My drowsy eyelids fell back again. When I awoke a long time seemed to have
passed. The air was clearer, the sky darker, and the sun had gone behind
the peaks. I saw Bill and Herky skinning a deer.
"Where are we?" I asked, sitting up.
"Hello, kid!" replied Herky, cheerily. "We come up to the head of the
canyon, thet's all. How're you feelin'?"
"I'm all right, only tired. Where's the forest fire?"
"It's most burned out by now. It didn't jump the canyon into the big
forest. Thet back-fire did the biz. Say, kid, wasn't settin' off them pines
an' runnin' fer your life jest like bein' in a battle?"
"It certainly was. Herky, how long will we be penned up here?"
"Only a day or two. I reckon we'd better not risk takin' you back to
Holston till we're sure about the fire. Anyways, kid, you need rest. You're
all played out."
Indeed, I was so weary that it took an effort to lift my hand. A strange
lassitude made me indifferent. But Herky's calm mention of taking me back
to Holston changed the color of my mood. I began to feel more cheerful. The
meal we ate was scant enough--biscuits and steaks of broiled venison with a
pinch of salt; but, starved as we were, it was more than satisfactory.
Herky and Bill were absurdly eager to serve me. Even Bud was kind to me,
though he still wore conspicuously over his forehead the big bruise I had
given him.
Pages:
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207