第62节
【】upontheground deuchreeasythanitotherwisewouldhavebeen. theirfootstepsffledalikebytheindiarubbersoles,andthe snoselves. theyhadseveralb,andthenoiselessindiarubber solesestheyuldhearthe sentries,beatingtheirfeetuponthegroundtothebutin nocase. atlast,afteranhourandahalfspentinpassihree hundredyardsfroherivertheyreached,in safety,theheroadheriver.here thesentriesdistahirtyorforty yardsapart.theehouses,upontheoppositesideoftheroad, uldbefaintlyseen;andtheboysvedalonguntiloppositean openi,byheyuldgetthroughtotheriver. lookiheheyuldchthesentriesandchoosing theirtipassed,sothathisbackwouldbe tuedtohenosoonerdisappearedinthedarkhan theydroppednoiselesslyintotheroad,ranacrossthestreet, cliedalooodinagardeno theriver. theystoodeti,toassuretheelvesthatno sentryhegarden;butatlasttheystoleforwards andstoodattheendofthegarden,htheriverattheirfeet. thesnotheirbackserthanever. theriverdeepenedrapidlyfrohetheerwaslow enoughforanyoogetalongontheslopingsidefacedh roughstohefootoftheheer. theboysgotoverthefrohebagand, holdingoneendoftherd,putitquietlyintotheer;and allotofloatdosixtyyards. ”oslipintotheer,as quietlyaspossible,thentyouhearasplash.iwillleave thisbaghere,soastoknolywhereyouhavegoneinandas theropeisplentylongenoughyoukeepholdofithere,atsixty yardsfroheduy;ahesladtothestone sothat,yhand,to beabletojoinyou.iy hand;hisshelvingbank,tilliarriveatthe duy;ahrohestonein,andrunbackatfull speed,aheerafeeryouare.” ”allright,ralph,iuand.keepyourpistolckedinyour hand,asyougo.” ralphy floatingattheedgeofthe.heroseon hisfeet,tothroation behindhind,lookinground,hesahint ofhia,aryhisrifle tohisshoulderforhesprangback,givingaloudshoutbut ralphantaneously,threwuphisrevolver,and firedatthesentinelsbody. hesafall;tuedround,hurledtheheavystonehaloud splashintotheer,andthencrahewallran atfullspeedbackagain.ashedidso,triesinthegarden overhisheadfired,inthedireofthesplashintheer; andshoutshebank. inanotherinstantralphgraspedtheline,andsliddohesnowy slopesintotheer;enteringsoquietlythatnosound,ever, betrayedhisentry.itosttookawayhis breath.tystrokes,andhejoinedpercy. ”allright,oldn,theytseeusnow.” ”youarenothit,areyou,ralph”percygasped. ”no,ityrevolver.ihadtoshootasentry,tosavelife. itsluckysureweshould across.” ”therethere”an.”iseehisheadbobbingup anddothegarden . theboyssondesperately,thenralphsaid: ”youslipthestringnohasdoswork. itstbequiteoutofsightfrohebank. ”donotyoufeelthebeoftheindiarubber” ”yes,”perylegsare inagony,froheld.theseglovesarehelpinguson,though,at agreatrate.” ”hereisoneblessing,”ralphsaid,”isstheway, now.” ashespoke,aheavyfireofsketryopenedfrohefrench,upon theotherside.alardatthesuddehepartofthe gerns,theyfiredattheflashesoftheirgunsand,fresh reinfortsingupoherside,aheavyexgeof sketryshotstookplarosstheriver;partiallyoverthe boysheads,butprincipallyahundredyardslo, inthedireyans. theboysshlong,steady,noiselessstrokes. ”ustbehalfross,”ralphsaid. ”iaettingdeadlyld,allover,ralph.itsink,of urse;butishallfreezetodeath,beforeireachtheopposite bank.” ”no,no,percy,”ralphsaid,ascheerilyasheuld;thoughhe felt,hielf,thattheintenseldinghis strength.”keepupyourheart.strikeashardasyou.there youexertyourself,thebetter.” inaeortybehind, andslaedhisspeed. ”goodbye,ralph.legsareallcraedup,andarare nued.itsaroke.itisallupe,”he said,faintly.”godblessyou.dontstope;youdono good,andyouronlyceistogoon.” ralph,hoonehanduponpercyslifebelt,andstruckout forshore;buthefeltthatitfulpainswere shootingthroughhislis,andhebreathedhebelievedtobe alastprayer;likethunder,afewyardsoff, galvanizedhintolifeagainforhesahegunboat,hey hadseenintheing,onlyafeant.shehadjust firedagun,loadedanswho ing theouponher. ”help”ralphshouted.”helphes throk” ”whereareyou”anse. ”here,closetoyou,justabreast,”ralphshouted. inanotherinstantaropestrue.hegraspedit,ted ittightlyroundpercysbodyandhisoiedaroughknoth hislaststrength,andthenlostnsciousness. sensationhatof intensepainsoihatitextrahi ”thatsright,rubaerebrandydownhis thro ...