I’d decided to go fishing, and I’d walked about halfway down to the second beaver pond, where there were some good wide spots in the creek. I’d spent most of the morning fishing. My stringer had six sunfish, three goggle-eyes, and two pretty good-sized catfish. Heck, I was just holding them up thinking that I sure had a mess of fish, and I should start home, when I heard something in the woods. Shoot, it didn't sound like a squirrel or nothing small. Well, I figured it was some old hogs or maybe a deer. Sniffer was about to bark when I grabbed his mouth and pulled him behind a big pin oak tree. Wow, if it's a deer I want to get a good look at it, I thought.
I kept peeking out around the tree while I held Sniffer's mouth. Heck, I could tell it was coming right toward me from the sound of crunching leaves and cracks from little sticks. ’Course, I was just playing like an Indian Scout or something, when I stepped behind that tree with Sniffer, figuring I'd get to see a deer maybe or some wild hogs. Well, as the sounds got closer I peeked around the tree, and I could see someone or maybe a couple of people walking through the woods. I could hear leaves crunching as they came through a stretch of dry ground heading straight toward me.
I'm always running into someone roaming through the woods, and I thought I'd just step out and say hello and they'd be so surprised that I had been spying on them. Shoot, it never crossed my mind that it was them escaped prisoners. They was talking up a storm and pretty soon they were real close, and I got ready to step out and surprise them. But just before I stepped out from behind that tree, I peeked out and I almost fainted when I saw who it was; the prisoners!—All three of them. In just a few more feet they got close enough for me to hear what they was saying.
“Sam, I can’t make it much longer—I’m hungry all the time, and I’m covered in mosquito, tick, and chigger bites.”
“Shut up, Len. We can’t let ’em catch us—We’ll get the electric chair for sure. I think them dogs from the Tucker Pen is gone, and there ain’t no posses combing over this swamp, so maybe we’re lost ’em and in a couple of days we can slip outta here.”
“We don’t know how to get out of this swamp, Sam, and we’re gonna starve to death, if we don’t get something to eat pretty soon.”
“Okay, Len, just be patient—I’ve got a plan that will at least get us some food.”
“It better get us something, Sam. I ain’t gonna last much longer.”
“Woof! Woof!”
“What was that?” yelled Sam.
I had let my hand get a little loose from Sniffer’s mouth, and he’d barked. Wow, then things just went crazy. That man Sam came running to where me and Sniffer was standing, waving that gun of his.And when I saw him I nearly died. What am I gonna do now! crossed my mind but it didn't take me but a second to decide. Shoot, I turned Sniffer loose, threw my stringer of fish toward the man and took off like a scared rabbit. Heck, when you're scared almost to death you can do things faster, and you'd never believe how fast I was running when I heard that man yell at me.
“Hey!—Stop! Stop, or I’ll shoot!”
My gosh, when I heard that I cranked it up another notch and was just streaking down through them woods when, Boom! Boom! Two shots echoed through the woods and one of them bullets hit a tree right beside me. Sniffer was howling to beat 60, and I was yelling like I’d already been shot and that man shot at me again. Wow, when I heard that bullet whistle through the leaves of a little bush right beside me I thought I was gonna have a heart attack. Then I thought of something: I remembered how in the movies they zigzagged when the bad guys where shooting at them, so I started running back and forth and then sideways, and I guess that worked ’cause he kept missing me. About that time I heard the man shooting at me yell to the other two men, “Cut him off, and don't let him get to the road! He'll have the bloodhounds after us if we let him get away!”
Dang! ’Course I was trying to head toward the highway, but one of them men started running to stop me and after he cut me off, I had to head back deeper into the swamp. Well, it was a danged footrace now and I’m sure glad I'm a fast runner, or I’d probably be like some dead possum in the road. I guess them men weren’t used to running, or they were awful tired and weak, ’cause after a little bit I got ahead of them and started to look for a place to hide. Well, about that time I saw a big canebrake straight ahead and me and Sniffer darted in. After we got into the very deepest and darkest part, I grabbed Sniffer, held his mouth shut where he wouldn’t bark, and hunkered down. The next 15 minutes was the longest of my life as the three men started going through the thicket looking for me. One of them came within 6 feet of me, but he didn't see me. Then a real good thing happened.
There must have been some hogs or something in the canebrake ’cause they was something moving and I heard the men yelling that I was getting away. Shoot, I was just hugging the ground holding Sniffer and saying a prayer that they wouldn’t find me when they took off running toward whatever was making that noise. When the prisoners got far enough away from me, I slipped out the other side. Wow, I was shaking like a leaf and Sniffer took off for our house like the devil was behind him. In about 20 minutes I’d circled back and hit the highway about a quarter mile from out house, and then I really turned it on. Boy, when I got home, Sniffer was already hiding out under the house, and he stuck his head out and gave me one of them “I’m so sorry I run off’ looks.
“You danged cowardly dog! Run off and leave me to get caught by them convicts!” Shoot, I shook my finger at him, and he slinked back under the porch. Well, I really couldn’t blame Sniffer. Heck, I would have left him there with them prisoners, if I could have run as fast as he did. I couldn’t wait to tell Daddy and have him call the sheriff. Heck, I figured maybe if they could pick up their trail it would be curtains for those guys. Wow, I ran in the house and there was Daddy listening to the news on the radio.
“Daddy, I spotted them convicts down near the second beaver pond on Flat Creek—They shot at me and Sniffer, and we hightailed it outta there—I saw all three of ’em.”
Heck, Daddy wasn't near as excited as I was, and I could tell he really didn't believe me, but after I yelled and waved my arms a bunch he listened to me.
“Now Richard are you sure? Did you really see them or just think you did? Are you sure you just didn't hear something in the woods and thought it might be them?"
“Oh, Daddy, I cross my heart and hope to die if I’m lyin’. I saw all three of ’em up close and heard ’em talking, and when I hightailed it outta there, one of them started shooting at me, and I liked to never got away!"
“Well, you and John Clayton can sure make up some stories—I just want to be sure before I call the sheriff, and he gets the state police down here—Now tell me one more time exactly what you saw.”
Well, I waved my arms and told Daddy how that bullet hit the tree right beside me, and how I had to zigzagged to keep from getting killed. I just went on and on until Daddy held up his hand.
“Okay, Richard—I guess I believe you. I’m going to call the sheriff, but you better be telling me the truth.”
“Oh, I am Daddy. I promise.”
Daddy picked up the phone and pretty soon the sheriff, two cars of state troopers with a pack of bloodhounds drove up in our yard. Wow, talk about being excited. I could hardly speak and then the sheriff and the head trooper had me tell them exactly where I saw the men. I was just finishing up when I heard a clap of thunder, and in about five minutes it was raining like nothing you’ve ever seen. Gosh, what a thunderstorm. Well, it rained for about 30 minutes, and then it stopped and the sun came out.
“Okay, men, Richard is going to take us down in the swamp and show us exactly where he saw the escaped prisoners. Keep the dogs on their leashes until we get there,” said the sheriff.
Heck, I really felt important as I led all them men and four bloodhounds down into the swamp. It took about 30 minutes of walking until I could see the second beaver pond.
“I was standing behind that big pin oak tree, when I hear
d them coming through the woods,” I told the sheriff.
“Turn the dogs loose and fan out!” yelled the state trooper in charge.
Shoot, them dogs just took off, sniffing at everything they came across, and I was sure any minute they’d hit the prisoners’ trail—but they didn’t. In fact they sniffed and hunted and about 15 men walked down through the swamp in a long line for the rest of the day, but they didn’t find any sign of the convicts. It was dark when they called off the search.
“Guess that rainstorm washed out any scent, or maybe…” Shoot, that state trooper looked at me like maybe I was lyin’ like some sorry yard dog.
“Uh, no sir, I swear on a stack of Bibles a mile high, I saw ’em.”
Heck, I don’t believe a soul believed me, ’cause they packed up them dogs and everybody drove back to El Dorado—after the state trooper had a little private talk with Daddy.
When they left, Daddy took me into the kitchen and had one of them “you’re lyin’ ain’t you” talks. Oh, I told him ’bout a thousand times I was telling the God’s truth, but you know something? Me and John Clayton have been into so much stuff that I don’t think Daddy or anybody in the whole town of Norphlet believes us. I was really feeling low right then because I could just feel it: Them prisoners was still hiding out in that swamp, and they was going to cause somebody really big trouble.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Uncle Spencer and Tony
The next morning I couldn’t wait to tell Doc about seeing the escaped prisoners down in Flat Creek Swamp. I dashed outta my house just a few minutes after five and, after just flying down the road, burst through the newsstand door pointing up at the clock. Heck, I was nearly on time. Old Doc just shook his head.
“Well, Richard, you’re almost on time. My God, I’d faint dead away if you walked in here at five o’clock, but I guess 5:10 isn’t too bad considering your sorry record.”
“Heck, Doc, I ran down here to tell you about seeing them escaped convicts down in Flat Creek Swamp.”
“What? You saw the escaped prisoners?”
“You bet Doc, and they tried to kill me and Sniffer—shot at us a bunch of times, but I zigzagged and they missed me. The sheriff came and the posse hunted them all afternoon…”
“Wait a minute, Richard. They didn’t find a trace of them did they?”
“Well, naw they didn’t Doc, but it rained and I guess that washed out their trail.”
“Richard, do you really expect me or anyone else in Norphlet to believe you after all the stuff you and John Clayton have told over the last year or two?”
“But it’s the God’s truth, Doc. I’ll swear of a stack of Bibles a mile high.”
Shoot, I could tell old Doc didn’t believe a word I said. In fact he started ragging me about being late again.
“Get those papers rolled, Richard. All that lying has made you late again.”
Heck, I just ignored Doc telling me I was lyin’ ’cause I felt so good that morning. I ran most of the route, and in no time a-tall I was back at my house having breakfast. Shoot, it weren’t 10 minutes until bad news hit me like a rock. I’d just finished breakfast when Momma handed me a note. It was from Daddy, who had gone to work, telling me to wash the car and mow the yard before he got home. My Lord, that took all morning, and then Momma called me in the kitchen to help her can blackberry jelly. My danged summer vacation was becoming more work than vacation.
I’d just plopped down on the front porch and had started to read a funny book when I looked down the road and saw Daddy drive up. I could tell he was excited before he even got to our front gate. Heck, I was off that porch in a second and met him at the gate.
“Richard, I heard at work today that Walter Winchell is going to be on the radio in a few minutes with a special news broadcast about the War. Bob Parnell told me he heard it was going to be about Okinawa.” Daddy high-tailed it into the kitchen with me right behind him and turned on the radio.
In a few minutes old Walter Winchell was just going on and on about the War.
“Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. North and South America and all the ships at sea…. let’s go to press. Heavy fighting continues on Okinawa—U. S. 77th Division takes Chocolate Drop Hill.”
Daddy was so excited he jumped up from the table yelling at Momma. “Sue, get in here quick. Walter Winchell is taking about the 77th!”
Momma made a beeline for the kitchen, and we sat around the kitchen table listening to the rest of the newscast. I could tell Daddy was worried. He shook his head as he looked across the table at Momma. “Sue, you know Spencer is in the 77th and in his last letter he said his division will be involved in a lot of action as they clean up the Japs on Okinawa. I just hope he’s okay.”
“Oh, Jack, this War is terrible. I wish it would end soon. I don’t think I can stand it if something happens to Spencer.”
Boy, it was really scary around our house for the next few days because Uncle Spencer was fighting with the 77th on an island called Okinawa and according, to Walter Winchell, them sorry Japs was really putting up a heck of a fight. Shoot, with Uncle J. R. flying a P-38 and shooting down Zeros it was just non-stop worrying around our house. We kept the radio on all the time listening to emergency news broadcasts. We almost had them Japs whipped, and I sure couldn’t figure out why they just didn’t quit.
It was a week later, after the 77th had taken Chocolate Drop Hill, when a government car pulled up to our house. I saw the car first and I ran inside to find Momma and Daddy. Dang, it didn’t take no genius to know a government car always brought really bad news.
“Momma, Daddy, there’s a government car out front!”
Well, Momma just started crying and dropped her head on the kitchen table, and Daddy turned white as a sheet and walked slowly out to the front porch. The government man and a soldier got out of the car and walked up to the porch where me and Daddy was standing. I was standing there beside Daddy just holding my breath.
“Are you Lavelle Mason, the brother of Sergeant Spencer Mason?”
Daddy nodded his head as the government man unfolded a piece of paper.
I regret to inform you that Corporal Spencer Mason has been…” and then Daddy slumped down in a porch swing and broke down, “Oh, God, no!”
“Mr. Mason let me finish.”
Well, me and Daddy stood there as the man pulled up the paper again, and I remembered how brave Uncle Spencer looked when he stopped by here last year wearing his Army uniform. Heck, I was just about to cry because we was just sure them sorry Japs had killed him.
“Sergeant Mason has been wounded in action in the battle for Chocolate Drop Hill and has been nominated to receive a Bronze Star for extraordinary bravery. He was wounded in the knee, but a full recovery is expected.”
Wow, Daddy jumped up from the swing and hugged me and the government man and yelled for Momma to come outside. But that was still a big scare for our family. Evidently the dang sorry Japs had shot him as he led some men trying to take out a machine-gun nest.
***
Saturday rolled around and I’d just finished my paper route and breakfast, and was sitting on the front porch playing with Sniffer when I heard a deep rumble. Down the road and coming over the hill was a line of dark-green trucks. They were Army trucks and there were hundreds. At least it looked like hundreds. Daddy came around the corner of the house about then, and I yelled at him: “Daddy, what are all these soldiers doing here? And look! They’re all wearing green and blue arm bands.”
“There’re on maneuvers,” Daddy said. “They’re the Blue Army and the Green Army, and they’re practicing how to fight the Japs.”
Shoot, I was so excited that I just bolted into the house yelling at Momma, “Momma, there’s soldiers everywhere, right in front of our house!” Momma was in the kitchen making a chocolate cake. She came out on the front porch with me and Daddy, and we stood there waving as we watching the troops go by.
A couple of hours passed and Momma called us in for dinner. Af
ter we’d all sat down at the table, Daddy pulled out a letter which he’d stuffed in his pocket.
“I got a letter from Spencer today.” Daddy opened the letter and started to read. “Listen to this everybody.”
Dear Jack, Sue, and Richard, This is the first time I’ve been able to write since I was wounded. The doctors and nurses have been great, and as it turns out my knee isn’t as bad as we first thought. When I was first hit I lost a lot of blood, and the medics gave me two pints. I lost count of the pain shots. I was really worried about ever walking again, but when the doctor left the room yesterday the last thing he said was, “When we get through working on your knee, it will be as good as new.”
Well, I had better close for now. Tell Richard I picked up a real Jap bayonet before I was wounded. I still have it in my locker, and I will bring it to him when I return to the States. Hope everybody is doing okay.
Love to all,
Sgt. Spencer Mason
“A real Jap bayonet! For me! Did you hear that!”
“Just a minute, Richard, I’ve something else to tell everybody. After dinner the whole family is going to walk down the road to the Army camp. The commanding colonel has invited everyone in town to tour the camp.”
I could hardly wait until dinner was over. Heck, going to a real Army camp was about
the most exciting thing I could think of. Finally, we were walking out the door.
“Wait a minute, Jack. I forgot something,” Momma said. She went back in the house, and came out carrying the chocolate cake she’d baked this morning. It hadn’t even been cut. “I think the soldiers might enjoy this cake.”
Lyin' Like a Dog, The Yankee Doctor, The Danged Swamp! 3-Volume set Page 43