whirligigs-第17节

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buggy　and　drove　away。　　We　took　him　up　to　the　cave　and

I　hitched　the　horse　in　the　cedar　brake。　　After　dark　I

drove　the　buggy　to　the　little　village；　three　miles　away；

where　we　had　hired　it；　and　walked　back　to　the　moun…

tain。



Bill　was　pasting　court…plaster　over　the　scratches　and

bruises　on　his　features。　　There　was　a　burning　behind　

the　big　rock　at　the　entrance　of　the　cave；　　　　　　　and　the　boy　was

watching　a　pot　of　boiling　coffee；　with　two　buzzard　tail…

feathers　stuck　in　his　red　hair。　　He　points　a　stick　at　me

when　I　come　up；　and　says：



〃Ha！　cursed　paleface；　do　you　dare　to　enter　the　camp　of

Red　Chief；　the　terror　of　the　plains？



〃He's　all　right　now；〃　says　Bill；　rolling　up　his　trousers　

and　examining　some　bruises　on　his　shins。　　〃We're

playing　Indian。　　We're　making　Buffalo　Bill's　show　look

like　magic…lantern　views　of　Palestine　in　the　town　hall。

I'm　Old　Hank；　the　Trapper；　Red　Chief's　captive；　and　I'm

to　be　scalped　at　daybreak。　　By　Geronimo！　that　kid　can

kick　hard。〃



Yes；　sir；　that　boy　seemed　to　be　having　the　time　of　his

life。　　The　fun　of　camping　out　in　a　cave　had　made　him

forget　that　he　was　a　captive；　himself。　　He　immediately

christened　me　Snake…eye；　the　Spy；　and　announced　that；

when　his　braves　returned　from　the　warpath；　I　was　to　be

broiled　at　the　stake　at　the　rising　of　the　sun。



Then　we　had　supper；　and　he　filled　his　mouth　full　of

bacon　and　bread　and　gravy；　and　began　to　talk。　　He　made

a　during…dinner　speech　something　like　this：



〃I　like　this　fine。　　I　never　camped　out　before；　but　I

had　a　pet　'possum　once；　and　I　was　nine　last　birthday。

I　hate　to　go　to　school。　　Rats　ate　up　sixteen　of　Jimmy

Talbot's　aunt's　speckled　hen's　eggs。　　Are　there　any

real　Indians　in　these　woods？　I　want　some　more　gravy。

Does　the　trees　moving　make　the　wind　blow？　We　had

five　puppies。　　What　makes　your　nose　so　red；　Hank？

My　father　has　lots　of　money。　　Are　the　stars　hot？　I

whipped　Ed　Walker　twice；　Saturday。　　I　don't　like　girls。

You　dassent　catch　toads　unless　with　a　string。　　Do　oxen

make　any　noise？　Why　are　oranges　round？　Have　you

got　beds　to　sleep　on　in　this　cave？　Amos　Murray　has　got

Six　toes。　　A　parrot　can　talk；　but　a　monkey　or　a　fish　can't。

How　many　does　it　take　to　make　twelve？〃



Every　few　minutes　he　would　remember　that　he　was

a　pesky　redskin；　and　pick　up　his　stick　rifle　and　tiptoe　to

the　mouth　of　the　cave　to　rubber　for　the　scouts　of　the

hated　paleface。　　Now　and　then　he　would　let　out　a　war…

whoop　that　made　Old　Hank　the　Trapper　shiver。　　That

boy　had　Bill　terrorized　from　the　start。



〃Red　Chief；〃　says　I　to　the　kid；　〃would　you　like　to　go

home？〃



〃Aw；　what　for？〃　　says　he。　　〃I　don't　have　any　fun　at

home。　　I　hate　to　go　to　school。　　I　like　to　camp　out。　　You

won't　take　me　back　home　again；　Snake…eye；　will　you？〃



〃Not　right　away；〃　says　I。　　〃We'll　stay　here　in　the

cave　a　while。〃



〃All　right！〃　　says　he。　　〃That'll　be　fine。　　I　never　had

such　fun　in　all　my　life。〃



We　went　to　bed　about　eleven　o'clock。　　We　spread　down

some　wide　blankets　and　quilts　and　put　Red　Chief　between

us。　　We　weren't　afraid　he'd　run　away。　　He　kept　us

awake　for　three　hours；　jumping　up　and　reaching　for　his

rifle　and　screeching：　〃Hist！　pard；〃　in　mine　and　Bill's

ears；　as　the　fancied　crackle　of　a　twig　or　the　rustle　of　a

leaf　revealed　to　his　young　imagination　the　stealthy

approach　of　the　outlaw　band。　　At　last；　I　fell　into　a

troubled　sleep；　and　dreamed　that　I　had　been　kidnapped

and　chained　to　a　tree　by　a　ferocious　pirate　with　red　hair。



Just　at　daybreak；　I　was　awakened　by　a　series　of　awful

screams　from　Bill。　　They　weren't　yells；　or　howls；　or

shouts；　or　whoops；　or　yalps；　such　as　you'd　expect　from

a　manly　set　of　vocal　organs　　they　were　simply　indecent；

terrifying；　humiliating　screams；　such　as　women　emit

when　they　see　ghosts　or　caterpillars。　　It's　an　awful　thing

to　hear　a　strong；　desperate；　fat　man　scream　incontinently

in　a　cave　at　daybreak。



I　jumped　up　to　see　what　the　matter　was。　　Red　Chief

was　sitting　on　Bill's　chest；　with　one　hand　twined　in　Bill's

hair。　　In　the　other　he　had　the　sharp　case…knife　we　used

for　slicing；　bacon；　and　he　was　industriously　and　realistically

trying　to　take　Bill's　scalp；　according　to　the　sentence　that

had　been　pronounced　upon　him　the　evening　before。



I　got　the　knife　away　from　the　kid　and　made　him　lie

down　again。　　But；　from　that　moment；　Bill's　spirit　was

broken。　　He　laid　down　on　his　side　of　the　bed；　but　he　never

closed　an　eye　again　in　sleep　as　long　as　that　boy　was　with　us。

I　dozed　off　for　a　while；　but　along　toward　sun…up　I　remem…

bered　that　Red　Chief　had　said　I　was　to　be　burned　at　the

stake　at　the　rising　of　the　sun。　　I　wasn't　nervous　or　afraid；

but　I　sat　up　and　lit　my　pipe　and　leaned　against　a　rock。



〃What　you　getting　up　so　soon　for；　Sam？〃　　asked　Bill。



〃Me？〃　　says　I。　　〃Oh；　I　got　a　kind　of　a　pain　in

my　shoulder。　　I　thought　sitting　up　would　rest　it。〃



〃You're　a　liar！〃　　says　Bill。　　〃You're　afraid。　　You

was　to　be　burned　at　sunrise；　and　you　was　afraid　he'd

do　it。　　And　he　would；　too；　if　he　could　find　a　match。

Ain't　it　awful；　Sam？　Do　you　think　anybody　will　pay

out　money　to　get　a　little　imp　like　that　back　home？〃



〃Sure；〃　said　I。　　〃A　rowdy　kid　like　that　is　just　the　kind

that　parents　dote　on。　　Now；　you　and　the　Chief　get　up　and

cook　breakfast；　while　I　go　up　on　the　top　of　this　mountain

and　reconnoitre。〃



I　went　up　on　the　peak　of　the　little　mountain　and　ran　my

eye　over　the　contiguous　vicinity。　　Over　toward　Summit　I

expected　to　see　the　sturdy　yeomanry　of　the　village　armed

with　scythes　and　pitchforks　beating　the　countryside　for

the　dastardly　kidnappers。　　But　what　I　saw　was　a　peaceful

landscape　dotted　with　one　man　ploughing　with　a　dun

mule。　　Nobody　was　dragging　the　creek；　no　couriers

dashed　hither　and　yon；　bringing　tidings　of　no　news　to　the

distracted　parents。　　There　was　a　sylvan　attitude　of

somnolent　sleepiness　pervading　that　section　of　the　external

outward　surface　of　Alabama　that　lay　exposed　to　my　view。

〃Perhaps；〃　says　I　to　myself；　〃it　has　not　yet　been　discov…

ered　that　the　wolves　have　home　away　the　tender　lambkin

from　the　fold。　　Heaven　help　the　wolves！〃　　says　I；　and　I

went　down　the　mountain　to　breakfast。



When　I　got　to　the　cave　I　found　Bill　backed　up　against

the　side　of　it；　breathing　hard；　and　the　boy　threatening

to　smash　him　with　a　rock　half　as　big　as　a　cocoanut。



〃He　put　a　red…hot　boiled　potato　down　my　back；〃

explained　Bill；　〃and　the　mashed　it　with　his　foot；　and

I　boxed　his　ears。　　Have　you　got　a　gun　about　you；

Sam？



I　took　the　rock　away　from　the　boy　and　kind　of　patched

up　the　argument。　　〃I'll　fix　you；〃　says　the　kid　to　Bill。

〃No　man　ever　yet　struck　the　Red　Chief　but　what　he　got

paid　for　it。　　You　better　beware！〃



After　breakfast　the　kid　takes　a　piece　of　leather　with

strings　wrapped　around　it　out　of　his　pocket　and　goes　out…

side　the　cave　unwinding　it。



〃What's　he　up　to　now？〃　　says　Bill；　anxiously。　　〃You

don't　think　he'll　run　away；　do　you；　Sam？〃



〃No　fear　of　it；〃　says　I。　　〃He　don't　seem　to　be　much　of

a　home　body。　　But　we've　got　to　fix　up　some　plan　about　the

ransom。　　There　don't　seem　to　be　much　excitement　around

Summit　on　account　of　his　disappearance；　but　maybe

they　haven't　realized　yet　that　he's　gone。　　His　folks

may　think　he's　spending　the　night　with　Aunt　Jane　or　one

of　the　neighbours。　　Anyhow；　he'll　be　missed　to…day。

To…night　we　must　get　a　message　to　his　father　demanding

the　two　thousand　dollars　for　his　return。〃



Just　then　we　heard　a　kind　Of　war…whoop；　such　as　David

might　have　emitted　when　he　knocked　out　the　champion

Goliath。　　It　was　a　sling　that　Red　Chief　had　pulled　out

of　his　pocket；　and　he　was　whirling　it　around　his　head。



I　dodged；　and　heard　a　heavy　thud　and　a　kind　of　a　sigh

from　Bill；　like　a　horse　gives　out　when　you　take　his　saddle

off。　　A　niggerhead　rock　the　size　of　an　egg　had　caught

Bill　just　behind　his　left　ear。　　He　loosened　himself　all　over

and　fell　in　the　fire　across　the　frying　pan　of　hot　water　for

washing　the　dishes。　　I　dragged　him　out　and　poured　cold

water　on　his　head　for　half　an　hour。



By　and　by；　Bill　sits　up　and　feels　behind　his　ear　and

says：　〃Sam；　do　you　know　who　my　favourite　Biblical

character　is？〃



〃Take　it　easy；〃　says　I。　　〃You'll　come　to　your　senses

presently。〃



〃King　Herod；〃　says　he。　　〃You　won't　go　away　and

leave　me　here　alone；　will　you；　Sam？〃



I　went　out　and　caught　that　boy　and　shook　him　until

his　freckles　rattled。



〃If　you　don't　behave；〃　says　I；　〃I'll　take　you　straight

home。　　Now；　are　you　going　to　be　good；　or　not？〃



〃I　was　only　funning；〃　says　he　sullenly。　　〃I　didn't

mean　to　hurt　Old　Hank。　　But　what　did　he　hit　me　for？

〃I'll　behave；　Snake…eye；　if　you　won't　send　me　home；　and

if　you'll　let　me　play　the　Black　Scout　to…day。〃



〃I　don't　know　the　game；〃　says　I。　　〃That's　for　you　and

Mr。　Bill　to　decide。　　He's　your　playmate　for　the　day。

I'm　going　away　for　a　while；　on　business。　　Now；　you

come　in　and　make　friends　w