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Hank picked up the bat and ripped a few practice swings。 With the bases loaded； he was thinking of only one thing…a grand slam。 Cowboy had other plans。 He stepped back and stopped smiling。 Hank hovered over the plate； staring down the pitcher； daring him to throw something he could hit。
The infield noise died for a moment； the Mexicans crept forward； on their toes； anxious to take part in this encounter。 The first pitch was a blistering fastball that crossed the plate a fraction of a second after Cowboy released it。 Hank never thought about swinging； he never had the chance。 He backed away from the plate and seemed to concede that he was overmatched。 I glanced at my father； who was shaking his head。 How hard could Cowboy throw？
Then he threw a fat curve； one that looked tempting but broke out of the strike zone。 Hank ripped but never got close。 Then a hard curve； one that went straight at his head and； at the last second； dipped across the plate。 Hank's face was blood…red。
Another fastball that Hank lunged at。 Two strikes； bases loaded； two outs。 Without the slightest hint of a smile； Cowboy decided to play a little。 He threw a slow curve that broke outside； then a harder one that made Hank duck。 Then another slow one that he almost chopped at。 I got the impression that Cowboy could wrap a baseball around Hank's head if he wanted。 The defense was chattering again； at full volume。
Strike three was a knuckleball that floated up to the plate and looked slow enough for me to hit。 But it wobbled and dipped。 Hank took a mighty swing； missed by a foot； and again landed in the dirt。 He screamed a nasty word and threw the bat near my father。
〃Watch your language；〃 my father said； picking up the bat。
Hank mumbled something else and dusted himself off。 Our half of the inning was over。
Miguel walked to the plate in the bottom of the second。 Hank's first pitch went straight for his head； almost hitting it。 The ball bounced off the silo and rolled to a stop near third base。 The Mexicans were silent。 The second pitch was even harder； and two feet inside。 Again； Miguel hit the dirt； and his teammates began mumbling。
〃Stop the foolishness！〃 my father said loudly from shortstop。 〃Just throw strikes。〃
Hank offered him his customary sneer。 He threw the ball over the plate； and Miguel slapped it to right field； where Trot was playing defense with his back to home plate； staring at the distant tree line of the St。 Francis River。 Tally raced after the ball and stopped when she reached the edge of the cotton。 A ground rule triple。
The next pitch was the last of the game。 Cowboy was the batter。 Hank reached back for all the juice he could find； and he hurled a fastball directly at Cowboy。 He ducked but didn't move back fast enough； and the ball hit him square in the ribs with the sickening sound of a melon landing on bricks。 Cowboy emitted a quick scream； but just as quickly he threw my bat like a tomahawk； end over end with all the speed he could muster。 It didn't land where it should have…between Hank's eyes。 Instead； it bounced at his feet and ricocheted off his shins。 He screamed an obscenity and instantly charged like a crazed bull。
Others charged； too。 My father from shortstop。 Mr。 Spruill from beside the silo。 Some of the Mexicans。 Me； I didn't move。 I held my ground at first base； too horrified to take a step。 Everyone seemed to be yelling and running toward home plate。
Cowboy retreated not a step。 He stood perfectly still for a second； his brown skin wet； his long arms taut and ready； and his teeth showing。 When the bull was a few feet away； Cowboy's hands moved quickly around his pockets and a knife appeared。 He jerked it； and a very long switchblade popped free…shiny； glistening steel； no doubt very sharp。 It snapped when it sprang open； a sharp click that I would hear for years to e。
He held it high for all to see； and Hank skidded to a stop。
〃Put it down！〃 he yelled from five feet away。
With his left hand； Cowboy made a slight； beckoning motion； as if to say； e on； big boy。 e and get it。
The knife shocked everyone； and for a few seconds there was silence。 No one moved。 The only sound was heavy breathing。 Hank was staring at the blade； which seemed to grow。 There was no doubt in anyone's mind that Cowboy had used it before； knew how to use it well； and would happily behead Hank if he took another step closer。
Then my father； holding the bat； stepped between the two； and Miguel appeared beside Cowboy。
〃Put it down；〃 Hank said again。 〃Fight like a man。〃
〃Shut up！〃 my father said； waving the bat around at both of them。 〃Ain't nobody fightin'。〃
Mr。 Spruill grabbed Hank's arm and said； 〃Let's go； Hank。〃
My father looked at Miguel and said； 〃Get him back to the barn。〃
Slowly； the other Mexicans grouped around Cowboy and sort of shoved him away。 He finally turned and began walking； the switchblade still very much in view。 Hank； of course； wouldn't budge。 He stood and watched the Mexicans leave； as if by doing so he was claiming victory。
〃I'm gonna kill that boy；〃 he said。
〃You've killed enough；〃 my father said。 〃Now leave。 And stay away from the barn。〃
〃Let's go；〃 Mr。 Spruill said again； and the others…Trot； Tally； Bo； and Dale…began to drift toward the front yard。 When the Mexicans were out of sight； Hank stomped away。 〃I'm gonna kill him；〃 he mumbled； just loud enough for my father to hear。
I collected the baseballs； the gloves； and the bat； and hurried after my parents and Gran。
Chapter 12
Later that afternoon； Tally found me in the backyard。 It was the first time I'd seen her walk around the farm； though as the days passed； the Spruills showed more interest in exploring the area。
She was carrying a small bag。 She was barefoot but had changed into the same tight dress she'd been wearing the first time I'd seen her。
〃Will you do me a favor； Luke？〃 she asked ever so sweetly。 My cheeks turned red。 I had no idea what favor she wanted； but there was no doubt she'd get it from me。
〃What？〃 I asked； trying to be difficult。
〃Your grandma told my mom that there's a creek close by where we can bathe。 Do you know where it is？〃
〃Yeah。 Siler's Creek。 'Bout a half a mile that way；〃 I said； pointing to the north。
〃Are there any snakes？〃
I laughed like snakes shouldn't bother anyone。 〃Maybe just a little water snake or two。 No cottonmouths。〃
〃And the water's clear； not muddy？〃
〃Should be clear。 It hasn't rained since Sunday。〃
She looked around to make sure no one was listening； then she said； 〃Will you go with me？〃
My heart stopped； and my mouth was suddenly dry。 〃Why？〃 I managed to ask。
She grinned again and rolled her eyes away。
〃I don't know；〃 she cooed。 〃To make sure nobody sees me。〃
She could've said； 〃Because I don't know where the creek is；〃 or 〃To make sure there are no snakes。〃 Or something； anything that had nothing to do with seeing her bathe。
But she didn't。
〃Are you scared？〃 I asked。
〃Maybe a little。〃
We took the field road until the house and barn were out of sight； then turned onto a narrow path we used for spring planting。 Once we were alone； she began to talk。 I had no idea what to say； and I was relieved that she knew how to handle the situation。
〃I'm real sorry 'bout Hank；〃 she said。 〃He's always causin' trouble。〃
〃Did you see the fight？〃 I asked。
〃Which one？〃
〃The one in town。〃
〃No。 Was it awful？〃
〃Yeah； pretty bad。 He beat those boys so bad。 He beat 'em long after the fight was over。〃
She stopped； then I stopped； too。 She walked close to me； both of us breathing heavily。 〃Tell me the truth； Luke。 Did he pick up that stick first？〃
Looking at her beautiful brown eyes； I almost said； 〃Yes。〃 But in a flash something caught me。 I thought I'd better play it safe。 He was； after all； her brother； and in the midst of one of the many Spruill fights； she might tell him everything I said。 Blood's thicker than water； Ricky always said。 I didn't want Hank ing after me。
〃It happened real fast；〃 I said； and started walking off。 She caught up immediately and said nothing for a few minutes。
〃Do you think they'll arrest him？〃 she asked。
〃I don't know。〃
〃What does your grandpa think？〃
〃Hell if I know。〃 I thought I might impress her by using some of Ricky's words。
〃Luke； your language！〃 she said； quite unimpressed。
〃Sorry。〃 We walked on。 〃Has he ever killed anybody before？〃 I asked。
〃Not that I know of；〃 she said。
〃He went up North once；〃 she continued as we approached the creek。 〃And there was some trouble。 But we never knew what happened。〃
I was certain there was trouble wherever Hank went。
Siler's Creek ran along the northern boundary of our farm； where it snaked its way into the St。 Francis； at a point you could almost see from the bridge。 Heavy trees lined both sides； so in the summer it was usually a cool place to swim and bathe。 It would dry up； though； and quickly； and more often than not； there wasn't much water。
I led her down the bank to a gravel bar； where the water was deepest。 〃This is the best spot；〃 I said。
〃How deep is it？〃 she asked； looking around。
The water was clear。 〃 'Bout here；〃 I said； touching a spot not far below my chin。
〃There's nobody around here； right？〃 She seemed a bit nervous。
〃No。 Everybody's back at the farm。〃
〃You go back up by the trail and look out for me； okay？〃
〃Okay；〃 I said； without moving。
〃Go on； Luke；〃 she said； placing her bag on the bank。
〃Okay；〃 I said； and started away。
〃And； Luke； no peeking； okay？〃
I felt as if I'd just been caught。 I waved her off as if the thought hadn't crossed my mind。 〃Of course not；〃 I said。
I crawled up the bank and found a spot a few feet above the ground； on the limb of an elm。 Perched there； I could almost see the top of our barn。
〃Luke！〃 she called。
〃Yes！〃
〃Is everything clear？〃
〃Yep！〃
I heard water splash but kept my eyes to the south。 After a minute or two； I slowly turned around and looked down the creek。 I couldn't see her； and I was somewhat relieved。 The gravel bar was just around a slight bend； and the trees and limbs were thick。
Another minute passed； and I began to feel useless。 No one knew we were here； so no one would be trying to sneak up on her。 How often would I have the chance to see a pretty girl bathing？ I could recall no specific prohibition from the church or the Scriptures； though I knew it was wrong。 But maybe it wasn't terribly sinful。
Because it involved mischief； I thought of Ricky。 What would he do in a situation like this？
I climbed down from the elm and sneaked through weeds and brush until I was above the gravel bar； then I slowly crawled through the bushes。
Her dress and underclothes were hung over a branch。 Tally was deep in the water； her head covered with white lather as she gently washed her hair。 I was sweating； but not breathing。 Lying on my stomach in the grass； peering through two big limbs； I was invisible to her。 The trees were moving more than I was。
She was humming； just a pretty girl bathing in a creek； enjoying the cool water。 She wasn't looking around in fear； she trusted me。
She dipped her head under the water； rinsing out the shampoo； sending the lather away in the slight current。 Then she stood and reached for a bar of soap。 Her back was to me； and I saw her rear end； all of it。 She was wearing nothing； which was exactly what I wore during my weekly baths； and it was what I expected。 But confirming it sent a shudder throughout my body。 Instinctively； I raised my head； I guess for a closer look； then ducked again when I regained my senses。
If she caught me； she'd tell her father； who'd tell my father； who'd beat me until I couldn't walk。 My mother would scold me for a week。 Gran wouldn't speak to me； she'd be so hurt。 Pappy would give me a tongue…lashing； but only for the benefit of the others。 I'd be ruined。
In water up to her waist； she bathed her arms and chest； which I could see from the side。 I had never seen a woman's breasts before； and I doubted if any seven…year…old boy in Craighead County had。 Maybe some kid had stumbled upon his mother； but I was certain no boy my age had ever had