第 25 节
作者:披荆斩棘      更新:2022-11-23 12:11      字数:9322
  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