldier。 They'd never have found him； if he hadn't heard them and called out to them himself。 Was this all part of the Prophet's plan？ Well； so what if it was？ Maybe the Prophet's plan was a good thing； and maybe it wasn't so far Measure didn't think too highly of it。 But he sure wasn't going to sit around in a root cellar waiting to see how the plan worked out。
He burrowed his way through the potatoes to the back of the cellar。 There was more spiderwebs in his face and hair than he cared for； but this wasn't a time to worry about tidiness。 Pretty soon he cleared him a space at the back； with the potatoes pushed mostly to the front。 When they opened the doors； they'd just see a lot of potatoes。 Not a sign of his digging。
The root cellar was the normal kind。 Dug out； timbered over； roofed； and then the roof covered up with all the dirt from the hole。 He could dig into the back wall and e up behind the cellar； and they couldn't see a thing from the house at all。 It was bare…hands digging； but this was rich Wobbish soil。 He'd e out looking more like a Black than a Red； but he didn't much care。
Trouble was； the back wall wasn't dirt； it was wood。 They'd walled it in； right to the bottom。 Tidy folks。 The floor was dirt； all right。 But that meant digging down under the wall before he could tunnel up。 Instead of being something he could do overnight it'd take days。 And any time； they might catch him di
