Page 8 (1/2)
A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green The water is war over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool On one side of the river the golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan Mountains, but on the valley side the water is lined with trees — s fresh and green with every spring, carrying in their lower leaf junctures the debris of the winter’s flooding; and sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the pool On the sandy bank under the trees the leaves lie deep and so crisp that a lizardthem Rabbits co, and the daht tracks of ‘coons, and with the spreadpads of dogs froe tracks of deer that come to drink in the dark
There is a path through the s and a down from the ranches to swim in the deep pool, and beaten hard by tra to jungle-up near water In front of the low horizontal liiant sycamore there is an ash pile made by many fires; the limb is worn smooth by men who have sat on it
Evening of a hot day started the little wind tothe leaves The shade climbed up the hills toward the top On the sand banks the rabbits sat as quietly as little gray sculptured stones And then frohway came the sound of footsteps on crisp sycamore leaves The rabbits hurried noiselessly for cover A stilted heron labored up into the air and pounded down river For a ed froreen pool
They had walked in single file down the path, and even in the open one stayed behind the other Both were dressed in denim trousers and in denim coats with brass buttons Both wore black, shapeless hats and both carried tight blanket rolls slung over their shoulders The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features Every part of hi hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose Behind hie e, pale eyes, and wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws His ar loosely
The first , and the follower nearly ran over him He took off his hat and wiped the sweat-band with his forefinger and snapped the e co hireen pool; drank with long gulps, snorting into the water like a horse The small man stepped nervously beside him
“Lennie!” he said sharply “Lennie, for God’ sakes don’t drink so much” Lennie continued to snort into the pool The small onna be sick like you was last night”
Lennie dipped his whole head under, hat and all, and then he sat up on the bank and his hat dripped down on his blue coat and ran down his back “That’s good,” he said “You drink so drink” He smiled happily
George unslung his bindle and dropped it gently on the bank “I ain’t sure it’s good water,” he said “Looks kinda scummy”
Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water and wiggled his fingers so the water arose in little splashes; rings widened across the pool to the other side and cae Look what I done”
George knelt beside the pool and drank froht,” he adh You never oughta drink water when it ain’t running, Lennie,” he said hopelessly “You’d drink out of a gutter if you was thirsty” He threw a scoop of water into his face and rubbed it about with his hand, under his chin and around the back of his neck Then he replaced his hat, pushed himself back from the river, drew up his knees and ee exactly He pushed himself back, drew up his knees, ee to see whether he had it just right He pulled his hat down a little e’s hat was
George stared morosely at the water The ririly, “We could just as well of rode clear to the ranch if that bastard bus driver knehat he was talkin’ about ‘Jes’ a little stretch down the highway,’ he says ‘Jes’ a little stretch’ God damn near four ate, that’s what Too God daood to stop in Soledad at all Kicks us out and says ‘Jes’ a little stretch down the road’ I bet it was more than four miles Damn hot day”