登陆注册
5421300000009

第9章

Consciousness reported to us a strange, hurried sound like the long roll on a drum. Investigation showed us that this cave, too, had sprung a leak; not with any premonitory drip, but all at once, as though someone had turned on a faucet. In ten seconds a very competent streamlet six inches wide had eroded a course down through the guano, past the fire and to the outer slope. And by the irony of fate that one--and only one--leak in all the roof expanse of a big cave was directly over one end of our tiny ledge. The Cattleman laughed.

"Reminds me of the old farmer and his kind friend," said he.

"Kind friend hunts up the old farmer in the village.

"'John,' says he, 'I've bad news for you. Your barn has burned up.'

"'My Lord!' says the farmer.

"'But that ain't the worst. Your cow was burned, too.'

"'My Lord!' says the farmer.

"'But that ain't the worst. Your horses were burned.'

"'My Lord!' says the farmer.

"'But, that ain't the worst. The barn set fire to the house, and it was burned--total loss.'

"'My Lord!' groans the farmer.

"'But that ain't the worst. Your wife and child were killed, too.'

"'At that the farmer began to roar with laughter.

"'Good heavens, man!' cries his friend, astonished, 'what in the world do you find to laugh at in that?'

"'Don't you see?' answers the farmer. 'Why, it's so darn COMPLETE!'

"Well," finished the Cattleman, "that's what strikes me about our case; it's so darn complete!""What time is it?" asked Windy Bill.

"Midnight," I announced.

"Lord! Six hours to day!" groaned Windy Bill. "How'd you like to be doin' a nice quiet job at gardenin' in the East where you could belly up to the bar reg'lar every evenin', and drink a pussy cafe and smoke tailor-made cigareets?""You wouldn't like it a bit," put in the Cattleman with decision;whereupon in proof he told us the following story:

Windy has mentioned Gentleman Tim, and that reminded me of the first time I ever saw him. He was an Irishman all right, but he had been educated in England, and except for his accent he was more an Englishman than anything else. A freight outfit brought him into Tucson from Santa Fe and dumped him down on the plaza, where at once every idler in town gathered to quiz him.

Certainly he was one of the greenest specimens I ever saw in this country. He had on a pair of balloon pants and a Norfolk jacket, and was surrounded by a half-dozen baby trunks. His face was red-cheeked and aggressively clean, and his eye limpid as a child's. Most of those present thought that indicated childishness; but I could see that it was only utter self-unconsciousness.

It seemed that he was out for big game, and intended to go after silver-tips somewhere in these very mountains. Of course he was offered plenty of advice, and would probably have made engagements much to be regretted had I not taken a strong fancy to him.

"My friend," said I, drawing him aside, "I don't want to be inquisitive, but what might you do when you're home?""I'm a younger son," said he. I was green myself in those days, and knew nothing of primogeniture.

"That is a very interesting piece of family history," said I, "but it does not answer my question."He smiled.

"Well now, I hadn't thought of that," said he, "but in a manner of speaking, it does. I do nothing.""Well," said I, unabashed, "if you saw me trying to be a younger son and likely to forget myself and do something without meaning to, wouldn't you be apt to warn me?""Well, 'pon honour, you're a queer chap. What do you mean?""I mean that if you hire any of those men to guide you in the mountains, you'll be outrageously cheated, and will be lucky if you're not gobbled by Apaches.""Do you do any guiding yourself, now?" he asked, most innocent of manner.

But I flared up.

"You damn ungrateful pup," I said, "go to the devil in your own way," and turned square on my heel.

But the young man was at my elbow, his hand on my shoulder.

"Oh, I say now, I'm sorry. I didn't rightly understand. Do wait one moment until I dispose of these boxes of mine, and then I want the honour of your further acquaintance."He got some Greasers to take his trunks over to the hotel, then linked his arm in mine most engagingly.

"Now, my dear chap," said he, "let's go somewhere for a B & S, and find out about each other."We were both young and expansive. We exchanged views, names, and confidences, and before noon we had arranged to hunt together, I to collect the outfit.

The upshot of the matter was that the Honourable Timothy Clare and I had a most excellent month's excursion, shot several good bear, and returned to Tucson the best of friends.

At Tucson was Schiefflein and his stories of a big strike down in the Apache country. Nothing would do but that we should both go to see for ourselves. We joined the second expedition; crept in the gullies, tied bushes about ourselves when monumenting corners, and so helped establish the town of Tombstone. We made nothing, nor attempted to. Neither of us knew anything of mining, but we were both thirsty for adventure, and took a schoolboy delight in playing the game of life or death with the Chiricahuas.

In fact, I never saw anybody take to the wild life as eagerly as the Honourable Timothy Clare. He wanted to attempt everything.

With him it was no sooner see than try, and he had such an abundance of enthusiasm that he generally succeeded. The balloon pants soon went. In a month his outfit was irreproachable. He used to study us by the hour, taking in every detail of our equipment, from the smallest to the most important. Then he asked questions. For all his desire to be one of the country, he was never ashamed to acknowledge his ignorance.

"Now, don't you chaps think it silly to wear such high heels to your boots?" he would ask. "It seems to me a very useless sort of vanity.""No vanity about it, Tim," I explained. "In the first place, it keeps your foot from slipping through the stirrup. In the second place, it is good to grip on the ground when you're roping afoot.""By Jove, that's true!" he cried.

同类推荐
  • 戎幕闲谈

    戎幕闲谈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 明太宗宝训

    明太宗宝训

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 观所缘论释

    观所缘论释

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说十二游经

    佛说十二游经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 新官轨范

    新官轨范

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 世界最具幻想性的童话故事(5)

    世界最具幻想性的童话故事(5)

    我的课外第一本书——震撼心灵阅读之旅经典文库,《阅读文库》编委会编。通过各种形式的故事和语言,讲述我们在成长中需要的知识。
  • 一本书读通世界未解之谜

    一本书读通世界未解之谜

    本书以知识性和趣味性为宗旨,全方位、多角度地展示各领域有研究价值、具探索意义和为人们所关注的多个世界未解之谜,分为宇宙疑云、文明探秘、自然异象、历史迷雾、科学谜团、艺术迷踪、军事秘闻、离奇悬案、考古传奇、名人奇事10个部分,生动剖析了这些谜团背后隐藏的真相与玄疑。虽然这些世界未解之谜目前还没有完美的答案,但是却能够激发人们的好奇心。让人类的想象力更好地挑战极限、探索未来。编者精心挑选了许多精美图片,它们与人物、故事、谜题一一对应,为读者展示出更为广阔的认知视野和想象空间,带给读者更多的审美感受和愉快体验。古往今来,世界给人们留下了众多的历史谜团、离奇事件,我们已熟知的种种谜团还没有得到破解,而新的更加惊魂的谜团又接踵而至。这些匪夷所思的世界未解之谜激发着我们不断地增长探求神秘的好奇心……通过本书,读者能够真切地感受到谜底层层揭开,真相娓娓道来的那种畅快;更能体会零距离接触世界文化和历史,全方位透视人性和历史智慧的感觉。
  • 每天懂点趣味色彩学·九型人格·心理说明书

    每天懂点趣味色彩学·九型人格·心理说明书

    揭秘不可思议的心理现象,用科学的方法深入复杂难测的人心,各种前所未见、匪夷所思的心理学分析,令你拍案叫绝!爱情心理学、经济心理学、人际关系心理学、自我管理心理学都网罗其中。
  • 重生女神:高冷校草送上门

    重生女神:高冷校草送上门

    全校人都觉得校草梁成舟高冷矜贵,难以接近。只有他自己清楚,只要白锦一出现,他的眼里就再也看不到别人。前世,直到临死前,白锦才知道,原来表面温柔和气的表姐背后夺了她的机缘,抢了她的富贵,还和白妈联手逼她嫁给一个又老又丑的暴发户!重活一世,她要牢牢抓住属于自己的一切!只是没想到,重生的惊喜不只这些……她比前世更早地遇见自己暗恋了十多年的男神,并且男神对她虎视眈眈?!面对送上门的校草,她到底是要,还是不要?
  • 古古还你余生

    古古还你余生

    遗落在契灵界的一缕孤单魂魄,被魔咒执念所召唤,杯心仙草来筑身,机缘巧合留下姑苏古一缕魂灵……她,承载着不同的命运,一心想要解脱意界之行,为爱,曾想过舍弃自己,却不曾想换来一世炎凉……剑尖刺进了她的心脏,契约被毁,一个现代女性回不到现实,心碎的她,有了一个漫长的等待……只为一个结果!
  • 大诅咒师

    大诅咒师

    他只是个病恹恹,随时一命呜呼的人,却凭借一张嘴,开合间杀人于千里之外。一句话覆灭千军万马;一声吼天翻地覆。他是万年前世人唾骂、万族仇视、到哪里都被当成不祥煞星的诅咒师传人。万年后,仅剩的诅咒师聂长空再现世间!
  • 真理的入门:维吾尔族古典文学名著(中华大国学经典文库)

    真理的入门:维吾尔族古典文学名著(中华大国学经典文库)

    《真理的入门》是喀喇汗王朝维吾尔族盲人诗人阿合买提·玉克乃克(110~1180)用喀什噶尔的回鹘文写成的一部劝诫性的长诗。全文共分14章,约512行。诗歌采用阿鲁孜韵律中的木塔卡里甫格律,用中古西部维吾尔语喀什噶尔方言写成。主要阐述了当时回鹘人的伊斯兰教哲学伦理观念,在一定程度上也反映了当时的社会动乱、城市荒芜和道德败坏的情况。寓意深刻,韵律优美,富有哲理性。书中主要阐述穆斯林应遵奉的道德准则及修身处世之道。在宇宙观上,作者认为只有真主是永恒的,宇宙万物为真主所造化,日月星辰与时间围绕大地轮回运转,人类及万物都在真主的主宰下不断运动。
  • 嫡女归来

    嫡女归来

    杀我皇儿,弑我亲母,夺我后位,抢我荣华富贵,还将我活生生烧死。你可想过,我还能回来?--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 黄箓救苦十斋转经仪

    黄箓救苦十斋转经仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 风雪阁

    风雪阁

    那是一个悲欢离合的伤心之地,是传奇与神话的巅峰。落月、碧雪,琴瑟和鸣;在这江湖之中,看谁傲看武林,看谁笑傲江湖。