arizona nights(亚利桑那之夜)-第29节
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even the drip from the eaves had ceased。 A faint； diffused light
vouchsafed us dim outlines of sprawling figures and tumbled bedding。
Far in the distance outside a wolf yelped。
We could do nothing for him except shelter him from the sun； and
wet his forehead with sea…water； nor could we think clearly for ourselves
as long as the spark of life lingered in him。 His chest rose and fell
regularly； but with long pauses between。 When the sun was overhead he
suddenly opened his eyes。 〃Fellows；〃 said he； 〃it's beautiful over there；
the grass is so green； and the water so cool； I am tired of marching； and I
reckon I'll cross over and camp。〃 Then he died。 We scooped out a
shallow hole above tide…mark； and laid him in it； and piled over him stones
from the wash。 Then we went back to the beach； very solemn； to
talk it over。 〃Now； boys；〃 said I； 〃there seems to me just one thing to
do； and that is to pike out for water as fast as we can。〃 〃Where？〃
asked Denton。 〃Well；〃 I argued； 〃I don't believe there's any water
about this bay。 Maybe there was when that chart was made。 It was a
long time ago。 And any way； the old pirate was a sailor； and no
plainsman； and maybe he mistook rainwater for a spring。 We've looked
around this end of the bay。 The chances are we'd use up two or three
days exploring around the other； and then wouldn't be as well off as we are
right now。〃 〃Which way？〃 asked Denton again； mighty brief。
〃Well；〃 said I； 〃there's one thing I've always noticed in case of folks held
up by the desert： they generally go wandering about here and there looking
for water until they die not far from where they got lost。 And usually
they've covered a heap of actual distance。〃 〃That's so；〃 agreed
Denton。 〃Now； I've always figured that it would be a good deal better
to start right out for some particular place； even if it's ten thousand miles
away。 A man is just as likely to strike water going in a straight line as he
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is going in a circle； and then； besides； he's getting somewhere。〃
〃Correct；〃 said Denton； 〃So；〃 I finished； 〃I reckon we'd better
follow the coast south and try to get to Mollyhay。〃 〃How far is that？〃
asked Schwartz。 〃I don't rightly know。 But somewheres between
three and five hundred miles； at a guess。〃 At that he fell to glowering
and grooming with himself； brooding over what a hard time it was going
to be。 That is the way with a German。 First off he's plumb scared at the
prospect of suffering anything； and would rather die right off than take
long chances。 After he gets into the swing of it； he behaves as well as
any man。
〃We took stock of what we had to depend on。 The total assets proved
to be just three pairs of legs。 A pot of coffee had been on the fire； but that
villain had kicked it over when he left。 The kettle of beans was there； but
somehow we got the notion they might have been poisoned； so we left
them。 I don't know now why we were so foolishif poison was his game；
he'd have tried it beforebut at that time it seemed reasonable enough。
Perhaps the horror of the morning's work； and the sight of the brittle…
brown mountains； and the ghastly yellow glare of the sun； and the blue
waves racing by outside； and the big strong wind that blew through us so
hard that it seemed to blow empty our souls； had turned our judgment。
Anyway； we left a full meal there in the beanpot。 So without any
further delay we set off up the ridge I had started to cross that morning。
Schwartz lagged； sulky as a muley cow； but we managed to keep him with
us。 At the top of the ridge we took our bearings for the next deep bay。
Already we had made up our minds to stick to the sea…coast； both on
account of the lower country over which to travel and the off chance of
falling in with a fishing vessel。 Schwartz muttered something about its
being too far even to the next bay； and wanted to sit down on a rock。
Denton didn't say anything； but he jerked Schwartz up by the collar so
fiercely that the German gave it over and came along。 We dropped
down into the gully； stumbled over the boulder wash； and began to toil in
the ankle…deep sand of a little sage…brush flat this side of the next ascent。
Schwartz followed steadily enough now； but had fallen forty or fifty feet
behind。 This was a nuisance； as we bad to keep turning to see if he still
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kept up。
Suddenly he seemed to disappear。 Denton and I hurried back to
find him on his hands and knees behind a sagebrush； clawing away at the
sand like mad。 〃Can't be water on this flat；〃 said Denton； 〃he must
have gone crazy。〃 〃What's the matter； Schwartz？〃 I asked。 For
answer he moved a little to one side； showing beneath his knee one corner
of a wooden box sticking above the sand。 At this we dropped beside
him； and in five minutes had uncovered the whole of the chest。 It was
not very large； and was locked。 A rock from the wash fixed that；
however。 We threw back the lid。 It was full to the brim of gold coins；
thrown in loose； nigh two bushels of them。 〃The treasure！〃 I cried。
There it was； sure enough； or some of it。 We looked the rest through； but
found nothing but the gold coins。 The altar ornaments and jewels were
lacking。 〃Probably buried in another box or so；〃 said Denton。
Schwartz wanted to dig around a little。 〃No good；〃 said I。 〃We've
got our work cut out for us as it is。〃 Denton backed me up。 We were
both old hands at the business； had each in our time suffered the 〃cotton…
mouth〃 thirst； and the memory of it outweighed any desire for treasure。
But Schwartz was money…mad。 Left to himself he would have staid on
that sand flat to perish； as certainly as had poor Billy。 We had fairly to
force him away； and then succeeded only because we let him fill all his
pockets to bulging with the coins。 As we moved up the next rise； he kept
looking back and uttering little moans against the crime of leaving it。
Luckily for us it was winter。 We shouldn't have lasted six hours at this
time of year。 As it was； the sun was hot against the shale and the little
stones of those cussed hills。 We plodded along until late afternoon；
toiling up one hill and down another； only to repeat immediately。
Towards sundown we made the second bay； where we plunged into the sea；
clothes and all； and were greatly refreshed。 I suppose a man absorbs a
good deal that way。 Anyhow； it always seemed to help。 We were
now pretty hungry； and； as we walked along the shore； we began to look
for turtles or shellfish； or anything else that might come handy。 There
was nothing。 Schwartz wanted to stop for a night's rest； but Denton and I
knew better than that。 〃Look here； Schwartz；〃 said Denton； 〃you don't
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realise you're entered against time in this raceand that you're a damn fool
to carry all that weight in your clothes。〃 So we dragged along all
night。 It was weird enough； I can tell you。 The moon shone cold
and white over that dead； dry country。 Hot whiffs rose from the baked
stones and hillsides。 Shadows lay under the stones like animals
crouching。 When we came to the edge of a silvery
