osc.am2.redprophet-第26节

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k　something　out　of　him　　through　the　woods　to　the　riverbank。
　　He　came　out　of　the　woods　on　the　far　side　of　the　open　area　around　the　wharf。　There　was　his　flatboat；　still　loaded　up　with　all　his　kegs。　And　his　poleboys　standing　around；　watching　the　bucket　brigade　dipping　into　the　river　some　thirty　yards　farther　upstream。　It　didn't　surprise　Hooch　a　bit　that　his　poleboys　weren't　over　there　helping　with　the　buckets。　They　weren't　exactly　the　public…spirited　type。
　　Hooch　walked　out　onto　the　wharf；　beckoning　for　the　poleboys　to　e　join　him。　He　jumped　down　to　the　flatboat；　stumbled　a　little；　from　being　weak　and　hurting。　He　turned　around　to　tell　his　boys　what　was　happening；　why　they　had　to　push　off；　but　they　hadn't　followed。　They　just　stood　there　on　the　bank；　looking　at　him。　He　beckoned　again；　but　they　didn't　make　a　move　to　e。
　　Well；　then；　he'd　go　without　them。　He　was　even　moving　toward　the　rope；　to　cast　off　and　pole　himself　away；　when　he　realized　that　not　all　the　poleboys　were　on　shore。　No；　there　was　one　missing。　And　he　knew　right　where　that　missing　boy　would　be。　Right　there　on　the　flatboat；　standing　right　behind　him；　reaching　out　his　hands。　Mike　Fink　wasn't　the　knifing　kind。　Oh；　he'd　knife　you　if　he　had　to；　but　he'd　rather　kill　with　his　bare　hands。　He　used　to　say　something　about　killing　with　a　knife；　some　parison　with　whores　and　a　broomstick。　Anyway；　that's　why　Hooch　knew　that　it　wouldn't　be　a　knife。　That　it　wouldn't　be　quick。　Harrison　must've　known　Hooch　might　get　away；　so　he　bought　off　Mike　Fink；　and　now　Fink　would　kill　him　sure。
　　Sure；　but　slow。　And　slow　gave　Hooch　time。　Time　to　make　sure　he　didn't　die　alone。
　　So　as　the　fingers　closed　around　his　throat　and　cinched　tight；　much　tighter　than　Hooch　ever　imagined；　clamping　him　so　he　thought　his　head　would　get　wrung　right　off；　he　forced　himself　to　make　his　spark　go；　to　find　that　keg；　that　one　place；　he　knew　right　where　the　place　was　on　the　flatboat；　to　hot　up　that　keg；　as　hot　as　he　could；　hotter；　hotter　And　he　waited　for　the　explosion；　waited　and　waited；　but　it　never　came。　It　felt　like　Fink's　fingers　had　pressed　through　the　front　of　his　throat　clear　to　the　spine；　and　he　felt　all　his　muscles　just　give　way；　he　felt　himself　kicking；　his　lungs　heaving　to　try　to　suck　in　air　that　just　wouldn't　e；　but　he　kept　his　spark　going　till　the　last　second；　waiting　for　the　gunpowder　keg　to　blow。
　　Then　he　died。
　　Mike　Fink　hung　on　to　him　for　another　whole　minute　after　he　was　dead；　maybe　just　cause　he　liked　the　feel　of　a　dead　man　dangling　from　his　hands。　Hard　to　tell　with　Mike　Fink。　Some　folks　said　he　was　as　nice　a　man　as　you　could　hope　to　find；　when　he　was　in　the　mood。　Sure　that's　what　Mike　thought　of　himself。　He　liked　to　be　nice　and　hive　friends　and　drink　real　sociable。　But　when　it　came　to　killing；　well；　he　liked　that　too。
　　But　you　can't　just　hang　on　to　a　dead　body　forever。　For　one　thing；　somebody's　going　to　start　plaining　about　it　or　maybe　puking。　So　he　shoved　Hooch's　body　off　into　the　water。
　　〃Smoke；〃　said　one　of　the　poleboys；　pointing。
　　Sure　enough；　there　was　smoke　ing；　out　of　the　middle　of　the　pile　of　kegs。
　　〃It's　the　gunpowder　keg！〃　shouted　one　of　them。
　　Well；　the　poleboys　took　off　running　to　get　away　from　the　explosion；　but　Mike　Fink　just　laughed　and　laughed。　He　walked　over　and　started　unloading　kegs；　hoisting　them　onto　the　wharf；　unloading　them　until　he　got　to　the　middle　where　there　was　a　keg　with　a　fuse　ing　out　of　it。　He　didn't　pick　that　one　up　with　his　hands；　though。　He　tipped　it　over　with；　his　heel；　then　kind　of　rolled　it　along　till　it　was　on　the　open　area　around　the　edge　of　the　boat。
　　By　now　the　poleboys　had　e　back　to　see　what　was　going　on；　since　it　looked　pretty　much　like　Mike　Fink　wasn't　going　to　blow　up　after　all。　〃Hatchet；〃　Mike　called　out；　and　one　of　the　boys　tossed　him　the　one　he　kept　in　a　sheath　at　his　belt。　It　took　a　few　good　whacks；　but　the　top　finally　sprung　off　the　keg；　and　a　whole　cloud　of　steam　came　up。　The　water　inside　was　so　hot　it　was　still　boiling。
　　〃You　mean　it　wasn't　gunpowder　after　all？〃　asked　of　the　boys。　Not　a　bright　one；　but　then　not　many　rivermen　was　famous　for　brains。
　　〃Oh；　it　was　gunpowder　when　he　set　it　down　here；〃　said　Mike。　〃Back　in　Suskwahenny。　But　you　don't　think　Mike　Fink'd　go　all　the　way　down　the　Hio　River　on　the　same　flatboat　with　a　keg　of　powder　with　a　fuse　ing　out　of　it；　do　you？〃
　　Then　Mike　jumped　off　the　boat　up　onto　the　wharf　and　bellowed　at　the　top　of　his　voice；　so　loud　that　they　heard　him　clear　inside　the　fort；　so　loud　that　the　bucket　brigade　stopped　long　enough　to　listen。
　　〃My　name　is　Mike　Fink；　boys；　and　I'm　the　meanest　lowdown　son　of　an　alligator　that　ever　bit　off　the　head　of　a　buffalo！　I　eat　growed　men's　ears　for　breakfast　and　bears'　ears　for　supper；　and　when　I'm　thirsty　I　can　drink　enough　to　stop　Niagara　from　falling。　When　I　piss　folks　get　on　flatboats　and　float　downstream　for　fifty　mile；　and　when　I　fart　the　Frenchmen　catch　the　air　in　bottles　and　sell　it　for　perfume。　I'm　Mike　Fink；　and　this　my　flatboat；　and　if　you　miserable　little　pukes　ever　put　that　fire　out；　there's　a　free　pint　of　whisky　in　it　for　every　one　of　you！〃
　　Then　Mike　Fink　led　the　poleboys　over　and　joined　the　bucket　brigade；　and　they　slowed　the　fire　down　until　the　rain　came　and　put　it　out。
　　That　night；　with　all　the　soldiers　drinking　and　singing；　Mike　Fink　was　sitting　up　sober　as　you　please；　feeling　pretty　good　about　finally　being　in　the　likker　business　for　himself。　Only　one　of　the　poleboys　was　with　him　now；　the　youngest　fellow；　who　kind　of　looked　up　to　Fink。　The　boy　was　setting　there　playing　with　the　fuse　that　used　to　go　into　a　gunpowder　keg。
　　〃This　fuse　wasn't　lit；〃　said　the　poleboy。
　　〃No；　I　reckon　not；〃　said　Mike　Fink。
　　〃Well；　how'd　the　water　get　to　boiling　then？〃
　　〃Reckon　Hooch　had　a　few　tricks　up　his　sleeve。　Reckon　Hooch　had　something　to　do　with　the　fire　in　the　fort。〃
　　〃You　knew　that；　didn't　you？〃
　　Fink　shook　his　head。　〃Nope；　just　lucky。　I'm　just　plain　lucky。　I　just　get　a　feeling　about　things；　like　I　had　a　feeling　about　that　gunpowder　keg；　and　I　just　do　what　I　feel　like　doing。　〃
　　〃You　mean　like　a　knack？〃
　　In　answer；　Fink　stood　up　and　pulled　down　his　trousers。　There　on　his　left　buttock　was　a　sprawl　of　a　tattoo；　six…sided　and　dangerous…looking。　〃My　mama　had　that　poked　on　when　I　wasn't　a　month　old。　Said　that'd　keep　me　safe　so　I'd　live　out　my　whole　natural　life。〃　He　turned　and　showed　the　boy　the　other　buttock。　〃And　that　one　she　said　was　to　help　me　make　my　fortune。　I　didn't　know　how　it'd　work；　and　she　died　without　telling　me；　but　as　near　as　I　can　tell　it　makes　me　lucky。　Makes　it　so　I　just　kind　of　know　what　I　ought　to　do。〃　He　grinned。　〃I　got　me　a　flatboat　now；　and　a　cargo　of　whisky；　don't　I？〃
　　〃Is　the　Governor　really　going　to　give　you　a　medal　for　killing　Hooch？〃
　　〃Well；　for　catching　him；　anyhow；　looks　like。〃
　　〃I　don't　guess　the　Gov　looked　too　bothered　that　old　Hooch　was　dead；　though。〃
　　〃Nope；〃　said　Fink。　〃No；　I　reckon　not。　No；　me　and　the　Gov；　we're　good　friends　now。　He　says　he's　got　some　things　need　doing；　that　only　a　man　like　me　can　do。〃
　　The　poleboy　looked　at　him　with　adoration　in　his　eighteen…year…old　eyes。　〃Can　I　help　you？　Can　I　e　with　you？〃
　　〃You　ever　been　in　a　fight？〃
　　〃A　lot　of　fights！〃
　　〃You　ever　bit　off　an　ear？〃
　　〃No；　but　I　gouged　out　a　man's　eye　once。〃
　　〃Eyes　are　easy。　Eyes　are　soft。〃
　　〃And　I　butted　a　man's　head　so　he　lost　five　teeth。〃
　　Fink　considered　that　for　a　few　seconds。　Then　he　grinned　and　nodded。　〃Sure；　you　e　along　with　me；　boy。　By　the　time　I'm　through；　there　ain't　a　man；　woman　or　child　within　a　hundred　mile　of　this　river　who　won't　know　my　name。　Do　you　doubt　that；　boy？〃
　　The　boy　didn't　doubt　it。
　　In　the　morning；　Mike　Fink　and　his　crew　pushed　off　for　the　south　bank　of　the　Hio；　loaded　with　a　wagon；　some　mules；　and　eight　kegs　of　whisky。　Bound　to　do　a　little　trading　with　the　Reds。
　　In　the　afternoon；　Governor　William　Harrison　buried　the　charred　remains　of　his　second　wife　and　their　little　boy；　who　had　the　misfortune　of　being　in　the　nursery　together；　dressing　the　boy　in　his　little　parade　uniform；　when　the　room　burst　into　flames。
　　A　fire　in　his　own　house；　set　by　no　hand；　which　cut　off　what　he　loved　the　most；　and　no　power　on　earth　could　bring　them　back。
　　
　　
　　Chapter　7　　Captives
　　
　　Alvin　Junior　never　felt　small　except　when　he　was　setting　on　the　back　of　a　big　old　horse。　Not　to　say　he　wasn't　a　good　rider　　he　and　horses　got　along　pretty　good；　they　never　throwing　him　and　he　never　whipping　them。　It's　just　that　his　legs　stuck　way　out　on　both　sides；　and　since　he　was　riding　with　a　saddle　on　this　trip；　the　stirrup　had　to　be　hiked　up　so　far　they　punched　new　holes　in　the　leather　so　he　could　ride。　Al　was　looking　forward　to　the　day　he　growed　up　to　be　man…size。　Other　folks　might　tell　him　he　was　right　big　for　his　age；　but　that　didn't　amount　to　nothing　in　Alvin's　opinion。　When　your　age　is　ten；　big　for　your　age　ain't　nothing　like　being　big。
　　〃I　don't　like　it；〃　said　Faith　Miller。　〃Don't　like　sending　my　boys　off　in　the　middle　of　all　these　Red　troubles。〃
　　Mother　always　worried；　but　she　had　good　cause。　All　his　life　Al　was　kind　of　clumsy；　always　having　accidents。　Things　turned　out　fine　in　the　end；　but　it　was　nip　and　tuck　a　lot