lla.thelonelymen-第26部分
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ch of us boys went off to the war we left a friend behind who paid a substitute。 We all came back； safe and sound； but the one who stayed home was dead … thrown from a horse he'd ridden for three years 。。。 scared by a rabbit； it jumped； and he lit on his head。 So a man never knows。
Only if we didn't get out of this place we weren't going to be laying many plans。
Up there where I was； I began to give study to the country around。
I knew that getting the rest of those horses up to the top was an unlikely chance。 In the first place； most of them were larger and heavier； and altogether harder to handle than the two we had got out。 We might just possibly get one horse up； or even two。 We would never make three or four。
So I cut that out of my thinking。 Somehow we had to get out by going downhill； and that meant riding right through that bunch of Apaches 。。。
Now； wait a minute； I told myself。 There to the right 。。。 that's a slide of sand； but there's a mixed lot of growth in it There don't seem to be so many large rocks。 I studied it as carefully as the light would allow。
If we could just 。。。 I began to see how we； or some of us； might make it。 If we stayed here none of us would make it through tomorrow。
I was going down there right now and face them with it。 Only first there was that Apache off to the left。 He had been ing up the hill for the last half…hour； creeping； crawling； out of sight more than two…thirds of the time； but always getting closer。 Now when he moved again 。。。
Settling myself into the sand； I braced my elbow and taken a careful sight。 Then I waited。 His foot moved 。。。 I waited。。。。 Then he lunged into view and I squeezed off my shot。 He never even twitched。
Chapter 14
When I came sliding into the hollow Spanish looked at me。 〃Was I you； I'd still be travelin' 〃he said。 〃It don't look like we're goin' no place down here。〃
〃I've got an idea；〃 I said。
He searched my face。 〃Well； you Sacketts have e up with some good ones。 I hear tell whenever one of you boys are in trouble； the rest e a…runnin'。 I'd like to see that now。 I surely would。〃
〃They don't know where I'm at。〃
John J。 was stuffing a pipe。 He looked haggard and honed down。 I hadn't the heart to look at Rocca yet。
〃What's this idea？〃 John J。 asked。 〃Right about now I'll buy anything。〃
〃Yonder；〃 I said； 〃there's a corner of slope that's mostly free of big rocks。 There's some grass and some brush； but it's low stuff； and the sand looks as if ifs packed。〃
〃So？〃
〃e nightfall we mount up。 We stampede the horses down that slope into the Apache camp and we go with them。 Only we keep on riding。〃
Battles gave study to it Spanish； he just looked at me。 〃How many do you think would make it？〃 he asked。
〃Maybe none 。。。 maybe one。〃
Battles shrugged。 〃Well； it's no worse than here。 At least we'd be trying。〃
〃What about Tamp？〃 Spanish asked。
〃He isn't getting any better； is he？ How much chance has he got here？〃
〃None at all。〃
〃All right。 So we get him into a saddle。 You put that Mex on a horse and he'll ride it to hell and gone。 I know him。 If we get him up in a saddle he'll stay there as long as any of us； dead or alive。〃
〃All right；〃 Battles said； 〃I'll buy it。 What do we do？〃
〃Pick your best horse。 We'll load the pack horse。 Maybe he can stay with us； maybe he can't。 Maybe hell follow and catch up。 You know how horses like to stay together。〃
We sat about there； chewing on jerked beef and trying to see all the angles； but there wasn't much we could do but trust to luck。 We could hold to the far side of the bunch away from the Apache camp； although that might be the worst thing； for there'd likely be Apaches sleeping around； or watching from everywhere。
Time was a…passing； but we daren't do anything to let those Indians know what we were planning。 Saddling up had to be done after dark； and all we could do would be to pray none of them got up on the rimrock before night came on。
Tampico Rocca was lying there with his eyes open when I sat down beside him。 〃You don't have to tell me；〃 he said。 〃I heard you talking。〃
〃You reckon you can set up there like I said？〃
〃You get me into the saddle； that's all I ask。 That and a couple of shotguns。〃
〃You'll have them。〃
We sat quiet then for a quite a spell。 It was almighty hot； and even sitting still the sweat trickled down my body。 We drank and drank again； and we all ate a little more 。。。 no telling when we'd get to eat or drink again； if ever。
Finally I taken my rifle and climbed up on the rim。 We had to make those Apaches think they had us； and after my helping in two kills from up there； they'd be sure I'd stay there。
Up on the rim I could see no cover for an Apache up there； no way one could e on a man except by night； and if anybody rode from their camp； I could see him。
The camp was too far for a rifle shot； but I could see their cook fires； and see them moving around。 Our horses； if we could start them slow； might get within easy distance of their camp before we had to stampede them。 And we might be lucky enough to stampede their pony herd； but I wasn't betting on anything。
When it was fairly dark I came down off the rim and we lighted a small fire to make coffee。 They knew where we were； and we wanted them to think of us as staying put； although the idea of us trying to break out probably never came to their minds。 They knew we were boxed in。
Over coffee we just sat around； keeping an ear tuned for movement。 Rocca was propped up by his saddle atop a couple of rocks。
John J。 Battles was quiet； saying nothing much until suddenly he started to talk of home。 It seemed he'd e from New England； of a good； solid family。 He had made a place for himself in the town and was a respected young businessman； and then he got involved with a girl； and another young man from a respected but high…riding family had e for him with a gun。 This fellow had been drinking； and threatened to kill Battles on sight。 When they met again Battles was armed； and in the exchange of shots； he killed the man。
There had been a trial； and Battles was cleared of the shooting； but he found himself no longer wele at the girl's house； or anywhere else in town。 So he sold his business； went west； and had drifted。 He had driven stage； ridden shotgun for Wells Fargo； during which time he killed a holdup man and wounded his partner。 He had been a deputy marshal for a time； had driven north with a cattle drive； and scouted against the Cheyenne。
〃What happened to the girl？〃 Spanish wanted to know。
Battles glanced up。 〃What you'd expect。 She married somebody else； not as well off as I'd been； and he got to hitting the bottle。 A couple of years later his horse ran away with his rig and he was killed。
〃She wrote； wanted me to e back。 Offered to e west to me； and you know something？ Try as I might； I couldn't even remember exactly what she looked like。〃
〃You didn't have a picture？〃
〃Had one。 Lost it when the Cheyennes ambushed a stage I was traveling on。〃 He paused for a moment。 〃I'd like to have seen the leaves change color back in the Vermont hills again。 I'd like to have seen my family again。〃
〃I thought you had no family；〃 I said。
〃I've got a sister and two brothers。〃 He sipped some coffee。 〃One brother is a banker in Boston。 The other one is a teacher。 I'd gone into business； but a teacher was what I really wanted to be； only when the moment came I was steadier with a gun that I should have been。〃 Nobody talked there for a time； and then Battles looked around at me。 〃Any of your family ever in New England？ There was a man named Sackett made quite a name for himself up in Maine during the Revolution。 Seems he was wounded or hurt or something； and he spent the winter on the farm with my great…grandparents； helped them through a bad time。〃
〃Uh…huh。 My great…grandfather fought in the Revolution。 He was with Dearborn at Saratoga； and he was in Dearborn's mand when they marched with General Sullivan to destroy the towns of the Iroquois。〃
〃Likely it's the same man。〃 Battles put down his coffee cup and began to stoke his pipe。
Spanish walked in from the lookout 〃All quiet；〃 he said。 〃There's still one fire goin' 〃
Quiet as could
