Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 13
Gilescrawledback,andwhentheyhelpedhimintotheriflepithewasbleedingatthemouthandcoughing.
Twopart-pailsofwatercouldnotgofaramongoverahundredofus,notcountingthe,men.Onlythebabies,andtheverylittlechildren,andthewoundedmen,gotany.Ididnotgetasip,althoughmotherdippedabitofclothintotheseveralspoonfulsshegotforthebabyandwipedmymouthout.Shedidnotevendothatforherself,forsheleftmethebitofdampragtochew.
Thesituationgrewunspeakablyworseintheafternoon.Thequietsunblazeddownthroughtheclearwindlessairandmadeafurnaceofourholeinthesand.AndallaboutusweretheexplosionsofriflesandyellsoftheIndians.Onlyonceinawhiledidfatherpermitasingleshotfromthetrench,andatthatonlybyourbestmarksmen,suchasLabanandTimothyGrant.Butasteadystreamofleadpouredintoourpositionallthetime.Therewerenomoredisastrousricochets,however;andourmeninthetrench,nolongerfiring,laylowandescapeddamage.Onlyfourwerewounded,andonlyoneofthemverybadly.
Fathercameinfromthetrenchduringalullinthefiring.Hesatforafewminutesalongsidemotherandmewithoutspeaking.Heseemedtobelisteningtoallthemoaningandcryingforwaterthatwasgoingup.Onceheclimbedoutoftheriflepitandwentovertoinvestigatethewell.
