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〃Let's get the hell out of here；〃 Amos yelled； moving toward the cabin door； which had snapped shut。 He turned the knob and pushed。 Then he threw himself against it。 The door didn't move。 〃It's jammed！〃 he yelled； turning to me。
I stared at him and then jumped for the pilot's emergency hatch over our heads。 I pulled the hatch lock with one hand and pushed at the hatch with the other。 Nothing happened。 I looked up and saw why。 The frame had buckled； locking it in。 Nothing short of dynamite would open it。
Amos didn't wait for me to tell him。 He pulled a wrench from the emergency tool kit and smashed at the glass until there was only a jagged frame left in the big port。 He dropped the wrench； picked up the Mae West and threw it at me。 I slipped into it quickly； making sure the automatic valve was set so it would work the minute I hit the water。
〃O。K。；〃 he said。 〃Out you go！〃
I grinned at him。 〃Traditions of the sea； Amos。 Captain's last off the ship。 After you； Alphonse。〃
〃You crazy； man？〃 he shouted。 〃I couldn't get out that port if they cut me in half。〃
〃You ain't that big；〃 I said。 〃We're going to give it a try。〃
Suddenly； he smiled。 I should have known better than to trust Amos when he smiled like that。 That peculiarly wolfish smile came over him only when he was going to do you dirty。 〃All right； Gaston。 You're the captain。〃
〃That's better；〃 I said； bracing myself and making a sling step with my hands to boost him up to the port。 〃I knew you'd learn someday who's boss。〃
But he never did。 And I never even saw what he hit me with。 I sailed into Dream Street with a full load on。 I was out but I wasn't all the way out。 I knew what was going on but there was nothing I could do about it。 My arms and legs and head； even my body … they all belonged to someone else。
I felt Amos push me toward the port； then there was a burning sensation； like a cat raking her claws across your face。 But I was through the narrow port and falling。 Falling about a thousand miles and a thousand hours and I was still looking for the rip cord on my parachute when I crashed in a heap on the wing。
I pulled myself to my feet and tried to climb back the cabin wall to the port。 〃e on out of there； you no…good； dirty son of a bitch！〃 I yelled。 I was crying。 〃e on outa there and I'll kill you！〃
Then the plane lurched and a broken piece of something came flying up from the wing and hit me in the side； knocking me clear out into the water。 I heard the soft hiss of pressed air as the Mae West began to wrap her legs around me。 I put my head down on those big soft pillows she had and went to sleep。
5
IN NEVADA； WHERE I WAS BORN AND RAISED； THERE IS MOSTLY SAND AND ROCKS AND A FEW SMALL MOUNTAINS。 But there are no oceans。 There are streams and lakes； and swimming pools at every country club and hotel； but they're all filled with fresh； sweet water that bubbles in your mouth like wine； if you should happen to drink it instead of bathe in it。
I've been in a couple of oceans in my time。 In the Atlantic； off Miami Beach and Atlantic City； in the Pacific； off Malibu； and in the blue waters of the Mediterranean； off the Riviera。 I've even been in the warm waters of the Gulf Stream； off the white； sandy beach of Bermuda； chasing a naked girl whose only ambition was to do it like a fish。 I never did get to find out the secret of how the porpoises made it； because somehow； in the salt water； everything eluded me。 I never did like salt water。 It clings too heavily to your skin； burns your nose； irritates your eyes。 And if you happen to get a mouthful； it tastes like yesterday's leftover mouthwash。
So what was I doing here？
Hot damn； little man； all the stars are out and laughing at you。 This'll teach you some respect for the oceans。 You don't like salt water； eh？ Well； how do you like a million； billion； trillion gallons of it？ A gazillion gallons？
〃Aah； the hell with you；〃 I said and went back to sleep。
I came trotting around the corner of the bunkhouse as fast as my eight…year…old legs could carry me； dragging the heavy cartridge belt and holstered gun in the sand behind me。
I heard my father's voice。 〃Hey； boy！ What have you got there？〃
I turned to face him； trying to hide the belt and gun behind me。 〃Nothin'；〃 I said； not looking up at him。
〃Nothing？〃 my father repeated after me。 〃Then； let me see。〃
He reached around behind me and tugged the belt out of my grip。 As he raised it； the gun and a folded piece of paper fell from the holster。 He bent down and picked them up。 〃Where'd you get this？〃
〃From the wall in the bunkhouse near Nevada's bed；〃 I said。 〃I had to climb up。〃
My father put the gun back in the holster。 It was a black gun； a smooth； black gun with the initials M。 S。 on its black butt。 Even I was old enough to know that somebody had made a mistake on Nevada's initials。
My father started to put the folded piece of paper back into the holster but he dropped it and it fluttered open。 I could see it was a picture of Nevada； with some numbers above it and printing below。 My father stared at it for a moment； then refolded the paper and shoved it into the holster。
〃You put this back where you got it；〃 he said angrily。 I could tell he was mad。 〃Don't you ever let me catch you taking what doesn't belong to you again or I'll whomp you good。〃
〃Ain't no need to whomp 'im； Mr。 Cord。〃 Nevada's voice came from behind us。 〃It's my fault for leavin' it out where the boy could get to it。〃 We turned around。 He was standing there； his Indian face dark and expressionless； holding out his hand。 〃If you'll jus' give it to me； I'll put it back。〃
Silently my father handed him the gun and they stood there looking at each other。 Neither of them spoke a word。 I stared up at them； bewildered。 Both seemed to be searching each other's eyes。 At last； Nevada spoke。 〃I'll draw my time if you want； Mr。 Cord。〃
I knew what that meant。 Nevada was going away。 Immediately； I set up a howl。 〃No；〃 I screamed。 〃I won't do it again。 I promise。〃
My father looked down at me for a moment； then back at Nevada。 A faint smile came into his eyes。 〃Children and animals； they really know what they want； what's best for them。〃
〃They do say that。〃
〃You better put that away where nobody'll ever find it。〃
The faint smile was in Nevada's eyes now。 〃Yes； Mr。 Cord。 I sure will。〃
My father looked down at me and his smile vanished。 〃You hear me； boy？ Touch what isn't yours and you'll get whomped good。〃
〃Yes； Father；〃 I answered； loud and strong。 〃I hear you。〃
I got a mouthful of salt water and I coughed and choked and sputtered and spit it out。 I opened my eyes。 The stars were still blinking at me but over in the east； the sky was starting to turn pale。 I thought I heard the sound of a motor in the distance but it was probably only an echo ringing in my ears。
There was a pain in my side and down my leg； like I'd gone to sleep on it。 When I moved； it shot up to my head and made me dizzy。 The stars began to spin around and I got tired just watching them； so I went back to sleep。
The sun on the desert is big and strong and rides the sky so close to your head that sometimes you feel like if you re