И проиграли бой
Chapter 4
They’refullup,andbesideswe’reabunchoflousycroptramps.O.K.Theywon’thelpus.Wegottodoitourselves."
Themenseemedtostiffenalittle,todrawtogether.Theapathybegantodropfromthem.Theyhunchedclosertothefire.Macwenton,"NowIworkedinhospitals,soIcanhelp,butIneedyouguystohelptoo.Christ,wegottostandbyourownpeople.Nobodyelsewill."
Lean-faceboostedhimselfup."Allright,fella,"hesaid."Whatdoyouwantustodo?"
InthefirelightMac’sfacebrokeintoasmileofpleasureandoftriumph."Swell!"hesaid."Youguysknowhowtoworktogether.Nowfirstwegottohavewaterboiling.Whenit’sboiling,wegottogetwhiteclothintoit,andboilthecloth.Idon’tcarewhereyougetthecloth,orhowyougetit."Hepointedoutthreemen."Nowyou,andyouandyougetabigfiregoing.Andyougetacoupleofbigkettles.Thereoughttobesomefive-galloncansaround.Therestofyougatherupcloth;getanything,handkerchiefs,oldshirts—anything,aslongasit’swhite.Whenyougetthewaterboiling,puttheclothinandkeepitboilingforhalfanhour.IwantalittlepotofhotwaterasquickasIcangetit."Themenwerebeginningtogetrestive.Macsaid,"Wait.Onemorething.Iwantalamp,agoodone.Someofyouguysgetmeone.Ifnobody’llgiveyouone,stealit.Igottohavelight."
Achangewasintheair.Theapathywasgonefromthemen.Sleeperswereawakenedandtold,andaddedthemselvestothegroup.Acurrentofexcitementfilledthejungle,butakindofjoyfulexcitement.Fireswerebuiltup.Fourbigcansofwaterwereputontoboil;andthenclothbegantoappear.Everymanseemedtohavesomethingtoaddtothepile.Onetookoffhisundershirtandthrewitintothewaterandthenputonhisshirtagain.
