whirligigs-第18节

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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　with　him　and　say　you　are

sorry　for　hurting　him；　or　home　you　go；　at　once。〃



I　made　him　and　Bill　shake　hands；　and　then　I　took　Bill

aside　and　told　him　I　was　going　to　Poplar　Cove；　a　little

village　three　miles　from　the　cave；　and　find　out　what　I

could　about　how　the　kidnapping　had　been　regarded　in

Summit。　　Also；　I　thought　it　best　to　send　a　peremptory

letter　to　old　man　Dorset　that　day；　demanding　the　ransom

and　dictating　how　it　should　be　paid。



〃You　know；　Sam；〃　says　Bill；　〃I've　stood　by　you　with…

out　batting　an　eye　in　earthquakes；　fire　and　flood　　in

poker　games；　dynamite　outrages；　police　raids；　train

robberies　and　cyclones。　　I　never　lost　my　nerve　yet　till

we　kidnapped　that　two…legged　skyrocket　of　a　kid。　　He's

got　me　going。　　You　won't　leave　me　long　with　him；　will

you；　Sam？〃



〃I'll　be　back　some　time　this　afternoon；〃　says　I。　　〃You

must　keep　the　boy　amused　and　quiet　till　I　return。　　And

now　we'll　write　the　letter　to　old　Dorset。〃



Bill　and　I　got　paper　and　pencil　and　worked　on　the

letter　while　Red　Chief；　with　a　blanket　wrapped　around

him；　strutted　up　and　down；　guarding　the　mouth　of　the

cave。　　Bill　begged　me　tearfully　to　make　the　ransom

fifteen　hundred　dollars　instead　of　two　thousand。　　〃I

ain't　attempting；〃　says　he；　〃to　decry　the　celebrated　moral

aspect　of　parental　affection；　but　we're　dealing　with

humans；　and　it　ain't　human　for　anybody　to　give　up　two

thousand　dollars　for　that　forty…pound　chunk　of　freckled

wildcat。　　I'm　willing　to　take　a　chance　at　fifteen　hundred

dollars。　　You　can　charge　the　difference　up　to　me。〃



So；　to　relieve　Bill；　I　acceded；　and　we　collaborated　a

letter　that　ran　this　way：



Ebenezer　Dorset；　Esq。：

　　　We　have　your　boy　concealed　in　a　place　far　from　Summit。

It　is　useless　for　you　or　the　most　skilful　detectives　to

attempt　to　find　him。　　Absolutely；　the　only　terms　on

which　you　can　have　him　restored　to　you　are　these：　We

demand　fifteen　hundred　dollars　in　large　bills　for　his　return；

the　money　to　be　left　at　midnight　to…night　at　the　same

spot　and　in　the　same　box　as　your　reply　　as　hereinafter

described。　　If　you　agree　to　these　terms；　send　your　answer

in　writing　by　a　solitary　messenger　to…night　at　half…past

eight　o'clock。　　After　crossing　Owl　Creek；　on　the　road

to　Poplar　Cove；　there　are　three　large　trees　about　a　hundred

yards　apart；　close　to　the　fence　of　the　wheat　field　on　the

right…hand　side。　　At　the　bottom　of　the　fence…post；　opposite

the　third　tree；　will　be　found　a　small　pasteboard　box。

The　messenger　will　place　the　answer　in　this　box　and

return　immediately　to　Summit。

　　　If　you　attempt　any　treachery　or　fail　to　comply　with

our　demand　as　stated；　you　will　never　see　your　boy　again。

　　　If　you　pay　the　money　as　demanded；　he　will　be　returned

to　you　safe　and　well　within　three　hours。　　These　terms

are　final；　and　if　you　do　not　accede　to　them　no　further　coin…

munication　will　be　attempted。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TWO　DESPERATE　MEN。



I　addressed　this　letter　to　Dorset；　and　put　it　in　my　pocket。

As　I　was　about　to　start；　the　kid　comes　up　to　me　and　says：



〃Aw；　Snake…eye；　you　said　I　could　play　the　Black　Scout

while　you　was　gone。〃



〃Play　it；　of　course；〃　says　I。　　〃Mr。　Bill　will　play

with　you。　　What　kind　of　a　game　is　it？〃



〃I'm　the　Black　Scout；〃　says　Red　Chief；　〃and　I

have　to　ride　to　the　stockade　to　warn　the　settlers　that　the

Indians　are　coming。　　I'm　tired　of　playing　Indian　myself。

I　want　to　be　the　Black　Scout。〃



〃All　right；〃　says　I。　　〃It　sounds　harmless　to　me。

I　guess　Mr。　Bill　will　help　you　foil　the　pesky

savages。〃



〃What　am　I　to　do？〃　　asks　Bill；　looking　at　the　kid

suspiciously。



〃You　are　the　hoss；〃　says　Black　Scout。　　〃Get　down　

on　your　hands　and　knees。　　How　can　I　ride　to　the　stockade

without　a　hoss？〃



〃You'd　better　keep　him　interested；〃　said　I；　〃till　we

get　the　scheme　going。　　Loosen　up。〃



Bill　gets　down　on　his　all　fours；　and　a　look　comes　in

his　eye　like　a　rabbit's　when　you　catch　it　in　a　trap。



〃How　far　is　it　to　the　stockade；　kid？〃　　he　asks；　in　a　husky

manner　of　voice。



〃Ninety　miles；〃　says　the　Black　Scout。　　〃And　you　have

to　hump　yourself　to　get　there　on　time。　　Whoa；　now！〃



The　Black　Scout　jumps　on　Bill's　back　and　digs　his

heels　in　his　side。



〃For　Heaven's　sake；〃　says　Bill；　〃hurry　back；　Sam；

as　soon　as　you　can。　　I　wish　we　hadn't　made　the　ransom

more　than　a　thousand。　　Say；　you　quit　kicking　me　or　I'll

get　up　and　warm　you　good。〃



I　walked　over　to　Poplar　Cove　and　sat　around　the　post…

office　and　store；　talking　with　the　chawbacons　that　came

in　to　trade。　　One　whiskerando　says　that　he　hears　Summit

is　all　upset　on　account　of　Elder　Ebenezer　Dorset's　boy

having　been　lost　or　stolen。　　That　was　all　I　wanted　to　know。

I　bought　some　smoking　tobacco；　referred　casually　to　the

price　of　black…eyed　peas；　posted　my　letter　surreptitiously

and　came　away。　　The　postmaster　said　the　mail…carrier

would　come　by　in　an　hour　to　take　the　mail　on　to　Summit。



When　I　got　back　to　the　cave　Bill　and　the　boy　were　not

to　be　found。　　I　explored　the　vicinity　of　the　cave；　and　risked

a　yodel　or　two；　but　there　was　no　response。



So　I　lighted　my　pipe　and　sat　down　on　a　mossy　bank　to

await　developments。



In　about　half　an　hour　I　heard　the　bushes　rustle；　and

Bill　wabbled　out　into　the　little　glade　in　front　of　the　cave。

Behind　him　was　the　kid；　stepping　softly　like　a　scout；　with

a　broad　grin　on　his　face。　　Bill　stopped；　took　off　his　hat

and　wiped　his　face　with　a　red　handkerchief。　　The　kid

stopped　about　eight　feet　behind　him。



〃Sam；〃　says　Bill；　〃I　suppose　you'll　think　I'm　a　rene…

gade；　but　I　couldn't　help　it。　　I'm　a　grown　person　with

masculine　proclivities　and　habits　of　self…defense；　but　there

is　a　time　when　all　systems　of　egotism　and　predominance

fail。　　The　boy　is　gone。　　I　have　sent　him　home。　　All

is　off。　　There　was　martyrs　in　old　times；〃　goes　on　Bill；

〃that　suffered　death　rather　than　give　up　the　particular

graft　they　enjoyed。　　None　of　'em　ever　was　subjugated

to　such　supernatural　tortures　as　I　have　been。　　I　tried　to

be　faithful　to　our　articles　of　depredation；　but　there　came

a　limit。〃



〃What's　the　trouble；　Bill？〃　　I　asks　him。



〃I　was　rode；〃　says　Bill；　〃the　ninety　miles　to　the　stockade；

not　barring　an　inch。　　Then；　when　the　settlers　was　rescued；

I　was　given　oats。　　Sand　ain't　a　palatable　substitute。

And　then；　for　an　hour　I　had　to　try　to　explain　to　him

why　there　was　nothin'　in　holes；　how　a　road　can　run　both

ways　and　what　makes　the　grass　green。　　I　tell　you；　Sam；

a　human　can　only　stand　so　much。　　I　takes　him　by　the

neck　of　his　clothes　and　drags　him　down　the　mountain。

On　the　way　he　kicks　my　legs　black…and…blue　from　the　knees

down；　and　I've　got　to　have　two　or　three　bites　on　my　thumb

and　hand　cauterized。



〃But　he's　gone〃　　　continues　Bill　　〃gone　home。

I　showed　him　the　road　to　Summit　and　kicked　him　about

eight　feet　nearer　there　at　one　kick。　　I'm　sorry　we　lose　the

ransom；　but　it　was　either　that　or　Bill　Driscoll　to　the

madhouse。〃



Bill　is　puffing　and　blowing；　but　there　is　a　look　of　ineffable

peace　and　growing　content　on　his　rose…pink　features。



〃Bill；〃　says　I；　〃there　isn't　any　heart　disease　in　your

family；　is　there？



〃No；〃　says　Bill；　〃nothing　chronic　except　malaria

and　accidents。　　Why？〃



〃Then　you　might　turn　around；〃　says　I；　〃and　have　a

took　behind　you。〃



Bill　turns　and　sees　the　boy；　and　loses　his　complexion

and　sits　down　plump　on　the　round　and　begins　to　pluck

aimlessly　at　grass　and　little　sticks。　　For　an　hour　I　was

afraid　for　his　mind。　　And　then　I　told　him　that　my　scheme

was　to　put　the　whole　job　through　immediately　and　that

we　would　get　the　ransom　and　be　off　with　it　by　midnight

if　old　Dorset　fell　in　with　our　proposition。　　So　Bill　braced

up　enough　to　give　the　kid　a　weak　sort　of　a　smile　and　a

promise　to　play　the　Russian　in　a　Japanese　war　with　him

is　soon　as　he　felt　a　little　better。



I　had　a　scheme　for　collecting　that　ransom　without

danger　of　being　caught　by　counterplots　that　ought　to

commend　itself　to　professional　kidnappers。　　The　tree

under　which　the　answer　was　to　be　left　　and　the

money　later　on　　was　close　to　the　road　fence　with　big；

bare　fields　on　all　sides。　　If　a　gang　of　constables　should　be

watching　for　any　one　to　come　for　the　note　they　could　see

him　a　long　way　off　crossing　the　fields　or　in　the　road。　　But

no；　sirree！　At　half…past　eight　I　was　up　in　that　tree　as　well

hidden　as　a　tree　toad；　waiting　for　the　messenger　to　arrive。



Exactly　on　time；　a　half…grown　boy　rides　up　the　road　on

a　bicycle；　locates　the　pasteboard　box　at　the　foot　of　the

fence…post；　slips　a　folded　piece　of　paper　into　it　and　pedals

away　again　back　toward　Summit。



I　waited　an　hour　and　then　concluded　the　thing　was

square。　　I　slid　down　the　tree；　got　the　note；　slipped　along

the　fence　till　I　struck　the　woods；　and　was　back　at　the　cave

in　an