the heritage of the sioux-第23部分

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blank；　wavery　distance　and　the　mesa　lay　empty　and　quivering　under　the　sun。



〃Fine　chance　we've　got　of　locating　anything；〃　Andy　grumbled；　〃if　it's　going　to

be　miragy　all　day。　We　could　run　our　fool　heads　off　trying　to　get　up　to　a　bunch

that　would　puff　out　into　nothing。　Makes　a　fellow　think　of　the　stories　they

tell　about　old　prospectors　going　crazy　trying　to　find　mirage　water…holes。　I'm

glad　we　didn't　get　hung　up　at　a　dry　camp；　Luck。　Yuh　realize　what　that　would　be

like？〃



〃Oh；　I　may　have　some　faint　idea；〃　Luck　drawled　whimsically。　〃Look　over　there；

Andy　over　toward　Albuquerque。　Is　that　a　mirage　again；　or　do　you　see　something

moving？〃



Andy；　having　the　glasses；　swung　them　slowly　to　the　southeast。　After　a　minute

or　two　he　shook　his　head　and　gave　the　glasses　to　Luck。　〃There　was　one　square

look　I　got；　and　I'd　been　willing　to　swear　it　was　our　saddle…bunch；〃　he　said。

〃And　then　they　got　to　wobbling　and　I　couldn't　make　out　what　they　are。　They

might　be　field　mice；　or　they　might　be　giraffesI'm　darned　if　I　know　which。〃



Luck　focussed　the　glasses；　but　whatever　the　objects　had　been；　they　were　no

longer　to　he　seen。　So　the　two　hours　passed　and　they　saw　Applehead　and　Lite

come　slowly　up　the　hill　from　camp　bearing　their　rifles　and　their　ropes　and　a

canteen　of　fresh　water；　as　the　three　things　they　might　find　most　use　for。



These　two　settled　themselves　to　watch　for　horsestheir　own　range　horses。　When

they　were　relieved　they　reported　nothing　save　a　continued　inclination　on　the

part　of　the　atmosphere　to　be　what　Andy　called　miragy。　So；　the　day　passed；

chafing　their　spirits　worse　than　any　amount　of　active　trouble　would　have　done。

Pink　slept　and　brooded　by　turns；　still　blaming　himself　for　the　misfortune。　The

others　moped；　or　took　their　turns　on　the　pinnacle　to　strain　their　eyes

unavailingly　into　the　four　corners　of　the　earthor　as　much　as　they　could　in

those　directions。



With　the　going　of　the　sun　Applehead　and　Lite；　sitting　out　their　second　guard

on　the　pinnacle；　discussed　seriously　the　desperate　idea　of　going　in　the　night

to　the　nearest　Navajo　ranch　and　helping　themselves　to　what　horses　they　could

find　about　the　place。　The　biggest　obstacle　was　their　absolute　ignorance　of

where　the　nearest　ranch　lay。　Not；　surely；　that　half…day's　ride　back　towards

Albuquerque；　where　they　bad　seen　but　one　pony　and　that　a　poor　specimen　of

horseflesh。　Another　obstacle　would　be　the　dogs；　which　could　be　quieted　only

with　bullets。



〃We　might　git　hold　of　something　to　ride；〃　Applehead　stated　glumly；　〃an'　then

agin　the　chances　is　we　wouldn't　git　nothin'　more'n　a　scrap　on　our　hands。　'N'

I'm　tellin'　yuh　right　now；　Lite；　I　ain't　hankerin'　fer　no　fuss　till　I　git　a

hoss　under　me。〃



〃Me　either；〃　Lite　testified　succinctly。　〃Say；　is　that　something　coming；　away

up　that　draw　the　camp's　in？　Seems　to　me　I　saw　something　pass　that　line　of

lava；　about　half　a　mile　over。〃



Applehead　stood　up　and　peered　into　the　half　darkness。　In　a　couple　of　minutes

he　said：　〃Ye　better　git　down　an'　tell　the　boys　t'　be　on　the　watch；　Lite。　They

can't　see　no　hat…wavin'　this　time　uh　day。　They's　somethin'　movin'　up　to…wards

camp；　but　what　er　who　they　be　I　can't　make　out　in　the　dark。　Tell　Luck〃



〃What's　the　matter　with　us　both　going？〃　Lite　asked；　cupping　his　hands　around

his　eyes　that　he　might　see　better。　〃It's　getting　too　dark　to　do　any　good　up

here〃



〃Well；　I　calc'late　mebby　yore　right；〃　Applehead　admitted；　and　began　to　pick

his　way　down　over　the　rocks。　〃Ef　them's　Injuns；　the　bigger　we　stack　up　in　camp

the　better。　If　it's　Ramon　'n'　his　bunch；　I　want　t'　git　m'　hands　on　'im。〃



He　must　have　turned　the　matter　over　pretty　thoroughly　in　his　mind；　for　when

the　two　reached　camp　he　had　his　ideas　fixed　and　his　plans　all　perfected。　He

told　Luck　that　somebody　was　working　down　the　draw　in　the　dark；　and　that　it

looked　like　a　Navvy　trick；　and　that　they　had　better　be　ready　for　them；　because

they　weren't　coming　just　to　pass　the　time　of　day〃now　I'm　tellin'　ye！〃



The　nerves　of　the　Happy　Family　were　raw　enough　by　now　to　welcome　anything　that

promised　action；　even　an　Indian　fight　would　not　be　so　much　a　disaster　as　a

novel　way　of　breaking　the　monotony。　Applehead；　with　the　experience　gathered　in

the　old　days　when　he　was　a　young　fellow　with　a　freighting　outfit　and　old

Geronimo　was　terrorizing　all　this　country；　sent　them　back　in　compact　half

circle　just　within　the　shelter　of　the　trees　and　several　rods　。away　from　their

campfire　and　the　waterhole。　There；　lying　crouched　behind　their　saddles　with

their　rifles　across　the　seat…sides　and　with　ammunition　belts　full　of

cartridges；　they　waited　for　whatever　might　be　coming　in　the　dark。



〃It's　horses；〃　Pink　exclaimed　under　his　breath；　as　faint　sounds　came　down　the

draw。　〃Maybe〃



〃Horsesand　an　Injun　laying　along　the　back　of　every　one；　most　likely；〃

Applehead　returned　grimly。　〃An　old　Navvy　trick；　that　isdon't　let　'em　fool

ye；　boys！　You　jest　wait；　'n'　I'll　tell　ye　'when　t'　shoot；　er　whether　t'　shoot

at　all。　They　can't　fool　MEnow　I'm　tellin'　yuh！



After　that　they　were　silent；　listening　strainedly　to　the　growing　sounds　of

approach。　There　was　the　dull；　unmistakable　click　of　a　hoof　striking　against　a

rock；　the　softer　sound　of　treading　on　yielding　soil。　Then　a　blur　of　dark

objects　became　visible；　moving　slowly　and　steadily　toward　the　camp。



〃Aw；　it's　just　horses；〃　Happy　Jack　muttered　disgustedly。



Applehead　stretched　a　lean　leg　in　his　direction　and　gave　Happy　Jack　a　kick。

〃They're　cunnin'；〃　he　hissed　warningly。　〃Don't　yuh　be　fooled〃



〃That's　Johnny　in　the　lead；〃　Pink　whispered　excitedly。　〃I'd　know　the　way　he

walks〃



〃'N'　you　THOUGHT　yuh　knowed　how　he　jingled　his　dang　bell；〃　Applehead　retorted

unkindly。　〃Sh…sh…sh〃



Reminded　by　the　taunt　of　the　clever　trick　that　had　been　played　upon　them　the

night　before；　the　Happy　Family　stiffened　again　into　strained；　waiting　

silence；　their　rifles　aimed　straight　at　the　advancing　objects。　These；　still

vague　in　the　first　real　darkness　of　early　　night；　moved　steadily　in　a

scattered　group　behind　a　leader　that　was　undoubtedly　Johnny　of　the　erstwhile

tinkling　bell。　He　circled　the　campfire　just　without　its　radius　of　light；　so

that　they　could　not　tell　whether　an　Indian　lay　along　his　back；　and　beaded

straight　for　the　water…hole。　The　others　followed　him；　and　not　one　came　into

the　firelighta　detail　which　sharpened　the　suspicions　of　the　men　crouched

there　in　the　edge　of　the　bushes；　and　tingled　their　nerves　with　the　sense　of

something　sinister　in　the　very　unconcernedness　of　the　animals。



They　splashed　into　the　water…hole　and　drank　thirstily　and　long。　They　stood

there　as　though　they　were　luxuriating　in　the　feel　of　more　water　than　they

could　drink；　and　one　horse　blew　the　moisture　from　his　nostrils　with　a　sound

that　made　Happy　Jack　jump。



After　a　few　minutes　that　seemed　an　hour　to　those　who　waited　with　fingers

crooked　upon　gun…triggers；　the　horse　that　looked　vaguely　like　Johnny　turned

away　from　the　water…hole　and　sneezed　while　he　appeared　to　be　wondering　what　to

do　next。　He　moved　slowly　toward　the　packs　that　were　thrown　down　just　where

they　had　been　taken　from　the　horses；　and　began　nosing　tentatively　about。



The　others　loitered　still　at　the　water…hole；　save　onethe　buckskin；　by　his

lighter　look　in　the　darkthat　came　over　to　Johnny。　The　two　horses　nosed　the

packs。　A　dull　sound　of　clashing　metal　came　to　the　ears　of　the　Happy　Family。



〃Hey！　Get　outa　that　grain；　doggone　your　fool　hide；〃　Pink　called　out

impulsively；　crawling　over　his　saddle　and　catching　his　foot　in　the　stirrup

leather　so　that　he　came　near　going　headlong。



Applehead　yelled　something；　but　Pink　had　recovered　his　balance　and　was　running

to　save　the　precious　horsefeed　from　waste；　and　Johnny　from　foundering。　There

might　have　been　two　Indiana　on　every　horse　in　sight；　but　Pink　was　not　thinking

of　that　possibility　just　then。



Johnny　whirled　guiltily　away　from　the　grain　bag；　licking　his　lips　and　blowing

dust　from　his　nostrils。　Pink　went　up　to　him　and　slipped　a　rope　around　his

neck。　〃Where's　that　bell？〃　he　called　out　in　his　soft　treble。　〃Or　do　you　think

we　better　tie　the　old　son…of…a…gun　up　and　be　sure　of　him？〃



〃Aw；〃　said　Happy　Jack　disgustedly　a　few　minutes　later；　when　the　Happy　Family

had　crawled　　out　of　their　ambush　and　were　feeling　particularly　foolish。　〃Nex'

time　old　granny　Furrman　says　Injuns　t'　this　bunch；　somebody　oughta　gag　him　〃



〃I　notice　you　waited　till　he'd　gone　outa　hearing　before　you　said　that；〃　Luck

told　him　drily。　〃We're　going　to　put　out　extra　guards　tonight；　just　the　same。

And　I　guess　you　can　stand　the　first　shift；　Happy；　up　there　on　the

ridgeyou're　so　sure　of　things！〃







CHAPTER　XV。　〃NOW；　DANG　IT；　RIDE！〃



Indians　are　Indians；　though　they　wear　the　green　sweater　and　overalls　of

civilization　and　set　upon　their　black　hair　the　hat　made　famous　by　John　B。

Stetson。　You　may　meet　them　in　town　and　think　them　tamed　to　stupidity。　You　may

travel　out　upon　their　reservations　and　find　them　shearing　sheep　or　hoeing　corn

or　plodding　along　the　furrow；　plowing　their　fields；　or　you　may　watch　them

dancing　grotesquely　in　their　festivals；　and　still　think　that　civilization　is

fast　erasing　the　savage　instincts　from　their　natures。　You　will　be　partly　right

but　you　will　also　be　partly　mistaken。　An　Indian　is　always　an　Indian；　and　a

Navajo　Indian　carries　a　thinner　crust　of　civilization　than　do　some　others；　as

I　am　going　to　illustrate。



As　you　have　suspected；　the　Happy　Family　was　not　following　the　trail　of　Ramon

Chavez　and　his　band。　Ramon　was　a　good　many　miles　away　in　another　direction；

unwittingly　the　Happy　Family　was　keeping　doggedly　upon　the　trail　of　a　party　of

renegade　Navajos　who　had　been　out　on　a　thieving　expedition　among　those

Mexicans　who　live　upon　the　Rio　Grande　bottomland。　　Having　plenty　of　reasons

for　hurrying　back　to　their　stronghold；　and　having　plenty　of　lawlessness　to

account　for；　when　they　realized　that　they　were　being　followed　by　nine　white