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Chapter 62

Chapter 62

Summary

The worst storm yet. A bolt of lightning bisects the setting sun, and another strikes the herd, dropping thirteen cattle like bricks out of a wall and killing Bill Spettle, knocked from his horse and turned black. He is buried hastily in the mud, and Newt never sees the grave. Call pushes on to the Canadian rather than be trapped by more rain, and makes the men strip and bundle their clothes for the crossing — to Jasper's horror. Mid-crossing the sky begins throwing hailstones, small at first, then the size of pullet eggs. Naked cowboys shelter under saddles, horses and slickers; Pea Eye simply stands neck-deep in the river with his hat on, reasoning that it cannot hail through water. Newt crouches under Mouse. The storm ends in ten minutes, leaving the brown plains white. Then Pea Eye looks across the river and sees Augustus riding in.

Analysis

Lightning kills Bill Spettle and thirteen cattle in the same instant, with no distinction drawn between them — the drive's arithmetic in one image. Then hail turns the catastrophe absurd, naked men crouching under horses, and the chapter ends on Gus riding back in: relief, immediately after loss.

Plates

In the empty Territory, the Spettle boys tell Newt they would run away home if they weren't afraid of getting lost.
00 In the empty Territory, the Spettle boys tell Newt they would run away home if they weren't afraid of getting lost.
Night camp on the plain — Pea Eye sharpening his knife and talking of scalped settlers while the Irishman tugs at his own hair, and Po Campo sits apart whittling one of his little women.
01 Night camp on the plain — Pea Eye sharpening his knife and talking of scalped settlers while the Irishman tugs at his own hair, and Po Campo sits apart whittling one of his little women.
At sunset, a bolt of lightning runs south to north the whole length of the western horizon, bisecting the setting sun.
02 At sunset, a bolt of lightning runs south to north the whole length of the western horizon, bisecting the setting sun.
Lightning strikes the edge of the herd not a hundred feet from Call, and a portion of the wall of cattle falls to earth like so many bricks.
03 Lightning strikes the edge of the herd not a hundred feet from Call, and a portion of the wall of cattle falls to earth like so many bricks.
At a low grey dawn Dish rides back with Deets and tells Newt that the lightning killed thirteen cattle and Bill Spettle, and that they are burying him now.
04 At a low grey dawn Dish rides back with Deets and tells Newt that the lightning killed thirteen cattle and Bill Spettle, and that they are burying him now.
The herd moves on with the grave somewhere behind it on the muddy plain, and Pete Spettle, weary and stunned, holds the remuda together alone.
05 The herd moves on with the grave somewhere behind it on the muddy plain, and Pete Spettle, weary and stunned, holds the remuda together alone.
The herd is held up at the Canadian while the men strip off and bundle their clothes in their slickers — Jasper appalled, Dish calling the crew a bunch of beauties.
06 The herd is held up at the Canadian while the men strip off and bundle their clothes in their slickers — Jasper appalled, Dish calling the crew a bunch of beauties.
The hail arrives mid-crossing — Old Dog swimming with Dish hanging on his saddle strings on one side and Call on the other, the grey sky spitting white pellets into the river.
07 The hail arrives mid-crossing — Old Dog swimming with Dish hanging on his saddle strings on one side and Call on the other, the grey sky spitting white pellets into the river.
At the height of the hail, Newt shelters in under Mouse below the six-foot bank while Pea Eye stands neck-deep in the river with his hat on, reasoning it cannot hail through water.
08 At the height of the hail, Newt shelters in under Mouse below the six-foot bank while Pea Eye stands neck-deep in the river with his hat on, reasoning it cannot hail through water.
The plains lie white with hailstones and the men are throwing them in the river when Pea Eye, one foot in the stirrup, freezes — there is a horseman coming across the river, and it is Gus.
09 The plains lie white with hailstones and the men are throwing them in the river when Pea Eye, one foot in the stirrup, freezes — there is a horseman coming across the river, and it is Gus.