lla.thelonelymen-第24部分

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ks　showed　the　hind　feet　dug　in　a　mite；　and　it　looked　as　if　the　cat　had　taken　a　jump。　Then　I　saw　a　rock　where　he　might　have　landed。　From　where　I　stood　the　rock's　face　was　sheer；　but　the　edge；　about　six　feet　above　my　head；　was　broken；　and　the　cracks　were　filled　with　talus。
　I　realized　I　couldn't；　even　by　jumping；　reach　the　edge；　but　when　I　climbed　up　on　a　small　rock　I　could　see　scratches　on　the　big　one　I　wanted　to　reach；　and　there　were　so　many　scratches　that　it　looked　as　if　that　cat　had　used　this　trail　a　good　many　times。
　Hunting　for　foot…holds；　I　found　a　couple　and　managed　to　scramble　onto　the　big　rock。　There　was　a　crack　in　the　rock　that　led　to　the　rim　in　a　steep　slide；　filled　with　broken　rock。　In　a　few　minutes　I　was　up　on　top　of　the　mesa；　which　stretched　away　for　miles。　Here　there　was　thin　grass；　a　few　clumps　of　prickly　pear；　and　the　cat　tracks；　fading　away　to　the　northwest。
　From　where　I　now　stood　I　could　not　see　the　hollow；　but　only　the　further　rim　of　the　canyon　and　some　of　the　bottom。　There　were　no　Apaches　in　view；　and　it　was　likely　none　of　them　could　see　me。
　I　went　back　down　into　the　crack　and　studied　it。　It　would　be　a　steep　scramble；　but　I'd　taken　horses　up　worse　places。　If　I　could　just　get　them　over　that　first　rock　。。。
　As　I　was　easing　down　bit　by　bit　so　as　to　keep　out　of　sight　of　the　Apaches；　I　heard　a　rifle　shot　from　below。　That　worried　me　none　at　all。　No　Apache　was　going　to　climb　up　that　slope　with　a　rifle　up　there；　no　Apache　was　fool　enough　to　try。　Chances　were　some　Indian　showed　himself　to　test　us　out　and　Spanish　or　Battles　let　him　have　one　to　know　we　weren't　asleep。
　What　I　needed　now　was　to　be　able　to　figure　out　a　way　to　get　the　folks　out　of　that　hole。　And　it　was　surely　up　to　me。　Dorset　and　the　children　aside；　the　boys　with　me　had　e　just　because　they　were　my　friends　and　knew　I　needed　some　help。
　That　big　rock　was　the　thing。　There　were　cracks　in　it；　but　none　very　deep　that　I'd　noticed；　so　I　worked　my　way　back　for　a　closer　look。　On　one　side　it　was　cracked　and　broken；　and　I　began　digging　at　it；　hoping　to　dig　out　enough　so　that　a　couple　of　horses　might　scramble　up　or　be　hauled　up。
　First；　I　pulled　out　several　chunks　of　rock　that　were　in　the　crack；　big　pieces　of　fifty　or　sixty　pounds。　With　a　call　to　look　out　below；　I　tumbled　them　over。　For　almost　an　hour　I　worked　at　it。
　The　Apaches　had　taken　no　action　against　us；　and　that　gave　me　hope。　None　of　them　had　taken　off　to　ride　around　and　get　up　above　us；　and　as　they　knew　the　country；　maybe　they　knew　it　was　miles　before　there　was　a　way　out　of　that　barranca。
　Down　below　me　occasional　shots　sounded；　and　the　Apaches　fired　a　time　or　two。　The　way　I　was　fixed　they　couldn't　see　me；　nor　what　I　was　doing。　They　knew　better　than　anybody　that　there　was　no　help　I　could　can　on；　and　no　matter　what　I　did　they'd　have　my　scalp　sooner　or　later。　But　I　planned　to　make　them　work　for　it。　If　they　wanted　my　hair　they'd　have　to　get　it　the　hard　way。
　So　I　kept　on　at　the　rock；　and　unloaded　a　good　many　chunks　of　it。
　A　long；　thin　slab　formed　one　side　of　the　crack　I　was　digging　into。　It　was　all　of　six　or　eight　feet　long；　and　must　have　weighed　a　ton　or　more；　but　as　I　dug　down　around　it　I　could　see　it　was　a　free　slab；　broken　clean　off　the　main　rock。
　There　were　a　few　loose　rocks　at　the　base；　and　I　climbed　down　and　pulled　them　free。　I　had　me　an　idea　now；　and　I　didn't　figure　to　give　up　on　it。　In　a　time　and　place　like　that；　you　gamble　on　any　wild…haired　chance。　We　were　boxed　in；　the　Apaches　were　down　below；　and　they　were　willing　to　wait。　We　had　water　enough　for　a　while；　and　ammunition　enough　for　quite　a　fight；　but　that　wasn't　going　to　get　us　out　of　here。
　The　sun　beat　down　on　my　back　and　my　shirt　was　wet　with　sweat；　but　I'd　never　done　anything　much　in　my　life　but　work　hard；　and　didn't　know　any　different。　Besides；　we　Sacketts　were　a　right　stubborn　folk。　We　just　didn't　have　much　give…up　in　us。　We　always　kept　plugging　away；　and　that's　what　I　was　doing　this　time。
　Finally；　when　I'd　done　what　I　could　in　the　hole；　I　climbed　up　and　did　what　I'd　been　figuring　on。　I　got　into　the　top　of　that　crack；　put　my　back　against　one　side；　and　my　feet　against　the　other；　which　bowed　up　my　knees。　Then　with　my　hands　braced　against　the　rock　behind　me；　I　began　to　push。
　The　sweat　broke　out　on　my　face　and　rolled　down　me　in　streams。　Nothing　happened　…　nothing　at　all。　I　rested　a　mite　and　then　I　tried　again。　It　was　on　the　third　try　that　I　felt　her　give　a　mite。　So　I　buckled　down　and　tried　still　another　time；　and　she　gave　a　bit　more。
　Rocks　and　gravel　trickled　down　into　the　hollow　below；　and　then　Battles　climbed　up　there　to　help。
　He　studied　the　layout　and　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　believe　it。　Even　if　you　can　do　it；　what　then？〃
　〃I　figure　our　number's　up；〃　I　said。　〃Not　that　I　don't　figure　to　make　them　earn　it　with　blood；　but　that　girl　now　…　she's　got　to　have　a　running　chance。　She's　got　to　get　out；　and　those　children。〃
　He　squatted　on　his　heels　and　looked　at　me。　〃So？〃
　〃That　little　buckskin；　now。　That's　a　mountain　horse；　a　mountain　mustang；　and　I　figure　she　could　climb　a　tree　if　need　be。　The　girl's　horse　is　another。　Both　of　them　are　small；　both　are　quick　and　smart。　I　think　we　might；　if　we　can　make　any　sort　of　a　way　to；　get　the　girl　and　those　youngsters　out　of　here。　Might　even　be　a　chance　for　us。〃
　He　studied　the　layout　again。　If　that　slab　toppled　over；　it　would　leave　a　steep　slide　of　gravel　and　broken　rock。　With　a　couple　of　husky　men　pulling　and　a　horse　scrambling；　it　might　work。　With　one　horse　on　top　and　a　rope　around　the　pommel；　we　might　get　another　out。
　Battles　got　down　into　the　crack　and　scraped　some　good　footing　for　himself；　and　then　put　his　shoulder　against　the　slab。　Together　we　pushed；　we　strained。　Of　a　sudden　she　gave。　I　slid　lower　to　get　a　better　purchase；　and　we　tried　it　again。　She　tilted　a　bit；　then　stuck。　Try　as　we　might；　we　couldn't　push　that　slab　any　further。
　We　backed　off　and　studied　the　situation；　and　John　J。　kept　looking　at　that　crack。　It　was　a　whole　lot　wider　than　it　had　been；　and　slanted　steeply　down　to　the　gravel　slope　below。
　He　looked　at　the　crack；　and　then　he　looked　at　me　again。　〃Shall　we　try　it？〃　he　asked。
　Well；　now。　It　was　almighty　steep；　but　it　was　all　we　had。　I'd　seen　wild　horses　scramble　up　some　steep　slopes；　but　none　as　bad　as　this　…　but　with　a　little　help　。。。
　We　went　back　down　into　the　hollow　below　where　the　others　waited；　and　I　took　a　long　pull　at　a　canteen。　When　I　looked　up　to　where　we'd　been　it　fairly　turned　my　stomach。　What　we　needed　was　a　set　of　wings。
　I　saw　that　they　had　rigged　a　little　shade　for　Rocca　…　a　poncho　over　a　couple　of　rocks；　propped　up　with　a　stick。　I　went　over　and　squatted　down　beside　him。　〃I'm　hit　pretty　hard；　amigo；〃he　said。
　〃You'll　make　it。〃
　He　looked　up　to　the　rock　where　I'd　been。　〃What　you　got　in　mind？〃
　〃That's　the　only　way　out　for　the　two　little　horses；　the　girl　and　the　youngsters。　That　girl's　got　savvy。　Get　them　out　of　here；　and　she's　a　good　bet　to　make　the　border。〃
　〃I　keep　thinkin'　of　that　ranch　back　yonder；〃　Rocca　said；　〃of　those　trees；　an'　the　grass。〃
　〃It　was　quite　a　place。〃
　〃If　a　man　had　to　die；　that　would　be　the　best　he'd　be　likely　to　find。　I　figure　heaven　must　be　like　that。　Not　that　I'm　likely　to　make　it。〃　He　looked　at　me。　〃When　you　going　to　try　it？〃
　〃It's　ing　on　for　evenin'。　I　think　we'll　try　then。〃
　He　closed　his　eyes。　〃Wish　I　could　help。〃
　Dorset　came　over　and　I　laid　it　out　for　her。　We　were　going　to　try　to　get　them　out；　and　she　was　to　light　a　shuck　for　the　border；　hiding　out　by　day；　riding　in　the　evening　or　early　morning。　But　she　already　knew　what　she　needed　to　do。
　She　didn't　ask　any　foolish　questions；　either。　She　knew　what　was　likely　to　happen　here；　and　she　knew　what　we　needed　was　a　miracle。
　〃When　you　get　back；〃　I　told　her；　〃you　might　write　a　letter　to　Tyrel　Sackett；　up　in　Mora。　You　tell　him　about　it。　Tell　him　about　Laura；　too　…　how　she　sent　me　down　here　on　a　wild…goose　chase。〃
　〃I'll　do　that；〃　Dorset　said　quietly。　〃When　it　es　to　that；　I　may　go　to　see　her　myself。〃
　〃Leave　her　be。　She's　poison。〃　It　was　no　trouble　for　Dorset；　Harry　Brook；　and　the　other　youngsters　to　get　to　the　top。　Children　are　good　at　scrambling　in　rough　places；　and　they　took　it　as　a　lark。　While　Battles　stood　guard　after；　it　w