p&c.thunderhead-第21部分

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　〃What's　this　for？〃　Black　asked；　holding　it　at　arm's　length。　
　〃I'm　going　to　swim　this　horse　in　to　shore　first；〃　Swire　replied。　〃Nora　will　lead　the　rest　out　one　by　one。　Your　job　is　to　make　them　jump　into　the　water　after　me。〃　
　〃Oh；　really？　And　just　how　do　I　do　that？〃　
　〃You　quirt　'em。〃　
　〃Quirt　them？〃　
　〃Whip　their　asses。　Don't　let　them　stop　to　think。〃　
　〃That's　insane。　I'll　be　kicked。〃　
　〃None　of　these　horses　are　kickers；　but　be　ready　to　dodge　anyway。　And　make　a　sound　like　this。〃　Swire　made　a　loud；　unpleasant　kissing　sound　with　his　lips。　
　〃Maybe　flowers　and　a　box　of　chocolates　would　be　easier；〃　Smithback　cracked。　
　〃I　don't　know　anything　about　horses；〃　Black　protested。　
　〃'Course　you　don't。　But　it　don't　take　a　professional　waddy　to　whack　a　horse's　ass。〃　
　〃Won't　it　hurt　the　horses？〃　
　〃It'll　sting　some；〃　Swire　replied。　〃But　we　don't　got　all　night　to　sweet…talk　'em。〃　
　Black　continued　to　stare　at　the　quirt　with　a　frown。　Watching　him；　Nora　wasn't　sure　what　the　scientist　was　more　upset　by：　quirting　the　horses　or　being　ordered　about　by　a　cowboy。　
　Swire　vaulted　into　the　saddle。　〃Keep　'em　ing　one　at　a　time；　but　let　the　water　clear　so　they　ain't　jumping　on　each　other's　backs。〃　
　He　turned　and　shoved　the　spurs　to　his　horse。　The　animal　obeyed　instantly　and　leaped　into　the　water；　momentarily　disappearing　and　then　surfacing　again；　blowing　hard；　nose　up　to　the　air。　Expertly　dismounting　in　midair；　Swire　had　landed　beside　the　horse；　hand　on　the　saddlehorn。　Now　he　began　urging　the　animal　forward　in　a　low　voice。　
　The　rest　of　the　horses　pranced　restlessly　in　the　trailers；　snorting　through　dilated　nostrils　and　rolling　their　eyes　with　apprehension。　
　〃Let's　go；〃　Nora　said；　easing　the　second　horse　forward。　It　stepped　toward　the　edge　of　the　barge；　then　balked。　〃Quirt　him！〃　she　cried　to　Black。　To　her　relief；　Black　stepped　forward　with　a　determined　look　and　smacked　the　horse　across　the　rump。　The　horse　paused；　then　leaped；　landing　with　another　roar　of　water　and　struggling　after　Swire's　horse。　
　Smithback　was　watching　the　proceedings　with　amusement。　〃Nicely　done！〃　he　cried。　〃e　on；　Aaron；　don't　tell　me　that's　the　first　time　you've　handled　a　whip。　I'm　sure　I've　seen　you　hanging　around　the　West　Village　leather　bars。〃　
　〃Smithback；　go　help　Holroyd　with　the　raft；〃　Nora　snapped。　
　〃Yassuh。〃　Smithback　turned　away。　
　One　at　a　time；　they　coaxed　the　rest　of　the　horses　into　the　water　until　they　formed　a　ragged；　struggling　line；　nose　to　tail；　threading　their　way　through　a　gap　in　the　tangle　of　trees　and　heading　for　the　beach。　Nora　locked　down　the　trailers；　then　turned　to　watch　Swire　clamber　out　of　the　water　at　the　far　end；　bedraggled　and　dripping　in　the　yellow　glow　of　the　searchlight。　Securing　his　horse；　he　waded　back　into　the　water　with　yips　and　shouts；　herding　the　rest　onto　dry　land。　Soon　he　had　gathered　them　into　a　disconsolate　mass　and　pushed　them　upcanyon；　clearing　the　landing　site。　
　Nora　watched　a　moment　longer；　then　turned　to　Black。　〃That　was　very　well　done；　Aaron。〃　
　The　geochronologist　blushed　with　pride。　
　Nora　looked　at　the　rest　of　the　group。　〃Let's　get　this　gear　offloaded。　Captain；　many　thanks　for　your　help。　We'll　make　sure　the　raft　is　well　hidden　while　we're　upcanyon。　See　you　in　a　couple　of　weeks。〃　
　〃Lest　I　see　you　first；〃　Hicks　replied　dryly　as　he　disappeared　into　the　pilothouse。　
　Around　eleven；　in　the　intense　silence　of　the　desert　night；　Nora　took　a　last　tour　of　the　somnolent　camp；　then　threw　her　bedroll　some　distance　from　the　others；　carefully　sculpting　the　sand　underneath　for　her　hips　and　shoulders。　To　minimize　the　panicky；　last…minute　adjustments　that　always　seemed　to　acpany　packtrips；　she　had　seen　to　it　that　the　gear　was　already　weighed　and　stowed　in　the　panniers；　ready　for　loading　in　the　morning。　The　horses　were　hobbled　some　distance　away；　contentedly　chewing　the　last　of　their　alfalfa。　The　rest　of　the　group　was　either　asleep　in　their　tents　or　quickly　nodding　off　in　their　sleeping　bags　by　the　dying　light　of　the　fire。　And　the　Landlocked　Laura　was　well　on　her　way　back　to　the　marina。　The　expedition　had　begun　in　earnest。　
　She　eased　into　the　bedroll；　breathing　easily。　So　far；　so　good。　Black　was　a　pain　in　the　ass；　but　his　expertise　outweighed　his　querulous　personality。　Smithback　was　an　annoying　surprise；　but　with　that　strong　back　and　arms　he'd　make　a　good　digger；　and　she'd　make　sure　he　was　well　occupied　with　the　shovel；　whether　he　liked　it　or　not。　Before　going　to　bed；　he　had　insisted　on　pressing　a　copy　of　his　book　into　her　hands；　she'd　dumped　it　unceremoniously　into　a　duffel。　
　On　the　other　hand；　Peter　Holroyd　was　proving　to　be　a　real　trouper。　She'd　caught　him　giving　her　several　furtive　glances　during　the　ride　up　Lake　Powell；　and　Nora　wondered　if　he　wasn't　a　little　bit　infatuated。　Perhaps　she'd　inadvertently　played　on　that　in　persuading　him　to　steal　the　data　from　JPL。　She　felt　a　momentary　twinge　of　guilt。　But　then　again；　she'd　kept　her　promise。　He　was　on　the　expedition。　The　boy's　probably　mistaking　gratitude　for　puppy　love；　she　thought；　moving　on。　Bonarotti　was　one　of　those　unflappable　people　who　never　seemed　put　out　by　anything；　as　well　as　being　a　fabulous　camp　cook。　And　Aragon　would　probably　open　up　once　they　got　away　from　his　hated　Lake　Powell。　
　She　stretched　out　fortably。　It　was　shaping　up　to　be　a　good　group。　Best　of　all；　there　was　no　Sloane　Goddard　to　deal　with。　Among　Black；　Aragon；　and　herself；　there　was　more　than　enough　expertise　to　go　around。　Dr。　Goddard　had　nothing　but　his　own　daughter's　tardiness　to　blame。　
　Starlight　glowed　faintly　from　the　distant　bluffs　and　turrets　of　Navajo　sandstone。　A　chill　had　crept　into　the　air：　in　the　high　desert；　night　came　on　fast　and　sure。　She　heard　a　low　murmuring；　the　drifting　smell　of　Bonarotti's　cigarette。　Into　the　silence　the　faint　calls　of　the　canyon　wrens　echoed　back　and　forth；　tinkling　like　bells；　mingling　with　the　faint　lapping　of　water　on　the　shoreline　just　below　the　camp。　Already　they　were　many　miles　from　the　nearest　outpost　of　humanity。　And　the　distant；　hidden　canyon　they　were　headed　to　was　much　farther　still。　
　At　the　thought　of　Quivira；　Nora　felt　the　weight　of　responsibility　return　again。　There　was　a　potential　for　failure　here；　too；　she　knew：　a　tremendous　potential。　They　might　not　find　the　city。　The　expedition　might　break　up　over　personality　conflicts。　Worst　of　all；　her　father's　Quivira　might　turn　out　to　be　some　ordinary　five…room　cliff　dwelling。　That　was　what　worried　her　the　most。　Goddard　might　forgive　her　for　leaving　without　his　daughter。　But　despite　all　the　fine　words；　he　and　the　Institute　would　not　forgive　her　if　she　returned　with　a　superb　site　report　on　a　tiny　Pueblo　III　cliff　dwelling。　And　God　only　knew　what　kind　of　withering　article　Smithback　might　write　if　he　felt　his　precious　time　had　been　wasted。　
　There　was　the　distant　yipping　of　a　coyote；　and　she　wrapped　the　bedroll　more　tightly　around　her。　Unbidden；　her　thoughts　returned　to　Santa　Fe；　to　that　night　in　the　deserted　ranch　house。　She'd　been　very　careful　to　keep　the　maps　and　radar　images　under　her　control　at　all　times。　She'd　impressed　everyone　with　the　need　for　discretion；　citing　pothunters　and　looters　as　her　concern。　And　then　into　the　midst　of　her　careful　plans　blundered　Smithback。　。　。　。　
　Still；　she　knew　it　was　unlikely　that　Smithback's　ments　would　filter　back　to　Santa　Fe；　and　beyond　the　mention　of　her　name　nothing　he'd　said　was　specific　enough　to　give　away　the　purpose　of　the　expedition。　And　most　likely；　the　bizarre　figures　who　had　attacked　her　had　given　up　by　now。　Where　she　was　going；　it　would　take　a　determined；　even　desperate　person　to　follow；　someone　who　knew　the　craft　of　desert　travel　far　better　than　even　Swire　did。　Certainly　no　boats　had　followed　them　up　the　lake。　The　fear　and　annoyance　subsided；　and　in　their　absence　came　sleep；　and　dreams　of　dusty　ruins；　and　nodding　columns　of　sunlight　cutting　through　the　murk　of　an　ancient　cave；　and　two　dead　children　draped　in　flowers。　
　
　
15
　
　TERESA　GONZALES　SAT　UP　SUDDENLY；　LISTENING　in　the　dark。　Teddy　Bear；　her　giant　Rhodesian　Ridgeback；　who　generally　slept　outside　in　the　summer；　was　whining　at　the　back　door。　Ridgebacks　had　been　bred　to　hunt　and　kill　lions　in　Africa。　He　was　a　very　gentle　dog；　but　he　was　also　extremely　protective。　She　had　never　heard　him　whine　before。　He　was　just　back　from　the　vet's；　where　he'd　been　languishing　for　two　weeks；　recovering　from　a　nasty　infection；　maybe　the　poor　thing　was　still　traumatized。　
　She　got　out　of　bed　and　went　through　the　dark　house　to　the　door。　The　dog　came　slinking　in；　whimpering；　its　tail　clamped　between　its　legs。　
　〃Teddy；〃　she　whispered；　〃what's　wrong？　You　all　right？〃　
　The　dog　licked　her　hand　and　retreated　across　the　kitchen；　sliding　his　huge　bulk　under　the　kitchen　table。　Teresa　looked　out　the　kitchen　door；　down　into　the　sea　of　darkness　toward　the　old　Las　Cabrillas　ranch　house。　There　were　no　lights　in　the　draw；　and　without　a　moon　Teresa　couldn't　see　the　outlines　of　the　abandoned　house。　Something　out　there　had　scared　him　half　to　death。　She　listened；　and　thought　she　heard　a　faint　sound　of　breaking　glass　and　the　distant　howl　of　an　animal。　Definitely　too　low…pitched　and　hoarse　to　be　a　coyote；　but　it　didn't　sound　like　any　dog　Teresa　had　heard；　either。　It　sounded　like　a　wolf；　i