pdouglas.thecodex-第39部分

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　Tom　rose　cautiously；　lifting　Sally。　There　were　flecks　of　blood　on　her　cheek　where　splinters　of　wood　had　cut　her。
　〃Are　you　all　right？〃
　She　nodded　mutely。
　Their　boat　was　now　running　alongside　a　high　embankment　of　boulders　and　brush；　almost　underneath　the　overhanging　bushes。　He　sat　up　and　turned　to　the　dugout　behind；　calling　to　his　brother。　〃Vernon！　Vernon！　Are　you　hurt？〃　Tom　could　see　there　was　a　bloody　hand　clutching　the　tiller　of　the　dugout　behind。　〃Vernon！〃　Tom　screamed。
　Vernon　rose　up　shakily　from　the　center　of　the　boat。　He　looked　stunned。
　〃Vernon！　My　God；　are　you　okay？〃
　〃Pingo's　hurt。〃
　〃How　bad？〃
　〃Really　bad。〃
　The　cough　and　roar　of　a　boat　engine　sounded　upriver；　and　then　a　second　one。　Tom　could　hear　distant　shouts。
　Don　Alfonso　steered　the　boat　as　close　as　possible　to　the　embankment。　Vernon　had　taken　the　tiller　of　his　boat　and　was　following。
　〃We　can't　outrun　them；〃　Tom　said。
　Sally　turned　to　Chori。　〃Give　me　your　gun。〃
　Chori　looked　at　her；　unprehending。
　Without　waiting　Sally　grabbed　the　gun；　checked　to　see　it　was　loaded；　slammed　the　bolt　back；　and　crouched　in　the　stern。
　〃You　can't　stop　them　with　that；〃　Tom　cried。　〃They've　got　automatic　weapons。〃
　〃I　can　sure　as　hell　slow　them　down。〃
　Tom　could　see　their　two　boats　ing　around　the　bend　in　the　river；　the　soldiers　aiming　their　weapons。
　〃Down！〃
　Tom　heard　a　single　shot　from　Sally's　gun　just　as　a　burst　of　gunfire　raked　the　vegetation　hanging　down　over　them；　showering　them　with　leaves。　The　shot　had　the　desired　effect：　The　two　boats　veered　off　in　a　panic　for　the　cover　of　the　riverbank。　Sally　dropped　down　next　to　Tom。
　Don　Alfonso　was　steering　their　boat　under　the　embankment；　the　propeller　striking　rocks　and　whining　as　it　was　forced　out　of　the　water。　More　bullets　whizzed　overhead；　and　there　was　a　dull　metallic　clank　as　one　of　the　rounds　struck　the　engine。　The　engine　spluttered；　then　there　was　a　whoosh　as　it　caught　fire；　the　boat　turning　broadside　to　the　sluggish　current。　The　fire　spread　with　incredible　speed；　the　flames　leaping　up　from　the　melting　rubber　gas　lines。　The　prow　of　Pingo　and　Vernon's　boat　bumped　into　their　hull　from　behind；　jamming　up　against　it　as　burning　gas　began　to　spread　on　the　bottom　of　their　boat；　licking　up　around　the　gas　tanks。
　〃Out！〃　said　Tom。　〃They're　going　to　blow。　Grab　what　you　can！〃
　They　threw　themselves　over　the　sides　and　into　the　shallows　along　the　riverbank。　Vernon　and　Chori　grabbed　Pingo　and　carried　him　up　the　embankment。　Another　burst　of　gunfire　slammed　into　the　bank　above　them；　sending　dirt　and　pebbles　cascading　down；　but　Sally's　shot　had　made　the　soldiers　cautious；　and　they　were　keeping　their　distance。　The　fugitives　scrambled　up　the　dirt　embankment　and　took　cover　beneath　a　mass　of　overhanging　vegetation；　stopping　to　catch　their　breath。
　〃We've　got　to　keep　going；〃　Tom　cried。
　At　the　top　of　the　embankment　Tom　looked　back　only　once；　to　see　their　boats　drifting　downstream；　flames　leaping。　There　was　a　muffled　explosion　as　the　gas　can　in　one　of　the　boats　exploded；　sending　a　ball　of　flame　skyward。　Beyond；　the　boats　with　the　soldiers　were　cautiously　angling　in　toward　shore。　Sally；　still　carrying　Chori's　gun；　dropped　to　a　knee　and　fired　a　second　shot　through　the　screen　of　vegetation。
　They　retreated　deeper　into　the　jungle；　taking　turns　carrying　Pingo；　forcing　their　way　through　the　thick　vegetation。　From　behind　Tom　could　hear　more　shouting；　followed　by　some　random　shooting　through　the　forest　and　the　muffled　crump　of　another　exploding　gas　tank。　The　men　had　evidently　landed　their　boats　and　were　halfheartedly　chasing　them。　But　as　they　pushed　deeper　into　the　forest；　the　sporadic　gunfire　grew　fainter　until　the　sounds　disappeared　altogether。
　They　halted　in　a　small　grassy　clearing。　Tom　and　Vernon　laid　Pingo　down；　and　Tom　bent　over　him；　desperately　feeling　for　a　pulse。　There　was　none。　He　located　the　wound。　It　was　horrifying。　An　expanding　bullet　had　struck　Pingo　in　the　back；　between　the　shoulder　blades；　and　emerged　with　explosive　force　from　his　chest；　leaving　a　gaping　hole　more　than　six　inches　across。　It　had　passed　directly　through　the　heart。　It　was　amazing　he　had　lived　for　even　a　few　seconds　after　a　wound　like　that。
　Tom　glanced　up　at　Chori。　The　man　had　an　expression　on　his　face　that　was　absolutely　cold。
　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　Don　Alfonso　said；　〃There　is　no　time　to　be　sorry。　We　must　go。〃
　〃And　leave　the　body　here？〃
　〃Chori　will　stay　with　it。〃
　〃But　the　soldiers　are　surely　ing…〃
　Don　Alfonso　cut　him　off。　〃Yes。　And　Chori　must　do　what　he　must　do。〃　He　turned　to　Sally。　〃You　keep　his　gun　and　ammunition。　We　will　not　see　Chori　again。　Let　us　go。〃
　〃We　can　t　leave　him　here！〃　Tom　protested。
　Don　Alfonso　grabbed　Tom's　shoulders。　His　hands　were　surprisingly　strong；　like　steel　clamps。　He　spoke　quietly　but　with　intensity。　〃Chori　has　unfinished　business　with　his　brother's　killers。〃
　〃Without　a　gun？〃　Sally　asked　as　Chori　took　out　of　his　leather　bag　a　tattered　box　of　ammunition　and　handed　it　to　her。
　〃Silent　arrows　are　more　effective　in　the　jungle。　He　will　kill　enough　of　them　to　die　with　honor。　This　is　our　way。　Do　not　interfere。〃　Without　a　backward　glance　Don　Alfonso　turned；　swiped　his　machete　across　a　wall　of　vegetation；　and　plunged　through　the　opening。　They　followed；　struggling　to　keep　up　with　the　old　man；　who　moved　with　the　speed　and　silence　of　a　bat。　Tom　had　no　idea　where　they　were　heading。　They　walked　for　hours　up　and　down　ravines；　wading　swift　streams；　at　times　hacking　their　way　through　dense　stands　of　bamboo　or　ferns。　Biting　ants　rained　down　on　them　and　crawled　down　their　shirts；　and　several　times　Don　Alfonso　impaled　small　snakes　with　his　machete　and　flicked　them　aside。　It　rained　briefly　and　they　were　soaked。
　The　sun　came　out　and　they　steamed。　Clouds　of　insects　followed　them；　biting　viciously。　Nobody　spoke。　No　one　could　speak。　It　was　all　they　could　do　to　keep　up。
　Hours　later；　when　the　light　began　to　die　in　the　treetops；　Don　Alfonso　halted。　Without　a　word　he　sat　on　a　fallen　tree　trunk；　fished　out　his　pipe；　and　lit　it。　Tom　watched　the　match　flare　up　and　wondered　how　many　more　they　had。　They　had　lost　almost　everything　with　the　burning　of　the　boats。
　〃What　now？〃　Vernon　asked。
　〃We　camp；〃　said　Don　Alfonso。　He　pointed　with　his　machete。　〃Make　a　fire。　There。〃
　Vernon　got　to　work　and　Tom　helped。
　Don　Alfonso　pointed　his　machete　at　Sally。　〃You：　Go　hunting。　You　may　be　a　woman；　but　you　shoot　like　a　man　and　you　have　the　courage　of　a　man。〃
　Tom　looked　at　Sally。　Her　face　was　smudged；　her　long　blond　hair　in　tangles；　the　gun　slung　over　her　shoulder。　He　could　see　in　her　face　everything　he　was　feeling：　the　shock　and　surprise　of　the　attack；　horror　at　the　death　of　Pingo；　dread　at　the　loss　of　all　their　supplies；　determination　to　survive。　She　nodded　and　went　off　into　the　forest。
　Don　Alfonso　looked　at　Tom。　〃You　and　I　will　build　a　hut。〃
　
　An　hour　later；　night　had　fallen。　They　were　sitting　around　the　fire；　eating　the　last　of　a　stew　made　from　a　large　rodent　Sally　had　shot。　A　small　thatched　hut　sat　nearby；　and　Don　Alfonso　sat　in　front　of　a　pile　of　palm　leaves；　stripping　them　and　weaving　them　into　hammocks。　He　had　been　silent　except　for　giving　terse　orders。
　〃Who　were　those　soldiers？〃　Tom　asked　Don　Alfonso。
　Don　Alfonso　busied　himself　over　the　hammocks。　〃Those　were　the　soldiers　who　came　upriver　with　your　other　brother　Philip。〃
　〃Philip　would　never　permit　an　attack　on　us；〃　said　Vernon。
　〃No；〃　said　Tom。　He　felt　his　heart　sink。　There　must　have　been　a　mutiny　on　Philip's　expedition；　or　something　else　had　happened。　At　any　rate；　Philip　must　be　in　grave　danger…if　not　already　dead。　The　unknown　enemy；　therefore；　had　to　be　Hauser。　He　was　the　one　who　had　killed　the　two　policemen　in　Santa　Fe；　who　had　arranged　for　their　capture　in　Brus；　who　was　behind　this　most　recent　attack　on　them。
　〃The　question；〃　Sally　said；　〃is　whether　we　go　on　or　go　back。〃
　Tom　nodded。
　〃It'd　be　suicide　to　go　on；〃　Vernon　said。　〃We've　got　nothing…no　food；　no　clothes；　no　tents；　sleeping　bags；　or　food。〃
　〃Philip's　up　ahead；〃　said　Tom。　〃And　he's　in　trouble。　It's　pretty　obvious　that　Hauser's　the　one　behind　the　killing　of　the　two　policemen　in　Santa　Fe。
　There　was　a　silence。　〃Maybe　we　should　go　back；　resupply；　and　return。　We　won't　be　able　t