arizona nights(亚利桑那之夜)-第33节
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we had stumbled over。 Denton told us that the idea of going back and
scooping all that dinero up with a shovel had kept him going； just as the
idea of getting even with Anderson had kept me going。 Schwartz said
that after he'd carried that heavy gold over the first day； he made up his
mind he'd get the spending of it or bust。 That's why he hated so to throw
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it away。 There were lots of fishing boats in the harbour； and
we hired one； and a man to run it for next to nothing a week。 We laid a
course north； and in six days anchored in our bay。 I tell you it
looked queer。 There were the charred sticks of the fire； and the coffeepot
lying on its side。 We took off our hats at poor Billy's grave a minute； and
then climbed over the cholla…covered hill carrying our picks and shovels；
and the canvas sacks to take the treasure away in。 There was no
trouble in reaching the sandy flat。 But when we got there we found it
torn up from one end to the other。 A few scattered timbers and three
empty chests with the covers pried off alone remained。 Handy Solomon
had been there before us。 We went back to our boat sick at heart。
Nobody said a word。 We went aboard and made our Greaser boatman
head for Yuma。 It took us a week to get there。 We were all of us glum；
but Denton was the worst of the lot。 Even after we'd got back to town
and fallen into our old ways of life； he couldn't seem to get over it。 He
seemed plumb possessed of gloom； and moped around like a chicken with
the pip。 This surprised me； for I didn't think the loss of money would hit
him so hard。 It didn't hit any of us very hard in those days。 One
evening I took him aside and fed him a drink； and expostulated with him。
〃Oh； HELL； Rogers；〃 he burst out； 〃I don't care about the loot。 But；
suffering cats； think how that fellow sized us up for a lot of pattern…made
fools； and how right he was about； it。 Why all he did was to sail out of
sight around the next corner。 He knew we'd start across country； and we
did。 All we had to do was to lay low； and save our legs。 He was
BOUND to come back。 And we might have nailed him when he landed。〃
〃That's about all there was to it；〃 concluded Colorado Rogers； after a
pause； 〃except that I've been looking for him ever since； and when I
heard you singing that song I naturally thought I'd landed。〃 〃And you
never saw him again？〃 asked Windy Bill。 〃Well；〃 chuckled Rogers； 〃I
did about ten year later。 It was in Tucson。 I was in the back of a store；
when the door in front opened and this man came in。 He stopped at the
little cigar…case by the door。 In about one jump I was on his neck。 I
jerked him over backwards before he knew what had struck him； threw
him on his face； got my hands in his back…hair； and began to jump his
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features against the floor。 Then all at once I noted that this man had two
arms； so of course he was the wrong fellow。 〃Oh； excuse me；〃 said I； and
ran out the back door。〃
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CHAPTER SIXTEEN THE
HONK…HONK BREED
It was Sunday at the ranch。 For a wonder the weather bad been
favourable； the windmills were all working； the bogs had dried up； the
beef had lasted over； the remuda had not strayedin short； there was
nothing to do。 Sang had given us a baked bread…pudding with
raisins in it。 We filled itin a wash basin full of iton top of a few
incidental pounds of chile con； baked beans； soda biscuits； 〃air tights；〃 and
other delicacies。 Then we adjourned with our pipes to the shady side of
the blacksmith's shop where we could watch the ravens on top the adobe
wall of the corral。 Somebody told a story about ravens。 This led to
road…runners。 This suggested rattlesnakes。 They started Windy Bill。
〃Speakin' of snakes；〃 said Windy； 〃I mind when they catched the great…
granddaddy of all the bullsnakes up at Lead in the Black Hills。 I was
only a kid then。 This wasn't no such tur'ble long a snake； but he was
more'n a foot thick。 Looked just like a sahuaro stalk。 Man name of
Terwilliger Smith catched it。 He named this yere bullsnake Clarence；
and got it so plumb gentle it followed him everywhere。 One day old P。 T。
Barnum come along and wanted to buy this Clarence snakeoffered
Terwilliger a thousand coldbut Smith wouldn't part with the snake
nohow。 So finally they fixed up a deal so Smith could go along with the
show。 They shoved Clarence in a box in the baggage car； but after a
while Mr。 Snake gets so lonesome he gnaws out and starts to crawl back to
find his master。 Just as he is half…way between the baggage car and the
smoker； the couplin' give wayright on that heavy grade between Custer
and Rocky Point。 Well； sir； Clarence wound his head 'round one brake
wheel and his tail around the other； and held that train together to the
bottom of the grade。 But it stretched him twenty…eight feet and they had
to advertise him as a boa…constrictor。〃 Windy Bill's story of the
faithful bullsnake aroused to reminiscence the grizzled stranger； who
thereupon held forth as follows：
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Wall； I've see things and I've heerd things； some of them ornery； and
some you'd love to believe； they was that gorgeous and improbable。
Nat'ral history was always my hobby and sportin' events my special
pleasure and this yarn of Windy's reminds me of the only chanst I ever had
to ring in business and pleasure and hobby all in one grand merry…go…
round of joy。 It come about like this： One day； a few year back； I was
sittin' on the beach at Santa Barbara watchin' the sky stay up； and
wonderin' what to do with my year's wages； when a little squinch…eye
round…face with big bow spectacles came and plumped down beside me。
〃Did you ever stop to think；〃 says he； shovin' back his hat； 〃that if the
horsepower delivered by them waves on this beach in one single hour
could be concentrated behind washin' machines； it would be enough to
wash all the shirts for a city of four hundred and fifty…one thousand one
hundred and thirty…six people？〃
〃Can't say I ever did；〃 says I； squintin' at him sideways。 〃Fact；〃
says he； 〃and did it ever occur to you that if all the food a man eats in the
course of a natural life could be gathered together at one time； it would fill
a wagon…train twelve miles long？〃 〃You make me hungry；〃 says I。
〃And ain't it interestin' to reflect；〃 he goes on； 〃that if all the finger…nail
parin's of the human race for one year was to be collected and subjected to
hydraulic pressure it would equal in size the pyramid of Cheops？〃
〃Look yere；〃 says I； sittin' up； 〃did YOU ever pause to excogitate that if all
the hot air you is dispensin' was to be collected together it would fill a
balloon big enough to waft you and me over that Bullyvard of Palms to
yonder gin mill on the corner？〃 He didn't say nothin' to thatjust
yanked me to my feet； faced me towards the gin mill above mentioned；
and exerted considerable pressure on my arm in urg
