Гроздья гнева
Chapter 26
That’swhat’sitchin’him—’lectricity.»Heduckedoutagain.Theothertwomenstoodupfromthegroundandwentoutside.
Casysaidsoftly,«Allof’em’sitchy.Themcopsbeensayin’howthey’regonnabeatthehelloutausan’runusoutathecounty.TheyfiggerI’maleader’causeItalksomuch.»
Thewizenedfacelookedinagain.«Casy,turnoutthatlanternan’comeoutside.They’ssomepin.»
Casyturnedthescrew.Theflamedrewdownintotheslotsandpoppedandwentout.CasygropedoutsideandTomfollowedhim.«Whatisit?»Casyaskedsoftly.
«Idunno.Listen!»
Therewasawalloffrogsoundsthatmergedwithsilence.Ahigh,shrillwhistleofcrickets.Butthroughthisbackgroundcameothersounds—faintfootstepsfromtheroad,acrunchofclodsuponthebank,alittleswishofbrushdownthestream.
«Can’treallytellifyouhearit.Foolsyou.Getnervous,"Casyreassuredthem.«We’reallnervous.Can’treallytell.Youhearit,Tom?»
«Ihearit,"saidTom.«Yeah,Ihearit.Ithinkthey’sguyscomin’fromever’whichway.Webettergetoutahere.»Thewizenedmanwhispered,«Underthebridgespan—outthatway.Hatetoleavemytent.»
«Le’sgo,"saidCasy.Theymovedquietlyalongtheedgeofthestream.Theblackspanwasacavebeforethem.Casybentoverandmovedthrough.Tombehind.Theirfeetslippedintothewater.Thirtyfeettheymoved,andtheirbreathingechoedfromthecurvedceiling.Thentheycameoutontheothersideandstraightenedup.
