the riverman-第35部分

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wooden　boxes　strapped　to　the　backs　of　the　chore　boys。　　Down　the　

river　and　up　its　tributaries　other　crews；　both　in　the　employ　of　

Newmark　and　Orde　and　of　others；　were　also　pausing　from　their　cold　

and　dangerous　toil。　　The　river；　refreshed　after　its　long　winter；　

bent　its　mighty　back　to　the　great　annual　burden　laid　upon　it。



By　the　end　of　the　second　day　the　logs　actually　in　the　bed　of　the　

stream　had　been　shaken　loose；　and　a　large　proportion　of　them　had　

floated　entirely　from　sight。　　It　now　became　necessary　to　break　down　

the　rollways　piled　along　the　tops　of　the　banks。



The　evening　of　this　day；　however；　Orde　received　a　visit　from　Jim　

Denning；　the　foreman　of　the　next　section　below；　bringing　with　him　

Charlie；　the　cook　of　Daly's　last　year's　drive。　　Leaving　him　by　the　

larger　fire；　Jim　Denning　drew　his　principal　one　side。



〃This　fellow　drifted　in　to…night　two　days　late　after　a　drunk；　and　he　

tells　an　almighty　queer　story；〃　said　he。　　〃He　says　a　crew　of　bad　men　

from　the　Saginaw；　sixty　strong；　have　been　sent　in　by　Heinzman。　　He　

says　Heinzman　hired　them　to　come　over　not　to　work；　but　just　to　fight　

and　annoy　us。〃



〃That　so？〃　said　Orde。　　〃Well；　where　are　they？〃

s。　　Like　

Silver　Jack　of　the　Muskegon；　his　exploits　had　been　celebrated　in　

song。　　A　big；　broad…faced　man；　with　a　red　beard；　they　had　told　him；　

with　little；　flickering　eyes；　a　huge　voice　that　bellowed　through　the　

woods　in　a　torrent　of　commands　and　imprecations；　strong　as　a　bull；　

and　savage　as　a　wild　beast。　　A　hint　of　his　quality　will　suffice　from　

the　many　stories　circulated　about　him。　　It　was　said　that　while　

jobbing　for　Morrison　and　Daly；　in　some　of　that　firm's　Saginaw　Valley　

holdings；　the　Rough　Red　had　discovered　that　a　horse　had　gone　lame。　　

He　called　the　driver　of　that　team　before　him；　seized　an　iron　

starting　bar；　and　with　it　broke　the　man's　leg。　　〃Try　th'　lameness　

yourself；　Barney　Mallan；〃　said　he。　　To　appeal　to　the　charity　of　such　

a　man　would　be　utterly　useless。　　Orde　saw　this　point。　　He　picked　up　

his　reins　and　spoke　to　his　team。



But　before　the　horses　had　

〃Don't　know。　　But　he　sticks　by　his　story；　and　tells　it　pretty　

straight。〃



〃Bring　him　over；　and　let's　hear　it；〃　said　Orde。



〃Hullo；　Charlie！〃　he　greeted　the　cook　when　the　latter　stood　before　

him。　　〃What's　this　yarn　Jim's　telling　me？〃



〃It's　straight；　Mr。　Orde；〃　said　the　cook。　　〃There's　a　big　crew　

brought　in　from　the　Saginaw　Waters　to　do　you　up。　　They're　supposed　

to　be　over　here　to　run　his　drive；　but　really　they're　goin'　to　fight　

and　raise　hell。　　For　why　would　he　want　sixty　men　to　break　out　them　

little　rollways　of　his'n　up　at　the　headwaters？〃



〃Is　that　where　they've　gone？〃　asked　Orde　like　a　flash。



〃Yes；　sir。　　And　he　only　owns　a　'forty'　up　there；　and　it　ain't　more'n　

half　cut；　anyway。〃



〃I　didn't　know　he　owned　any。〃



〃Yes；　sir。　　He　bought　that　little　Johnson　piece　last　winter。　　I　been　

workin'　up　there　with　a　little　two…horse　crew　since　January。　　We　

didn't　put　up　more'n　a　couple　hundred　thousand。〃



〃Is　he　breaking　out　his　rollways　below？〃　Orde　asked　Denning。



〃No；　sir；〃　struck　in　Charlie；　〃he　ain't。〃



〃How　do　you　happen　to　be　so　wise？〃　inquired　Orde；　〃Seems　to　me　you　

know　about　as　much　as　old　man　Solomon。〃



〃Well；〃　explained　Charlie；　〃you　see　it's　like　this。　　When　I　got　back　

from　the　woods　last　week；　I　just　sort　of　happened　into　McNeill's　

place。　　I　wasn't　drinkin'　a　drop！〃　he　cried　virtuously；　in　answer　to　

Orde's　smile。



〃Of　course　not；〃　said　Orde。　　〃I　was　just　thinking　of　the　last　time　

we　were　in　there　together。〃



〃That's　just　it！〃　cried　Charlie。　　〃They　was　always　sore　at　you　about　

that。　　Well；　I　was　lyin'　on　one　of　those　there　benches　back　of　the　

'Merican　flags　in　the　dance　hall　'cause　I　was　very　sleepy；　when　in　

blew　old　man　Heinzman　and　McNeill　himself。　　I　just　lay　low　for　black　

ducks　and　heard　their　talk。　　They　took　a　look　around；　but　didn't　see　

no　one；　so　they　opened　her　up　wide。〃



〃What　did　you　hear？〃　asked　Orde。



Well；　McNeill　he　agreed　to　get　a　gang　of　bad　ones　from　the　Saginaw　

to　run　in　on　the　river；　and　I　heard　Heinzman　tell　him　to　send　'em　in　

to　headwaters。　　And　McNeill　said；　'That's　all　right　about　the　cash；　

Mr。　Heinzman；　but　I　been　figgerin'　on　gettin'　even　with　Orde　for　

some　myself。'〃



〃Is　that　all？〃　inquired　Orde。



〃That's　about　all；〃　confessed　Charlie。



〃How　do　you　know　he　didn't　hire　them　to　carry　down　his　drive　for　

him？　　He'd　need　sixty　men　for　his　lower　rollways；　and　maybe　they　

weren't　all　to　go　to　headwaters？〃　asked　Orde　by　way　of　testing　

Charlie's　beliefs。



〃He's　payin'　them　four　dollars　a　day；〃　replied　Charlie　simply。　　

〃Now；　who'd　pay　that　fer　just　river　work？〃



Orde　nodded　at　Jim　Denning。



〃Hold　on；　Charlie；〃　said　he。　　〃Why　are　you　giving　all　this　away　if　

you　were　working　for　Heinzman？〃



〃I'm　working　for　you　now；〃　replied　Charlie　with　dignity。　　〃And；　

besides；　you　helped　me　out　once　yourself。〃



I　guess　it's　a　straight　tip　all　right；〃　said　Orde　to　Denning；　when　

the　cook　had　resumed　his　place　by　the　fire。



〃Thattaken　three　steps；　a　huge　riverman　had　

planted　himself　squarely　in　the　way。　　The　others　rising；　slowly　

surrounded　the　rig。



〃I　don't　know　what　you're　up　here　for；〃　growled　the　man's　what　I　thought。　　That's

why　I　brought　him　up。〃



〃If　that　crew's　been　sent　in　there；　it　means　only　one　thing　at　that　

end　of　the　line；〃　said　Orde。



〃Sure。　　They're　sent　up　to　waste　out　the　water　in　the　reservoir　and　

hang　this　end　of　the　drive；〃　replied　Denning。



〃Correct；〃　said　Orde。　　〃The　old　skunk　knows　his　own　rollways　are　so　

far　down　stream　that　he's　safe；　flood　water　or　no　flood　water。〃



A　pause　ensued；　during　which　the　two　smoked　vigorously。



〃What　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？〃　asked　Denning　at　last。



〃What　would　you　do？〃　countered　Orde。



〃Well；〃　said　Denning　slowly；　and　with　a　certain　grim　joy；　〃I　don't　

bet　those　Saginaw　river…pigs　are　any　more　two…fisted　than　the　boys　

on　this　river。　　I'd　go　up　and　clean　'em　out。〃



〃Won't　do；〃　negatived　Orde　briefly。　　〃In　the　first　place；　as　you　

know　very　well；　we're　short…handed　now；　and　we　can't　spare　the　men　

from　the　work。　　In　the　second　place；　we'd　hang　up　sure；　then；　to　go　

up　in　that　wilderness；　fifty　miles　from　civilisation；　would　mean　a　

first…class　row　of　too　big　a　size　to　handle。　　Won't　do！〃



〃Suppose　you　get　a　lawyer；〃　suggested　Denning　sarcastically。



Orde　laughed　with　great　good…humour



〃Where'd　our　water　be　by　the　time　he　got　an　injunction　for　us？〃



He　fell　into　a　brown　study；　during　which　his　pipe　went　out。



〃Jim；〃　he　said　finally；　〃it　isn't　a　fair　game。　　I　don't　know　what　to　

do。　　Delay　will　hang　us；　taking　men　off　the　work　will　hang　us。　　I've　

just　got　to　go　tip　there　myself　and　see　what　can　be　done　by　talking　

to　them。〃



〃Talking　to　them！〃　Denning　snorted。　　〃You　might　as　well　whistle　down　

the　draught…pipe　of　hell！　　If　they're　just　up　there　for　a　row；　

there'll　be　whisky　in　camp；　and　you　can　bet　McNeill's　got　some　of　

'em　instructed　on　YOUR　account。　　They'll　kill　you；　sure！〃



〃I　agree　with　you　it's　risky；〃　replied　Orde。　　〃I'm　scared；　I'm　

willing　to　admit　it。　　But　I　don't　see　what　else　to　do。　　Of　course　

he's　got　no　rights；　but　what　the　hell　good　does　that　do　us　after　our　

water　is　gone？　　And　Jim；　my　son；　if　we　hang　this　drive；　I'll　be　

buried　so　deep　I　never　will　dig　out。　　No；　I've　got　to　go。　　You　can　

stay　up　here　in　charge　of　the　rear　until　I　get　back。　　Send　word　by　

Charlie　who's　to　boss　your　division　while　you're　gone。〃







XXIII





Orde　tramped　back　to　Sawyer's　early　next　morning；　hitched　into　the　

light　buckboard　the　excellent　team　with　which　later；　when　the　drive　

should　spread　out；　he　would　make　his　longest　jumps；　and　drove　to　

head…waters。　　He　arrived　in　sight　of　the　dam　about　three　o'clock。　　

At　the　edge　of　the　clearing　he　pulled　up　to　survey　the　scene。



A　group　of　three　small　log…cabins　marked　the　Johnson；　and　later　the　

Heinzman；　camp。　　From　the　chimneys　a　smoke　arose。　　Twenty　or　thirty　

rivermen　lounged　about　the　sunny　side　of　the　largest　structure。　　

They　had　evidently　just　arrived；　for　some　of　their　〃turkeys〃　were　

still　piled　outside　the　door。　　Orde　clucked　to　his　horses；　and　the　

spidery　wheels　of　the　buckboard　swung　lightly　over　the　wet　hummocks　

of　the　clearing；　to　come　to　a　stop　opposite　the　men。　　Orde　leaned　

forward　against　his　knees。



〃Hullo；　boys！〃　said　he　cheerfully。



No　one　replied；　though　two　or　three　nodded　surlily。　　Orde　looked　

them　over　with　some　interest。



They　were　a　dirty；　unkempt；　unshaven；　hard…looking　lot；　with　

bloodshot　eyes；　a　flicker　of　the　dare…devil　in　expression；　beyond　

the　first　youth；　hardened　into　an　enduring　toughness　of　　fibrebad　

men　from　the　Saginaw；　in　truth；　and；　unless　Orde　was　mistaken；　men　

just　off　a　drunk；　and　therefore　especially　dangerous；　men　eager　to　

fight　at　the　drop　of　the　hat；　or　sooner；　to　be　accommodating；　and　

ready　to　employ　in　their　assaults　all　the　formidable　and　terrifying　

weapons　of　the　rough…and…tumble；　reckless；　hard；　irreverrent；　

blasphemous；　to　be　gained　over　by　no　words；　fair　or　foul；　absolutely　

scornful　of　any　and　all　institutions　imposed　on　them　by　any　other　

but　the　few　men　whom　they　acknowledged　as　their　leaders。　　And　to　

master　these　men's　respect　there　needed　either　superlative　strength；　

superlative　recklessness；　or　superlative　skill。



〃Who's　your　boss？〃　asked　Orde。



〃The　Rough　Red；〃　growled　one　of　the　men　without　moving。



Orde　had　heard　of　this　man；　of　his　personality　and　his　deed　at　the　

horses'　heads；　〃but　you　wanted　to　see　the　boss；　and　I　guess　you'd　

better　see　him。〃



〃I　intend　to　see　him；〃　said　Orde　sharply。　　〃Get　out　of　the　way　and　

let　me　hitch　my　team。〃



He　drove　deliberately　ahead；　forcing　the　man　to　step　aside；　and　

stopped　his　horses　by　a　stub。　　He　tied　them　ther