[Selected Stories by Bret Harte]@TWC D-Link bookSelected Stories PART II--IN THE FLOOD 11/402
I make one more effort: "Joseph Tryan, don't you know me? the surveyor who surveyed your ranch--the Espiritu Santo? Look up, old man!" He shuddered and wrapped himself closer in his blanket.
Presently he repeated to himself "The surveyor who surveyed your ranch--Espiritu Santo" over and over again, as though it were a lesson he was trying to fix in his memory. I was turning sadly to the boatmen when he suddenly caught me fearfully by the hand and said: "Hush!" We were silent. "Listen!" He puts his arm around my neck and whispers in my ear, "I'm a MOVING OFF!" "Moving off ?" "Hush! Don't speak so loud.
Moving off.
Ah! wot's that? Don't you hear ?--there! listen!" We listen, and hear the water gurgle and click beneath the floor. "It's them wot he sent!--Old Altascar sent.
They've been here all night. I heard 'em first in the creek, when they came to tell the old man to move farther off.
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