Межзвёздный скиталец

           Wellalongintotwilighttheheavyfiringceased,althoughtherewerescatteringshotsduringthenight.Twoofourmenwerewoundedinthissecondattack,andwerebroughtintotheriflepit.BillTylerwaskilledinstantly,andtheyburiedhim,SilasDunlap,andtheCastletonbaby,inthedarkalongsideoftheothers.

           Allduringthenightmenrelievedoneanotheratsinkingthewelldeeper;buttheonlysignofwatertheygotwasdampsand.Someofthemenfetchedafewpailsofwaterfromthespring,butwerefiredupon,andtheygaveitupwhenJeremyHopkinshadhislefthandshotoffatthewrist.

           Nextmorning,thethirdday,itwashotteranddryerthanever.Weawokethirsty,andtherewasnocooking.Sodrywereourmouthsthatwecouldnoteat.Itriedapieceofstalebreadmothergaveme,buthadtogiveitup.Thefiringroseandfell.Sometimestherewerehundredsshootingintothecamp.Atothertimescamelullsinwhichnotashotwasfired.Fatherwascontinuallycautioningourmennottowasteshotsbecausewewererunningshortofammunition.

           Andallthetimethemenwentondiggingthewell.Itwassodeepthattheywerehoistingthesandupinbuckets.Themenwhohoistedwereexposed,andoneofthemwaswoundedintheshoulder.HewasPeterBromley,whodroveoxenfortheBloodgoodwagon,andhewasengagedtomarryJaneBloodgood.