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I hope he doesn't run right into cavalry； Robert Jordan thought。 I'm afraid we'd have him right here in our laps。
Primitivo brought the pine branches and Robert Jordan stuck them through the snow into the unfrozen earth； arching them over the gun from either side。
〃Bring more；〃 he said。 〃There must be cover for the two men who serve it。 This is not good but it will serve until the ax comes。 Listen；〃 he said； 〃if you hear a plane lie flat wherever thou art in the shadows of the rocks。 I am here with the gun。〃
Now with the sun up and the warm wind blowing it was pleasant on the side of the rocks where the sun shone。 Four horses； Robert Jordan thought。 The two women and me； Anselmo； Primitivo； Fernando； Agust韓； what the hell is the name of the other brother？ That's eight。 Not counting the gypsy。 Makes nine。 Plus Pablo gone with one horse makes ten。 Andr閟 is his name。 The other brother。 Plus the other； Eladio。 Makes ten。 That's not one…half a horse apiece。 Three men can hold this and four can get away。 Five with Pablo。 That's two left over。 Three with Eladio。 Where the hell is he？
God knows what will happen to Sordo today if they picked up the trail of those horses in the snow。 That was tough； the snow stopping that way。 But it melting today will even things up。 But not for Sordo。 I'm afraid it's too late to even it up for Sordo。
If we can last through today and not have to fight we can swing the whole show tomorrow with what we have。 I know we can。 Not well； maybe。 Not as it should be； to be foolproof； not as we would have done； but using everybody we can swing it。 _If we don't have to fight today_。 God help us if we have to fight today。
I don't know any place better to lay up in the meantime than this。 If we move now we only leave tracks。 This is as good a place as any and if the worst gets to be the worst there are three ways out of this place。 There is the dark then to come and from wherever we are in these hills； I can reach and do the bridge at daylight。 I don't know why I worried about it before。 It seems easy enough now。 I hope they get the planes up on time for once。 I certainly hope that。 Tomorrow is going to be a day with dust on the road。
Well； today will be very interesting or very dull。 Thank God we've got that cavalry mount out and away from here。 I don't think even if they ride right up here they will go in the way those tracks are now。 They'll think he stopped and circled and they'll pick up Pablo's tracks。 I wonder where the old swine will go。 He'll probably leave tracks like an old bull elk spooking out of the country and work way up and then when the snow melts circle back below。 That horse certainly did things for him。 Of course he may have just mucked off with him too。 Well； he should be able to take care of himself。 He's been doing this a long time。 I wouldn't trust him farther than you can throw Mount Everest； though。
I suppose it's smarter to use these rocks and build a good blind for this gun than to make a proper emplacement for it。 You'd be digging and get caught with your pants down if they come or if the planes come。 She will hold this； the way she is； as long as it is any use to hold it； and anyway I can't stay to fight。 I have to get out of here with that stuff and I'm going to take Anselmo with me。 Who would stay to cover us while we got away if we have to fight here？
Just then； while he was watching all of the country that was visible； he saw the gypsy coming through the rocks to the left。 He was walking with a loose； high…hipped； sloppy swing； his carbine was slung on his back； his brown face was grinning and he carried two big hares； one in each hand。 He carried them by the legs； heads swinging。
〃_Hola_； Roberto；〃 he called cheerfully。
Robert Jordan put his hand to his mouth； and the gypsy looked startled。 He slid over behind the rocks to where Robert Jordan was crouched beside the brush…shielded automatic rifle。 He crouched down and laid the hares in the snow。 Robert Jordan looked up at him。
〃You _hijo de la gran puta！_〃 he said softly。 〃Where the obscenity have you been？〃
〃I tracked them；〃 the gypsy said。 〃I got them both。 They had made love in the snow。〃
〃And thy post？〃
〃It was not for long；〃 the gypsy whispered。 〃What passes？ Is there an alarm？〃
〃There is cavalry out。〃
〃_Redi髎！_〃 the gypsy said。 〃Hast thou seen them？〃
〃There is one at the camp now；〃 Robert Jordan said。 〃He came for breakfast。〃
〃I thought I heard a shot or something like one；〃 the gypsy said。 〃I obscenity in the milk！ Did he come through here？〃
〃Here。 Thy post。〃
〃_Ay； mi madre！_〃 the gypsy said。 〃I am a poor； unlucky man。〃
〃If thou wert not a gypsy； I would shoot thee。〃
〃No； Roberto。 Don't say that。 I am sorry。 It was the hares。 Before daylight I heard the male thumping in the snow。 You cannot imagine what a debauch they were engaged in。 I went toward the noise but they were gone。 I followed the tracks in the snow and high up I found them together and slew them both。 Feel the fatness of the two for this time of year。 Think what the Pilar will do with those two。 I am sorry； Roberto； as sorry as thee。 Was the cavalryman killed？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃By thee？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃_Qu椤io！_〃 the gypsy said in open flattery。 〃Thou art a veritable phenomenon。〃
〃Thy mother！〃 Robert Jordan said。 He could not help grinning at the gypsy。 〃Take thy hares to camp and bring us up some breakfast。〃
He put a hand out and felt of the hares that lay limp； long； heavy； thick…furred； big…footed and long…eared in the snow； their round dark eyes open。
〃They _are_ fat；〃 he said。
〃Fat！〃 the gypsy said。 〃There's a tub of lard on the ribs of each one。 In my life have I never dreamed of such hares。〃
〃Go then；〃 Robert Jordan said； 〃and come quickly with the breakfast and bring to me the documentation of that _requet開。 Ask Pilar for it。〃
〃You are not angry with me； Roberto？〃
〃Not angry。 Disgusted that you should leave your post。 Suppose it had been a troop of cavalry？〃
〃_Redi髎_；〃 the gypsy said。 〃How reasonable you are。〃
〃Listen to me。 You cannot leave a post again like that。 Never。 I do not speak of shooting lightly。〃
〃Of course not。 And another thing。 Never would such an opportunity as the two hares present itself again。 Not in the life of one man。〃
〃_Anda！_〃 Robert Jordan said。 〃And hurry back。〃
The gypsy picked up the two hares and slipped back through the rocks and Robert Jordan looked out across the flat opening and the slopes of the hill below。 Two crows circled overhead and then lit in a pine tree below。 Another crow joined them and Robert Jordan； watching them； thought： those are my sentinels。 As long as those are quiet there is no one coming through the trees。
The gypsy； he thought。 He is truly worthless。 He has no political development； nor any discipline； and you could not rely on him for anything。 But I need him for tomorrow。 I have a use for him tomorrow。 It's odd to see a gypsy in a war。 They should be exempted like conscientious objectors。 Or as the physically and mentally unfit。 They are worthless。 But conscientious objectors weren't exempted in this war。 No one was exempted。 It came to one and all alike。 Well； it had come here now to this lazy outfit。 They had it now。
Agust韓 a