Footsteps of Seiichirou suddenly stopped who was walking behind Takashi. Takashi looked back at the moutain road confusedly. The dusk was gathering. Seiichirou sat down on the ground where the sands and weeds were mixed.He was gazing at his right hand, smoking a cigarette.Takashi felt irritation and said.

"Professor,if you waste time here, we can not returm home today"

"Look! look my hand.A viper bit me"

Saying so, Seiichirou held out his hand to Takashi. Takashi was surprised, and grasped Seiichirou's hand. There were two small cracks between thumb and index finger at intervals of about 1cm.

"A while ago, when my hand attached on the slope, I felt piercing pain. I could not understannd what happened.Now blood has come out." The voice of Seiichirou was feeble.He was fat and his shirts got blackish by sweat.

Takashi found the stabs had not been marked by a vyper at a glance. Takashi had helped a friend bitten by viper as a boy. "These stabs were not marked by vyper.Some glass with prickles stung your hand,I think"

"No, I am sure, viper bit me. Immediately after feeling an ache something escaped into the bush"

"O.K. If you were bitten by a vyper, it is seriously bad situation.You should have a serum injection.Before it you should have an emergency measure, binding your arm or sucking out poison"

"You are right, you are right. We should do it in a hurry"

Seiichirou rubbed the cigarette against a stone beside him. He opened his rucksack, and took out a white towel from inside. Takashi knew Seiitiro was not bitten by a viper. So,Takashi was calm in mind.

However, since Seiichirou was 65 years old, preparation would be carried out for the worst.

　"I will bind your hand". Saying so, Takashi twisted the towel around Seiichirou's fat arm. When Takashi bound the towel, Seiichirou frowned. "It is too tight. It stops blood. My hand will rot"

　"I understand" Takashi said so and loosened the knot.

" If binding is too loose,poison will head to heart"

Takashi fastened the towel tightly　little by little.

"Does it work?"

　Since Seiichirou bowed his head in assent, Takashi crossed the end of the towel and piled up the knot.

　"Next, poison should be sucked out"

　Saying so, Seiichirou looked at scars.

"I have a cut in my mouse.I cannot suck "

　Yesterday at the time of supper, Seiichirou had bitten his inner side of cheek by his teeth, and had uttered big voice. Probably, the crack has not healed up yet.

　"I will do it, I will do it. But you may feel a pain"

Takashi picked out the canteen from the rucksack and drank some water. He gargleed and breathed out. When he brough Seiichirou's hand to his mouth, there was delicate scent of a cinnamon.Takashi sucked hard. Bloody smell spread in his mouth. Takashi washed out his mouse by water. While repeating it 3 times, Seiichirou hardened his stout body and did not move.

"If a viper bit your hand,it will become swollen immediately. You should go to hospital soon.You had not better move now,so I will climb down alone this mountain and call for help"

Takashi said so nevertheless he did not want to climb down alone. Seiichirou groaned.

"It will be dark soon.I wonder if you can get down from this mountain safely"

"But, we shoud call for help"

"It's true. But I don't like to die alone. Even if I will die,I hope your attendance"

Seiichirou said patheticaly and raised his eyes in the air.

"Professor,I swear that you were not bitten by a viper.I swear. I have seen many persons bitten by vipers"

　" You may be right. Anyhow,walking aroud is dangerous now. We will bivouac tonight"

"What?"

"Oh,you don't know bivouac,don't you,ha-ha. It is an old word. It means camping"

"Camping? Oh,I understand. Yes,yes,we should camp tonigt"

　 There must be a dangerous cliff ner here.Tkashi could not but agree.

"I will collect firewood before becoming dark completely"

"Yes, you are asked"

Seiichirou said so and began to take out a paper parcel from his rucksack.

Although it was gloomy inside woods, Takashi could found　some withered branch.

When he came back holing withered branch to the limit of arms, Seiichirou had fastened a cloth like a tent to the branch. Biside the rucksack sheets and messkit were arranged.

"I am surprised.Your preparation is complete.Is it tent?"

"Oh,It's handy tent,called Zelt. It happened to be in the bottom of my rucksack. It is better rather than it is not"

After putting on the tent, Seiichirou collects stones and began to make a kitchen range. He seemed to have regained energy as usual. "Professor,you had not better move around. If it is a viper, poison will takes effect drastically"

"Oh, that's right"

Though Seiichirou said so,he didn't stop stacking stones. Seiichirou put a newspaper into the bottom of stone-made kitchen range and piled up the sprig on it. After the newspaper was fired with the writer, fire spreads gradually and began to burn a sprig. Discerning it, Seiichirou piled up the big branch. Seiichirou took out the canteen and filled messkit with water. He opened the paper parcel and drop somesing into the messkit. Takashi couldn't see what were dropped, because it was too dark aroud Seiichirou's hands.

Seiichirou took out one strong and long out of the withered branches which Takashi has collected. It was passed through the misskit and streched over the kitchen range.

　"Sir, You can do well these things, can't you?"

"I have climbed many mountains.I leaned field cooking in mountains"

　Seiichirou said so, narrowing his eyes and gazed at fire.

　"Doesn't your hand become swollen? Are you right?"

Seiichirou held out the hand. "There is no swelling. It must be other creature"

Seiichirou laughed and turned his hand behind the head.

When the meal finished, Takashi became sleepy suddenly. It was dark completely.

"Takashi,you may sleep now "

Seiichirou said wrapping misskit in paper.

"Just you should sleep"

"I will be in tent a little after you fall asleep. I am afraid my snore disterbs your sleep"

Seiichirou took a blanket out of a rucksack and pass to Takashi.

Takashi thought that Seiichirou had intension to stay in this mountain tonight from the first. Takashi remembered Seiichirou was walking awfully slowly today. Takashi entered into the tent by groping. Unexpectedly, inside was large . Although the floor was uneven, it was not hard due to grass on the ground.

Takashi felt sleepy.He think about one-year-life with Seiichirou.

Part-time weeding of Takashi caused to lodge at a detached hut of Seiichirou's residence. Seiichirou had ever been an professor of national university in which Takashi was learning, and after retirement he became a professor of private university. He had lost his wife and he had been living in the residence alone. Seiichirou liked Takashi very much and he wanted to spend together with him.

　Takashi did not have a father. Takashi also felt particular familiarity for Seiichirou which Takashi had never felt. Takashi had a plan to go to Tokyo for employment soon and Seiichirou was severely disappointed at that.

　Takashi awoke in the dead of night. Although it was dark and not visible, he felt Seiichirou's body immediately near him. It seemed that Seiichirou had turned the back to him. The scent of whiskey was filled in the tent. Probably, Seiichirou got drunk. Seiichirou's decent body odor smelt inner part of the scent of whiskey.

　"Are you awake?"

Seiichirou asked in low voice.

"Yes"

"Pardon me for staying at such a place"

"Not at all,it will be a good recollection"

　"Thank you,Takashi,thank you"

　Seiichirou had the sign of turning round to Takashi. It seemed that Seiichirou had not been covered by a blanket.

" You will go away in several days.I will miss you"

　Probably, Seiichirou wanted to stay at a tent together, regretting separation. Probably, he said bitten by a viper to desire to spent a night together in a tent.

"Tokyo is not far"

"May be.But,Iam afraid you have forgotten me"

"I will visit your residence frequently hereafter"

"Is it true?"

"Sure"

"It's a promise"

"Yes,oh yes"

Takashi approached Seiichirou and streched the blanket to cover him also.Calmly warmth of Seiichirou had transmitted to Takashi across his clothes..