Swamp Water

Look. There's the boat.

Let's get over there.

- We won't have to look no further. - Aye-yippety-aye.

They was gator-ate.

You spoke the truth, Sheriff Jeb, ain't no doubt about it.

A mighty big wet place, Okefenokee.

I'll say she is, Thursday. 700 miles of nothing.

700 miles ain't gonna see hide nor hair of me, Marty.

Come on, let's get out of here. It'll soon be duskdark.

We can't get losted, Jeb, not as long as we can keep sight of that cross.

Maybe not, Tim, but I can get mighty nervous.

Come on, shove her off, Hardy. Let's get.

Trouble. Come back here.

Trouble, come back here.

Trouble.

Trouble.

- Morning, Miss Hannah. - Morning.

- Seen my dog? - No, I ain't.

I swear, Hannah, you're a right pretty woman.

I don't know how come you ever married an old man like me.

You ain't no old man.

I wish you wouldn't go fox-hunting all the time.

Always going off with them dogs at duskdark and leaving me here alone.

Hannah, I've been doing it ever since I was old enough to own a dog.

You just can't change us swamp folks. Look at Ben and that dog of his.

I get lonesome.

Why, I told you, your sister could come and live with us.

It ain't my sister I'm lonesome for.

- Going trapping, son? - No, sir.

My dog ain't back. I'm going at him.

Come here, Ben.

Yes, sir.

You be careful and keep clear of that swamp.

How can I keep clear of Okefenokee? That's where my dog is.

- You heard me, son. - When are you coming back, Ben?

When I find that fool dog, Miss Hannah.

You be back by tomorrow night and keep clear of that swamp.

You know where I gotta go to find my dog.

You'll be back here by tomorrow night or not at all.

Ben.

- I'll try to get back. - Don't try. Get back.

- I don't care whether I get back or not. - That's up to you.

Ben.

Goodbye, Miss Hannah.

You ain't never been that hard-minded.

He ain't never headed for that swamp before, neither.

You've been like a second mother to him, Hannah.

Surely you know how I feel.

Sure I know.

A woman don't need no telling.

Trouble with you menfolk is you're afraid to let on to each other how you feel.

Hello, Ben.

- Howdy, Mabel. - My goodness. You look like a thundercloud.

- I just had a big fight with my father. - Whatever for?

- My dog's losted. - That's nothing to fight about.

- We fit about my going to get him. - Oh, Ben.

What are you laughing about? I got a right to get my dog, ain't I?

Don't fight with me about it. Go get your dog if you want.

- That's what I aim to. - Ben?

- Guess you are upset. - I've got old Trouble on my mind.

Well, for heaven's sake, go look for him, then.

That's just what I'm gonna do.

A box of 12-gauge shells, Marty.

- Who's a-winning, Dave? - Well, it's kind of give-and-take.

That old mule of yours is getting pretty lame, ain't she?

Yeah. She's got a nail in her foot. If I ever get time, I'm gonna pull it out.

- You got time to work on me a little? - I'll take time.

Where you heading for, Ben?

Okefenokee.

- You're going into that swamp? - Yes. I gotta find my dog.

You're going in alone?

- Lessen you want to go with me. - No, not me.

Hot dang, I can just see you a-sashaying into that swamp.

Yeah, then come hauling-tail outta there with a bull gator snapping at your britches.

- I ain't afraid of no swamp. - Neither was them trappers we looked for.

- What you trying to do? - I wanted to see if your hat would fit me.

That's all we're ever gonna find of you.

Doggone that she-housecat. She throws a litter every time I turn my back.

I'll tell you what we'll do. You give us a bottle of that red whisky,

and Bud and me'll put all them cats in one sack and throw 'em in the creek.

Sure will.

- Be dogged if you ain't made a deal. - Catch 'em. Get a sack.

Hurry up, Bud.

Here.

- That yellow hyena. - Kitty, kitty.

Behind that barrel. Move.

- Don't let 'em get away. - No, he ain't here.

- Well, I'll be doggoned. Where did he go? - He went over there someplace.

- Here he is. - Gimme that cat.

You, young 'un.

Fetch it back.

You hear me?

Why don't you let her have it, Marty?

Give him the cat, you.

Maybe we ought to put you in that croker sack, you little fighting cat.

- Fork over that bottle of red-eye, Marty. - Hurry up.

Ben.

If you aim to rassle them bull gators, you'll need a swallow of this.

No, thanks, Bud. It might taste of cats.

Ben.

Cold-out crazy about that dog, bless Katy if he ain't.

Can't nobody stop him now.

Old Trouble.

Who are you?

Ain't you Tom Keefer?

- I'm mighty sorry, bud. - Sorry you gave me that lick on the head?

I'm mighty sorry you turned out to know I'm Tom Keefer.

You come at me?

No.

No, I come at my dog, that's all.

I didn't even know you was a-hiding in Okefenokee.

Old Sheriff Jeb figured you got away to Savannah after you escaped.

If you was to let me take my dog and go, I wouldn't never tell nobody.

I don't expect I could do that.

You wouldn't never find your way outta here anyways.

- You could tell me how to get out. - I don't expect I could.

I reckon I know what happened to them trappers now.

They was cottonmouth-bit.

I found them dead, all swole up.

I buried 'em up yonder.

- What's your name, bud? - Ben. Ben Ragan.

Thursday Ragan's boy?

Thursday was on the jury that tried to get me hung.

Well, why don't you go ahead? You done killed one man, ain't ya?

I figured I'd cut the throat of anyone come at me.

You ain't gonna do it?

But you're in Okefenokee for good, bud.

If I were to let you go back, you'd tell it on me.

- Not if I said I wouldn't. - Your word don't mean nothing to me.

Not when my living or hanging is depending on it.

Oh, Trouble.

Well, I ain't gonna stay, Keefer. You ain't man enough to keep me here.

There ain't but one way to find your way out of this swamp now.

That's with me a-showing you.

Sure am proud to have me a dog like that.

You ain't got him, yet.

We'll get out, Keefer, if I have to bash you in the head when you ain't looking.

Bud, there ain't no man living can catch me when I ain't looking.

Don't you move, Keefer. I told you I'd get ya.

Now get in that boat. Take me out of this swamp.

I dropped that knife a-purpose, bud. I figured it was time to learn you a lesson.

Get moving.

I hope I didn't hurt you none. I tried to throw you easylike.

Don't need to do me no favours.

Next time I'll kill you,

and get out by myself.

I never seen no one so butt-headed.

You're a good man, bud, but you've gotta give it up now.

You're in here for life.

Reckon you got plenty to think about.

Shep Collins with a load of buckshot in his heart, and the like of that.

Sometimes I get to thinking about my poor girl and what's gonna happen to her.

You mean to say you got a woman outside this swamp?

I had me the finest woman that ever lived.

Couldn't be no other woman for me after she died.

Not even if I could leave this swamp and live like folks.

What do you mean, then?

I told ya. My young 'un.

That's how come I took to the swamp instead of getting away where I could live like folks.

Couldn't bear to be that far away from my Julie.

Julie?

Marty McCord took her in after I was arrested.

She does chores and Mrs McCord gives her rations and a place to sleep.

Sure, I seen her.

- Lately? - Sure, I seen that gal young 'un.

- She doing all right? - I reckon so.

How come she don't go by the name of Keefer if she's your young 'un?

Ain't a good name to bear, is it?

My wife was a Gordon.

When they was gonna hang me, Mrs McCord promised she'd raise Julie by that name.

Purely fine woman, Mrs McCord.

Don't nobody know?

Sure. Didn't Thursday never talk about it?

Ben,

you know, there's a lot of fine folks outside this swamp.

Most people's a whole lot better than we think they are.

And some men's a whole lot worse.

What do you mean?

Who?

What's got into you?

Keefer.

What's wrong?

Man, you're cottonmouth-bit.

Keefer.

Keefer.

I'm going to get him now, Lord.

There's a dead soul coming, it ain't nobody but Tom Keefer.

But he died without no hollering nor cutting the fool.

I ain't gonna hold nothin' against him, Lord, even his trying to steal old Trouble.

So if you want to go easy on him for killing Shep Collins, it'll be all right with me.

Amen.

Come on, Trouble.

Never thought to see you around here no more.

I sort of stayed to bury you.

Looks like I worked all night for nothing.

If I let them things kill me, I'd have been dead a long time ago.

You got some kind of snake cure?

I just make up my mind to get well,

think hard on it, and... maybe do a little praying.

I bet I've been cottonmouth-bit a dozen times.