"Philip Jose Farmer - The Gate of Time" - читать интересную книгу автора (Farmer Phillip Jose)

should be, since Two Hawks was the officer. But Two Hawks doubted that OтАЩBrien would have
anything helpful to say even if he were asked to do so.
It struck Two Hawks then that he knew very little about OтАЩBrien except that he was a steady
man during a mission, had been born in Dublin, and had emigrated to America when he was eleven
years old. Since then, he had lived in Chicago.
Finally, OтАЩBrien said, тАЬIтАЩm sure glad youтАЩre with me. YouтАЩre an Indian and you been raised in
the country. I donтАЩt know what the hell to do in all these trees. IтАЩm lost.тАЭ
By then, Two Hawks had the map out of the pocket of his jacket. He did not think it would help
OтАЩBrienтАЩs morale to tell him that his officer, the Indian, had been raised in the country and knew
the woods there, but he did not know this country or these woods.
Two Hawks spread the map out and discussed the best routes of escape. After a half hour, during
which they took off their jackets and unbuttoned their shirts because of the heat, they had picked
several avenues of flight. Whichever one they took, they would travel at night and hole up during
the day.
тАЬLetтАЩs go back to the edge of the woods so we can watch the road,тАЭ Two Hawks said. тАЬAnd the
farmhouse. If weтАЩre lucky, we werenтАЩt seen. But if some peasant has told the local constabulary,
theyтАЩll be searching these woods for us soon. Maybe we better get out of here. Just in case. In fact,
we will if the coast looks clear.тАЭ
They sat behind a thick bush, in the shadows cast by a huge pine, and watched the road and the
farmhouse. A half-hour passed while they swatted at mosquitoes and midges, handicapped by
having to strike softly so they would not make slapping noises. They saw no human beings. The
only sound was that of the wind shushing through the treetops, the distant barking of a dog, and the
bellowing of a bull from beyond the farmhouse.
Two Hawks sat patiently, only moving to speed the circulation in his legs, cramped from sitting
still. OтАЩBrien fidgeted, coughed softly, and started to take a pack of cigarettes out of his shirt
pocket. Two Hawks said, тАЬNo smoking. Somebody might see the smoke. Or even smell the
tobacco.тАЭ
тАЬFrom this distance?тАЭ OтАЩBrien said.
тАЬNot likely, but we donтАЩt want to take any chances,тАЭ Two Hawks replied. For another half-hour,
he continued to watch. OтАЩBrien groaned softly, whistled between his teeth, shifted back and forth,
then began to rock on the base of his spine. тАЬYouтАЩd make a hell of a poor hunter,тАЭ Two Hawks said.

тАЬI ainтАЩt an Indian,тАЭ OтАЩBrien said. тАЬIтАЩm just a city boy.тАЭ
тАЬWeтАЩre not in the city. So try practising some patience.тАЭ
He sat for fifteen minutes more, then said, тАЬLetтАЩs get over to the house. Looks deserted. Maybe
we could get some food and be on our way into the woods on the other side of the house.тАЭ
тАЬWhose getting ants in their pants now?тАЭ OтАЩBrien said.
Two Hawks did not reply. He rose and took the switchblade from his pocket and stuck it
between the front of his belt and his belly. He walked on ahead of OтАЩBrien, who seemed reluctant
to leave the imagined safety of the woods. Before Two Hawks had gone ten yards, OтАЩBrien had run
up to him.
тАЬTake it easy,тАЭ Two Hawks said. тАЬAct as if you had every right to be here. Anybody seeing us
from a long ways off might not think anything about it if weтАЩre casual.тАЭ
There was a ditch between the edge of the field and the road. They leaped across the little stream
in its bottom and walked across the dirt road. The ground was wet but not muddy, as rf it had rained
a few days ago. There were deep ruts, however, that looked like wagon tracks. And there were
tracks of cattle and piles of excrement.
тАЬNo horses,тАЭ Two Hawks said to himself. OтАЩBrien said, тАЬWhat?тАЭ But Two Hawks had opened
the wooden gate and was ahead of him. He noticed that the hinges were also of wood, secured to
the gate by wooden pins. The grass in the yard was short, kept so by several sheep with very fat