Huck Out West(81)
Tongo still warn’t fit to leave the pit, so we quick slung all our goods and rags into it, dragged the cover over the hole, and loaded it over with tore-up bushes and other rubbage. We knocked down our meat spit, tossed an old lodge-skin over the ashes of the fire we’d cooked on, and scuffed up the ground where we might a left a trace. Eeteh jumped up on Heyokha and says to climb on, but I couldn’t. I had to stay with Tongo. Eeteh wanted to stay then, too, but he had to hide Heyokha. The bluecoats shot enemy horses, it was a rule they had. Fact is, they shot just about anything that moved, he couldn’t resk it. He says if things start to go wrong, he’ll fire some shots to distract the soldiers away. I says they’ll just chase him down and kill him, he should try to get away while he can, but I knowed he wouldn’t. I crawled down into the pit to hide with Tongo, and Eeteh went heeling it up into the woods fast as old Thunder Dreamer could trot.
I watched the horizon from under the pit cover, holding on to Tongo, feeling aloner than since the day they hanged me. We didn’t have to wait long. In they come at full gallop with terrible shouts and guns a-blazing, sad-eyed General Hard Ass out front in his slouch hat and buckskins, silver buckles, cremson tie, and shiny boots, his sword pointed high. He looked like he was trying to copy Tom Sawyer, but couldn’t grow proper face hair, his moustaches drooping down like his spirit was a-leaking out his nose, stead of bristling up ear to ear like Tom’s.
As they drawed closer, I slunk down in the shadows, got the rifle and both pistols ready to fire. I s’posed I should probably shoot Tongo and me first, but I didn’t think I could do that, so I’d have to try some tricks and then let the general and his troopers shoot us both.
The pounding and roaring all around us died away when the calvary seen the tribe warn’t in the camp no more, and they cussed the sneaky heathen cowards and fired off some shots into the air, because they had to shoot something, even if it was only the sky. They was mighty excited and mighty disappointed. There warn’t even nothing to burn nor steal. Then, there was a loud burst a gunfire and hallooing like they’d struck something all of a sudden to shoot at. I hoped it warn’t Eeteh.
There was some soldiers standing on the pit cover over our heads, complaining that the general’s Lakota scout was from this mob a savages, he should a knowed they was already pushed off. He was a sneaky bummer, they didn’t trust him. They reckoned Hard Ass would hang him for leading them here, and good riddance. Others was a-grumbling about the generals, how they was losing the war because of their stupidness, but some was saying back that losing a battle or two warn’t losing a war. Them heathen Sooks warn’t smart enough or brave enough or decent enough to keep on whupping white men like they been doing. Also their guns warn’t as good.
Me and Tongo was alone under their feet in the eagle pit, and Tongo was all a-tremble. I was shushing him quiet in his ear and stroking his neck to try to ca’m him. Some a the soldiers up above was talking about getting a move on now to the Yallerstone River where the war was going, whilst others was saying there warn’t no damn hurry, the war could wait for them. The quartermaster’ll borrow them a bottle a bark juice from the larder if they take up a collection for him. They mostly yayed that idea and says they was plumb played out after this dreadful battle, they should make camp right here and rest up for a night.
“We could roast up that hoss,” one of them says.
Tongo couldn’t hold back. He let a sudden loud snort like he was disgusted by what he was hearing. I took up my pistols. I reckoned we was done for. “Did you snort at me, you ole faht?” asked one of the soldiers above us.
“So what if I did, bluebelly?”
“Watch yer tongue, butternut, or I’ll stomp you like the ugly old cootie you ah!” They was beginning to push each other around and I was scared they might come crashing in on us. “Every day you suit up in blue, grayback, you gimme the screamers.”
“How ye think I feel, sap-haid, ridin’ longside of Yankee shee-it like you-all?”
It sounded like they begun rassling. Somebody with a deep voice come and ordered them to get back on their horses, the company was moving out, but they kept cussing and crashing around. Dust was falling in on us, and I was afraid the cover’d give way. There was more yelling, then the sound of rifle butts whacking skulls, and at last, after some grunts and cussing, I could hear the horses finally moving on. I peeked out. The soldiers was all slowly parading away, two of them slumped out over their horses, tied to their saddles.
What I seen next was Eeteh’s wicked brother. My heart jumped up. He was hung back and still poking around. He kicked at the ruined spit and the dead ashes. He looked over at our pit where we was hiding, and come slowly towards us, toting his rifle. I cocked mine. I could probably shoot him first, but as soon as I done it, I’d have the whole consounded calvary interested in me. I didn’t know WHAT to do. General Hard Ass done it for me. He shouted for his scout to get back on his horse, dammit, they was pulling out. Eeteh’s brother stood there a moment, trying to peek in where we was, but the general took his revolver out and pointed at his head. He cocked it. Orders was orders, and Eeteh’s brother was already in trouble for leading them all to a deserted camp. He mounted his horse, squinting back my way with a mean grin, and joined the others.
When they was all gone at last, I pushed the pit cover away and crawled out, and pretty soon Eeteh come creeping down out a the hills on Heyokha. The poor old nag with the cracked heels was laying down by the crick, shot up a hundred times or more. “We got to go where the war ain’t,” I says, and Eeteh nodded.