Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 13
Ihadbarelytimetocrawloutfromunderwhenfather,mother,andthebabycamedownpell-mellwhereIhadbeen.
“Here,Jesse!”fathershoutedtome,andIjoinedhiminscoopingoutsandbehindtheshelterofawagon-wheel.Weworkedbare-handedandwildly.Motherjoinedin.
“Goaheadandmakeitdeeper,Jesse,”fatherordered,
Hestoodupandrushedawayinthegraylight,shoutingcommandsasheran.(Ihadlearnedbynowmysurname.IwasJesseFancher.MyfatherwasCaptainFancher).
“Liedown!”Icouldhearhim.“Getbehindthewagonwheelsandburrowinthesand!Familymen,getthewomenandchildrenoutofthewagons!Holdyourfire!Nomoreshooting!Holdyourfireandbereadyfortherushwhenitcomes!Singlemen,joinLabanattheright,Cochraneattheleft,andmeinthecentre!Don’tstandup!Crawlforit!”
Butnorushcame.Foraquarterofanhourtheheavyandirregularfiringcontinued.Ourdamagehadcomeinthefirstmomentsofsurprisewhenanumberoftheearly-risingmenwerecaughtexposedinthelightofthecampfirestheywerebuilding.TheIndians—forIndiansLabandeclaredthemtobe—hadattackedusfromtheopen,andwerelyingdownandfiringatus.Inthegrowinglightfathermadereadyforthem.
