Поющие в терновнике

           Ifyoufindanything,threeshotsintheair,andthosewhohearmustanswerwithoneshoteach.Thenwait.Whoeverfiredthethreeshotswillfirethreemorefiveminuteslater,andkeeponfiringthreeshotseveryfiveminutes.Thosewhohear,oneshotinanswer.

           "Jack,yougosouthalongthefireline.Hughie,yougosouthwest.I’mgoingwest.MumandMeggie,yougonorthwest.Stu,followthefirelineduenorth.Andgoslowly,everyone,please.Theraindoesn’tmakeitanyeasiertoseefar,andthere’salotoftimberouthereinplaces.Calloften;hemightnotseeyouwherehewouldhearyou.Butremember,noshotsunlessyoufindsomething,becausehedidn’thaveagunwithhimandifheshouldhearashotandbeoutofvoicerangetoanswer,itwouldbedreadfulforhim.

           "Goodluck,andGodbless."

           Likepilgrimsatthefinalcrossroadstheystraggledapartinthesteadygreyrain,gettingfartherandfartherawayfromeachother,smallerandsmaller,untileachdisappearedalongtheappointedpath.

           Stuarthadgoneabarehalfmilewhenhenoticedthatastandofburnedtimberdrewveryclosetothefire’sdemarcationline.Therewasalittlewilgaasblackandcrinkledasapickaninny’smop,andtheremainsofagreatstumpstandingclosetothecharredboundary.WhathesawwasPaddy’shorse,sprawledandfusedintothetrunkofabiggum,andtwoofPaddy’sdogs,littleblackstiffthingswithallfourlimbspokinguplikesticks.Hegotdownfromhishorse,bootssinkingankledeepinmud,andtookhisriflefromitssaddlescabbard.