Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 13
HispositionwasneartowhereIlayintheburrowwithmothersothatIheardhimwhenhecriedout:
“Now!alltogether!”
Fromleft,right,andcentreourriflesloosedinavolley.Ihadpoppedmyheaduptosee,andIcouldmakeoutmorethanonestrickenIndian.Theirfireimmediatelyceased,andIcouldseethemscamperingbackonfootacrosstheopen,draggingtheirdeadandwoundedwiththem.
Allwasworkwithusontheinstant.Whilethewagonswerebeingdraggedandchainedintothecirclewithtonguesinside—Isawwomenandlittleboysandgirlsflingingtheirstrengthonthewheelspokestohelp—wetooktollofourlosses.First,andgravestofall,ourlastanimalhadbeenrunoff.Next,lyingaboutthefirestheyhadbeenbuilding,weresevenofourmen.Fourweredead,andthreeweredying.Othermen,wounded,werebeingcaredforbythewomen.LittleRishHardacrehadbeenstruckinthearmbyaheavyball.Hewasnomorethansix,andIrememberlookingonwithmouthagapewhilehismotherheldhimonherlapandhisfathersetaboutbandagingthewound.LittleRishhadstoppedcrying.Icouldseethetearsonhischeekswhilehestaredwonderinglyatasliverofbrokenbonestickingoutofhisforearm.
GrannyWhitewasfounddeadintheFoxwellwagon.Shewasafatandhelplessoldwomanwhoneverdidanythingbutsitdownallthetimeandsmokeapipe.
