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〃Yes； and of you； too！〃 He dropped the spade； and sat down on the heap of
dirt。 〃Oh； Lord； but I'm lonesome！ I got plenty to say； but nobody to listen
at me。〃
He clasped his great hands about his knee； and stared sullenly at the
surrounding ramparts of red and brown granite； dully noting the fantastic
layers； the huge round stones that for ages had been about to roll down
into the valley but had never started； and others cut in odd shapes placed
one upon another in columns along the perpendicular wall。 The sun beat
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on the long matted hair of his bared head； but the ceaseless wind brought
relief from its pelting rays。 He； however； was conscious neither of the heat
nor of the refreshing touch。
At last he rose slowly to his towering legs and picked up the spade。
〃You're a fool； Brick Willock；〃 he said harshly。 〃Ain't you got that well to
dig？ And then can't you go for your kaig and bring it here； and carry it
back full of fresh water？ Dinged if there ain't enough doings in your world
to furnish out a daily newspaper！〃 He began to dig； adding in an altered
tone： 〃And Brick； HE says 'Nothing ain't come to the worst； as long as
you're living；' says Brick！〃
He was proud of the well when it was completed； the water was cold
and soft as it oozed up through clean sand； and the walls of mud…mortised
rocks promised permanency。 One did not have to penetrate far into the
bottom…lands of that cove to find water which for unnumbered years had
rushed down the mountainside in time of rain…storms to lie； a vast
underground reservoir； for the coming of man。 Willock could reach the
surface of the well by lying on his stomach and scooping with his long
arm。 He duly carried out his program； and when the keg was filled with
fresh water； it was time for dinner。
After a cold luncheon of sliced boiled ham and baker's bread； he
returned to the cove； where he idled away the afternoon under the shade of
tall cedar trees whose branches came down to the ground； forming
impenetrable pyramids of green。
Stretched out on the short buffalo…grass he watched the white flecks
follow one another across the sky； he observed the shadows lengthening
from the base of the western arm of the horseshoe till they threatened to
swallow up him and his bright speck of world； he looked languidly after
the flights of birds； and grinned as he saw the hawks dart into round holes
in the granite wall not much larger than their bodiesthose mysterious
holes perforating the precipice； seemingly bored there by a giant auger。
〃Go to bed； pards；〃 he called to the hawks。 〃I reckon it's time for me；
too！〃 He got upthe sun had disappeared behind the mountain。 He
stretched himself； lifting his arms high above his head and slowly drawing
his fists to his shoulder； his elbows luxuriously crooked。 〃One thing I got；〃
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he observed； 〃is room； plenty！ Well〃 he started toward the divide for his
upward climb； 〃I've lived a reasonable long life； I am forty…five； but I do
think that since I laid down under that tree； I have thought of everything I
ever done or said since I was a kid。 Guess I'll save the future for another
afternoonand after that； the Lord knows what I'm going to do with my
brain； it's that busy。〃
The next day he began assorting the contents of his granite home；
moving to the task with conscientious slowness； stopping a dozen times to
make excursions into the outside world。 By diligent economy of his
working moments； he succeeded in covering almost two weeks in the
labor of putting his house into order。 His bedroom was next to the
barricade that separated the long stone excavation from the bottomless
abyss。 Divided from the bedroom by an imaginary line； was the store…
room of provisions。 The cans and boxes were arranged along the floor
with methodical exactitude。 Different varieties of fruit and preserves were
interspersed in such fashion that none was repeated until every variety had
been passed。
〃I begins with this can of peaches；〃 said Willock； laying his finger
upon the beginning of the row〃then comes apples； pears； plums； then
peaches； apples； pears； plums； then peaches； apples； pears； plums； then
peachesblest if I don't feel myself getting sick of 'em already。。。。 And now
my meats： bacon； ham。 My breadstuffs： loaves； crackers。 My fillers：
sardines； more sardines； more sardines； likewise canned tomatoes。 Let me
seeis it too much to say that I eats a can of preserves in two days？ Maybe
three。 That is； till I sickens。 I begins with peach…day。 This is Monday。 Say
Thursday begins my apple…days。 I judge I can worm myself down through
the list by this time next month。 One thing I am sot on： not to save nothing
if I can bring my stomach to carry the burden with a willing hand。 I'll eat
mild and calm； but steadfast。 Brick Willock he says； 'Better starve all at
once； when there's nothing left； than starve a little every day；' says Brick。
'When it's a matter of agony；' says he； 'take the short cut。'〃
In arranging his retreat； he had left undisturbed the wagon…tongue；
since removing it from the end of the floor for a more secure barricade； it
had stood with several of the sideboards against the wall； as if Brick
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meditated using them for a special purpose。 Such was indeed his plan； and
it added some zest to his present employment to think of what he meant to
do next； this was nothing less than to make a dugout in the cove。
To this enterprise he was prompted not only by a desire to vary his
monotonous days； but to insure safety from possible foes。 Should a
skulking savage； or； what would be worse； a stray member of the robber
band catch sight of him among the hills； the spy would spread the news
among his fellows。 A relentless search would be instituted； and even if
Willock succeeded in escaping； the band would not rest till it had
discovered his hiding…place。 If they came on the dugout； their search
would terminate； and his home in the crevice would escape investigation；
but if there was no dugout to satisfy curiosity； the crevice would most
probably be explored。
〃Two homes ain't too many for a character like me； nohow；〃 remarked
Brick； as he set the wagon…tongue and long boards on end to be drawn up
through the crevice。 〃Cold weather will be coming on in due timesay
three or four monthsand what's that to me？ a mere handful of time！ Well；
I don't never expect to make a fire in my cave； I'll set my smoke out in the
open where it can be traced without danger to my pantry shelves。〃
He was even slower about building the dugout than he had been in
arranging the miscellaneous objects in the cavern on top of the mountain。
Transporting the timbers across a mile of ridges and granite troughs was
no light work； and when his tools and material were in the cove； the
digging of the dugout was protracted because of the closeness of water to
the surface。 At last he succeeded in excavating the cellar at a spot within a
few yards of the mountain； without penetrating moistened sand。 He
leveled down the walls till he had a chamber about twelve feet square。
Over this he placed the wagon…tongue； converting it into the ridge…pole；
which he set upon forks cut from the near…by cedars。 Having trimmed
branches of the trees in the grove； he laid them as close together as
possible； slanting from the ridge…pole to the ground； and over these laid
the bushy cedar branches。 This substantial roof he next covered with dirt；
heaping it up till no glimpse of wood was visible tinder the hard…packed
dome。 The end of the dugout was closed up in the same way except for a