arizona nights-第25节

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anywhere。　　The　same　old　hollow…looking　mountains　with　the　sharp

edges　stuck　up　in　about　the　same　old　places。

　　　

We　had　got　over　being　very　hungry；　and；　though　we　were　pretty

dry；　we　didn't　really　suffer　yet　from　　thirst。　　About　this　time

Denton　ran　across　some　fishhook　cactus；　which　we　cut　up　and

chewed。　　They　have　a　sticky　wet　sort　of　inside；　which　doesn't

quench　your　thirst　any；　but　helps　to　keep　you　from　drying　up　and

blowing　away。

　　　

All　that　day　we　plugged　along　as　per　usual。　　It　was　main　hard

work；　and　we　got　to　that　state　where　things　are　disagreeable；　but

mechanical。　　Strange　to　say；　Schwartz　kept　in　the　lead。　　It

seemed　to　me　at　the　time　that　he　was　using　more　energy　than　the　

occasion　called　forjust　as　man　runs　faster　before　he　comes　to

the　giving…out　point。　　However；　the　hours　went　by；　and　he

didn't　seem　to　get　any　more　tired　than　the　rest　of　us。

　　　

We　kept　a　sharp　lookout　for　anything　to　eat；　but　there　was

nothing　but　lizards　and　horned　toads。　　　Later　we'd　have　been　glad

of　them；　but　by　that　time　we'd　got　out　of　their　district。　　Night

came。　　Just　at　sundown　we　took　another　wallow　in　the　surf；　and

chewed　some　more　fishhook　cactus。　　When　the　moon　came　up　we　went

on。

　　　

I'm　not　going　to　tell　you　how　dead　beat　we　got。　　We　were　pretty

tough　and　strong；　for　all　of　us　had　been　used　to　hard　living；　but

after　the　third　day　without　anything　to　eat　and　no　water　to

drink；　it　came　to　be　pretty　hard　going。　　It　got　to　the　point

where　we　had　to　have　some　REASON　for　getting　out　besides　just

keeping　alive。　　A　man　would　sometimes　rather　die　than　keep　alive；

anyway；　if　it　came　only　to　that。　　But　I　know　I　made　up　my　mind　I

was　going　to　get　out　so　I　could　smash　up　that　Anderson；　and　I

reckon　Denton　had　the　same　idea。　　Schwartz　didn't　say　anything；

but　he　pumped　on　ahead　of　us；　his　back　bent　over；　and　his　clothes

sagging　and　bulging　with　the　gold　he　carried。

　　　

We　used　to　travel　all　night；　because　it　was　cool；　and　rest　an

hour　or　two　at　noon。　　That　is　all　the　rest　we　did　get。　　I　don't

know　how　fast　we　went；　I'd　got　beyond　that。　　We　must　have　crawled

along　mighty　slow；　though；　after　our　first　strength　gave　out。　

The　way　I　used　to　do　was　to　collect　myself　with　an　effort；　look

around　for　my　bearings；　pick　out　a　landmark　a　little　distance

off；　and　forget　everything　but　it。　　Then　I'd　plod　along；　knowing

nothing　but　the　sand　and　shale　and　slope　under　my　feet；　until　I'd

reached　that　landmark。　　Then　I'd　clear　my　mind　and　pick　out

another。

　　　

But　I　couldn't　shut　out　the　figure　of　Schwartz　that　way。　　He　used

to　walk　along　just　ahead　of　my　shoulder。　　His　face　was　all

twisted　up；　but　I　remember　thinking　at　the　time　it　looked　more　as

if　he　was　worried　in　his　mind　than　like　bodily　suffering。　　The

weight　of　the　gold　in　his　clothes　bent　his　shoulders　over。

　　　

As　we　went　on　the　country　gradually　got　to　be　more　mountainous；

and；　as　we　were　steadily　growing　weaker；　it　did　seem　things　were

piling　up　on　us。　The　eighth　day　we　ran　out　of　the　fishhook

cactus；　and；　being　on　a　high　promontory；　were　out　of　touch　with

the　sea。　　For　the　first　time　my　tongue　began　to　swell　a　little。　

The　cactus　had　kept　me　from　that　before。　　Denton　must　have　been

in　the　same　fix；　for　he　looked　at　me　and　raised　one　eyebrow　kind

of　humorous。

　　　　

Schwartz　was　having　a　good　deal　of　difficulty　to　navigate。　　I

will　say　for　him　that　he　had　done　well；　but　now　I　could　see　that

his　strength　was　going　on　him　in　spite　of　himself。　　He　knew　it；

all　right；　for　when　we　rested　that　day　he　took　all　the　gold　coins

and　spread　them　in　a　row；　and　counted　them；　and　put　them　back　in

his　pocket；　and　then　all　of　a　sudden　snatched　out　two　handfuls

and　threw　them　as　far　as　he　could。

　　

〃Too　heavy；〃　he　muttered；　but　that　was　all　he　could　bring　himself

to　throw　away。

　　　

All　that　night　we　wandered　high　in　the　air。　　I　guess　we　tried　to

keep　a　general　direction；　but　I　don't　know。　　Anyway；　along　late；

but　before　moonriseshe　was　now　on　the　waneI　came　to；　and

found　myself　looking　over　the　edge　of　a　twenty…foot　drop。　　Right

below　me　I　made　out　a　faint　glimmer　of　white　earth　in　the

starlight。　　Somehow　it　reminded　me　of　a　little　trail　I　used　to

know　under　a　big　rock　back　in　Texas。

　　

〃Here's　a　trail；〃　I　thought；　more　than　half　loco；　〃I'll　follow

it！〃

　　　

At　least　that's　what　half　of　me　thought。　　The　other　half　was

sensible；　and　knew　better；　but　it　seemed　to　be　kind　of　standing

to　one　side；　a　little　scornful；　watching　the　performance。　　So　I

slid　and　slipped　down　to　the　strip　of　white　earth；　and；　sure

enough；　it　was　a　trail。　　At　that　the　loco　half　of　me　gave　the

sensible　part　the　laugh。　　I　followed　the　path　twenty　feet　and

came　to　a　dark　hollow　under　the　　rock；　and　in　it　a　round　pool　of

water　about　a　foot　across。　　They　say　a　man　kills　himself　drinking

too　much；　after　starving　for　water。　　That　may　be；　but　it　didn't

kill　me；　and　I　sucked　up　all　I　could　hold。　　Perhaps　the　fishhook

cactus　had　helped。　　Well；　sir；　it　was　surprising　how　that　drink

brought　me　around。　　A　minute　before　I'd　been　on　the　edge　of　going

plumb　loco；　and　here　I　was　as　clear…headed　as　a　lawyer。

　　　　

I　hunted　up　Denton　and　Schwartz。　　They　drank；　themselves　full；

too。　　Then　we　rested。　　It　was　mighty　hard　to　leave　that　spring

　　　　

Oh；　we　had　to　do　it。　　We'd　have　starved　sure；　there。　　The　trail

was　a　game　trail；　but　that　did　us　no　good；　for　we　had　no　weapons。



How　we　did　wish　for　the　coffeepot；　so　we　could　take　some　away。　

We　filled　our　hats；　and　carried　them　about　three　hours；　before

the　　water　began　to　soak　through。　　Then　we　had　to　drink　it　in

order　to　save　it。



The　country　fairly　stood　up　on　end。　　We　had　to　climb　separate

little　hills　so　as　to　avoid　rolling　rocks　down　on　each　other。　　It

took　it　out　of　us。　　About　this　time　we　began　to　see　mountain

sheep。　　They　would　come　right　up　to　the　edges　of　the　small　cliffs

to　look　at　us。　　We　threw　stones　at　them；　hoping　to　hit　one　in　the

forehead；　but　of　course　without　any　results。

　　　

The　good　effects　of　the　water　lasted　us　about　a　day。　　Then　we

began　to　see　things　again。　　Off　and　on　I　could　see　water　plain　as

could　be　in　every　hollow；　and　game　of　all　kinds　standing　around

and　looking　at　me。　　I　knew　these　were　all　fakes。　　By　making　an

effort　I　could　swing　things　around　to　where　they　belonged。　　I

used　to　do　that　every　once　in　a　while；　just　to　be　sure　we　weren't

doubling　back；　and　to　look　out　for　real　water。　　But　most　of　the　

time　it　didn't　seem　to　be　worth　while。　　I　just　let　all　these

visions　riot　around　and　have　a　good　time　inside　me　or　outside　me；

whichever　it　was。　　I　knew　I　could　get　rid　of　them　any　minute。　

Most　of　the　time；　if　I　was　in　any　doubt；　it　was　easier　to　throw　a

stone　to　see　if　the　animals　were　real　or　not。　　The　real　ones　ran

away。

　　　

We　began　to　see　bands　of　wild　horses　in　the　uplands。　　One　day

both　Denton　and　I　plainly　saw　one　with　saddle　marks　on　him。　　If

only　one　of　us　had　seen　him；　it　wouldn't　have　counted　much；　but

we　both　made　him　out。　　This　encouraged　us　wonderfully；　though　I

don't　see　why　it　should　have。　　We　had　topped　the　high　country；

too；　and　had　started　down　the　other　side　of　the　mountains　that

ran　out　on　the　promontory。　　Denton　and　I　were　still　navigating

without　any　thought　of　giving　up；　but　Schwartz　was　getting　in　bad

shape。　　I'd　hate　to　pack　twenty　pounds　over　that　country　even

with　rest；　food；　and　water。　　He　was　toting　it　on　nothing。　　We

told　him　so；　and　he　came　to　see　it；　but　he　never　could　persuade

himself　to　get　rid　of　the　gold　all　at　once。　　Instead　he　threw

away　the　pieces　one　by　one。　　Each　sacrifice　seemed　to　nerve　him

up　for　another　heat。　　I　can　shut　my　eyes　and　see　it　nowthe

wide；　glaring；　yellow　country；　the　pasteboard　mountains；　we　three

dragging　along；　and　the　fierce　sunshine　flashing　from　the

doubloons　as　one　by　one　they　went　spinning　through　the　air。







CHAPTER　FOURTEEN；

THE　CHEWED　SUGAR　CANE



〃I'd　like　to　have　trailed　you　fellows；〃　sighed　a　voice　from　the

corner。

　

〃Would　you！〃　said　Colorado　Rogers　grimly。





It　was　five　days　to　the　next　water。　　But　they　were　worse　than　the

eight　days　before。　　We　were　lucky；　however；　for　at　the　spring　we

discovered　in　a　deep　wash　near　the　coast；　was　the　dried…up　skull

of　a　horse。　　It　had　been　there　a　long　time；　but　a　few　shreds　of

dried　flesh　still　clung　to　it。　　It　was　the　only　thing　that　could

be　described　as　food　that　had　passed　our　lips　since　breakfast

thirteen　days　before。　　In　that　time　we　had　crossed　the　mountain

chain；　and　had　come　again　to　the　sea。　　The　Lord　was　good　to　us。

He　sent　us　the　water；　and　the　horse's　skull；　and　the　smooth　hard

beach；　without　breaks　or　the　necessity　of　climbing　hills。　　And　we

needed　it；　oh；　I　promise　you；　we　needed　it！



I　doubt　if　any　of　us　could　have　kept　the　direction　except　by　such

an　obvious　and　continuous　landmark　as　the　sea　to　our　left。　　It

hardly　seemed　worth　while　to　focus　my　mind；　but　I　did