"S. M. Stirling - Draka 05 - Drakas!" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stirling S. M)

they would be lucky if they were dead before the vultures and the hyenas got to them.

They got the fire going just as it got dark. That was when the Bushman appeared.

He came out of the bush, into the circle of firelight, walking steadily and straight toward them: a skinny
little man, naked except for a skimpy hide loincloth. His flat childlike face was without expression; his
eyes stared straight ahead.

Garvin said, "Son of abitch, " and reached for his rifle.

"Wait," Custer said urgently. "Look what he's got."

In both hands, held out in front of him like an offering, the Bushman held a large white ostrich-egg shell.

"Water," Garvin said, and licked his lips. "Lord God."

Pace got up from the ground and walked forward to meet the Bushman. He took the eggshell very
gently from the small hands and hefted it in both of his. "Damn," he said softly. "It's full."

He raised the big eggshell and put his lips to the opening at the top. His whole body seemed to quiver as
he took a long, throat-bobbing drink.

"Oh, Jesus, that's good," he said, lowering the eggshell, holding it out to Garvin. "Roy?"

Garvin's hands were shaking. "Careful," Pace warned as the big man raised the eggshell to drink. "You
drop that, we're dead."

The Bushman was still standing there, a couple of paces from the fire. He held out one hand, palm
upward. Custer said, "He wants to trade. For God's sake give him something."

Pace's face fairly lit up. "Oh, sureтАФ"
 Custer had never seen a man draw a gun so fast; Pace's hand barely appeared to move, yet suddenly
the long-barreled revolver was in his hand. Custer cried, "No," but the sound of the shot drowned out his
voice.

"There, sand monkey," Pace said as the Bushman fell to the ground. "Don't say I never gave you
nothing."

"You fool," Custer said tiredly. "You evil murderous little swine. He could have gotten us out of this. He
could have gotten us home."

"Shit." Pace holstered his pistol. "We're gonna be okay now. That's enough water to make the next hole.
Hell," he said, grinning, "you ask us nice, we might even let you have someтАФ"

He stopped. A puzzled look came over his face. "Huh," he said, and rubbed his chin in an odd motion.
"Hey, Roy, I feel kindaтАФ"

He took a couple of aimless little steps. "Uh," he grunted, and fell face forward into the fire.

"What," Garvin said, and dropped the eggshell. As it shattered on the rocky ground he made a strangled