the riverman-第4部分

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when。〃



The　chopping　crew　descended　to　the　bottom　of　the　sluice；　the　gate　of　

which　had　been　shut；　and　began　immediately　to　chop　away　at　the　

apron。　　As　the　water　in　the　pond　above　had　been　drawn　low　by　the　

morning's　work；　none　overflowed　the　gate；　so　the　men　were　enabled　to　

work　dry。　　Below　the　apron；　of　course；　had　been　filled　in　with　earth　

and　stones。　　As　soon　as　the　axe…men　had　effected　an　entry　to　this　

deposit；　other　men　with　shovels　and　picks　began　to　remove　the　

filling。



The　work　had　continued　nearly　an　hour　when　Orde　commanded　the　fifty　

or　more　idlers　back　to　camp。



〃Get　out；　boys；〃　he　ordered。　　〃The　sheriff　will　be　here　pretty　quick　

now；　and　I　don't　want　any　row。　　Get　out　of　sight。〃



〃And　leave　them　to　fight　her　out　alone？　　Guess　not！〃　grumbled　a　

tall；　burly　individual　with　a　red　face。



Orde　immediately　walked　directly　to　this　man。



〃Am　I　bossing　this　drive；　or　am　I　not？〃　he　demanded。



The　riverman　growled　something。



SMACK！　SMACK！　sounded　Orde's　fists。　　The　man；　taken　by　surprise；　

went　down　in　a　heap；　but　immediately　rebounded　to　his　feet　as　though　

made　of　rubber。　　But　Orde　had　seized　a　peavy；　and　stood　over　against　

his　antagonist；　the　murderous　weapon　upraised。



〃Lie　down；　you　hound；　or　I'll　brain　you！〃　he　roared　at　the　top　

strength　of　his　great　voice。　　〃Want　fight；　do　you？　　Well；　you　won't　

have　to　wait　till　the　sheriff　gets　here！　　You　make　a　move！〃



For　a　full　half　minute　the　man　crouched　breathless；　and　Orde；　his　

ruddy　face　congested；　held　his　threatening　attitude。　　Then　he　

dropped　his　peavy　and　stepped　aside。



〃March！〃　he　commanded。　　〃Get　your　turkey　and　hit　the　hay　trail。　　

You'll　get　your　time　at　Redding。〃



The　man　sullenly　arose　and　slouched　away；　grumbling　under　his　

breath。　　Orde　watched　him　from　sight；　then　turned　to　the　silent　

group；　a　new　crispness　in　his　manner。



〃Well？〃　he　demanded。



Hesitating；　they　turned　to　the　river　trail；　leaving　the　ten　still　

working　at　the　sluice。　　When　well　within　the　fringe　of　the　brush；　

Orde　called　a　halt。　　His　customary　good…humour　seemed　quite　

restored。



〃Now；　boys；〃　he　commanded；　〃squat　down　and　lay　low。　　You　give　me　an　

ache！　　Don't　you　suppose　I　got　this　thing　all　figured　out？　　If　fight　

would　do　any　good；　you　know　mighty　well　I'd　fight。　　And　the　boys　

won't　be　in　jail　any　longer　than　it　takes　to　get　a　wire　to　Daly　to　

bail　them　out。　　Smoke　up；　and　don't　bother。〃



They　filled　their　pipes　and　settled　down　to　an　enjoyment　of　the　

situation。　　Ordinarily　from　very　early　in　the　morning　until　very　

late　at　night　the　riverman　is　busy　every　instant　at　his　dangerous　

and　absorbing　work。　　Those　affairs　which　do　not　immediately　concern　

his　taskas　the　swiftness　of　rapids；　the　state　of　flood；　the　curves　

of　streams；　the　height　of　water；　the　obstructions　of　channels；　the　

quantities　of　logspass　by　the　outer　fringe　of　his　consciousness；　

if　indeed　they　reach　him　at　all。　　Thus；　often　he　works　all　day　up　to　

his　waist　in　a　current　bearing　the　rotten　ice　of　the　first　break…up；　

or　endures　the　drenching　of　an　early　spring　rain；　or　battles　the　

rigours　of　a　belated　snow　with　apparent　indifference。　　You　or　I　

would　be　exceedingly　uncomfortable；　would　require　an　effort　of　

fortitude　to　make　the　plunge。　　Yet　these　men；　absorbed　in　the　mighty　

problems　of　their　task；　have　little　attention　to　spare　to　such　

things。　　The　cold；　the　wet；　the　discomfort；　the　hunger；　the　

weariness；　all　pass　as　shadows　on　the　background。　　In　like　manner　

the　softer　moods　of　the　spring　rarely　penetrate　through　the　

concentration　of　faculties　on　the　work。　　The　warm　sun　shines；　the　

birds　by　thousands　flutter　and　twitter　and　sing　their　way　north；　the　

delicate　green　of　spring；　showered　from　the　hand　of　the　passing　

Sower；　sprinkles　the　tops　of　the　trees；　and　gradually　sifts　down　

through　the　branches；　the　great；　beautiful　silver　clouds　sail　down　

the　horizon　like　ships　of　a　statelier　age；　as　totally　without　actual　

existence　to　these　men。　　The　logs；　the　riverthose　are　enough　to　

strain　all　the　faculties　a　man　possesses；　and　more。



So　when；　as　now；　a　chance　combination　of　circumstances　brings　them　

leisure　to　look　about　them；　the　forest　and　the　world　of　out…of…doors　

comes　to　them　with　a　freshness　impossible　for　the　city　dweller　to　

realise。　　The　surroundings　are　accustomed；　but　they　bring　new　

messages。　　To　most　of　them；　these　impressions　never　reach　the　point　

of　coherency。　　They　brood；　and　muse；　and　expand　in　the　actual　and　

figurative　warmth；　and　proffer　the　general　opinion　that　it　is　a　damn　

fine　day！



Another　full　half　hour　elapsed　before　the　situation　developed　

further。　　Then　Tom　North's　friend　Jim；　who　had　gathered　his　long　

figure　on　the　top　of　a　stump；　unclasped　his　knees　and　remarked　that　

old　Plug　Hat　was　back。



The　men　arose　to　their　feet　and　peered　cautiously　through　the　brush。　　

They　saw　Reed；　accompanied　by　a　thick…set　man　whom　some　recognised　

as　the　sheriff　of　the　county；　approach　the　edge　of　the　dam。　　A　

moment　later　the　working　crew　mounted　to　the　top；　stacked　their　

tools　neatly；　resumed　their　coats　and　jackets；　and　departed　up　the　

road　in　convoy　of　the　sheriff。



A　gasp　of　astonishment　broke　from　the　concealed　rivermen。



〃Well；　I'll　be　damned！〃　ejaculated　one。　　〃What　are　we　comin'　to？　　

That's　the　first　time　I　ever　see　one　lonesome　sheriff　gather　in　ten　

river…hogs　without　the　aid　of　a　gatlin'　or　an　ambulance！　　What's　the　

matter　with　that　chicken…livered　bunch；　anyway？〃



Orde　watched　them；　his　eyes　expressionless；　until　they　had　

disappeared　in　the　fringe　of　the　forest　Then　he　turned　to　the　

astonished　group。



〃Jim；〃　said　he；　〃and　you；　Ellis；　and　you；　and　you；　and　you；　and　you；　

get　to　work　on　that　dam。　　And　remember　this；　if　you　are　arrested；　go　

peaceably。　　Any　resistance　will　spoil　the　whole　game。〃



The　men　broke　into　mingled　cheers　and　laughter　as　the　full　

significance　of　Orde's　plan　reached　them。　　They　streamed　back　to　the　

dam；　where　they　perched　proffering　advice　and　encouragement　to　those　

about　to　descend。



Immediately；　however；　Reed　was　out；　his　eyes　blazing　either　side　his　

hawk　nose。



〃Here！〃　he　cried；　〃quit　that！　　I'll　have　ye　arrested！〃



〃Arrest　ahead；〃　replied　Orde　coldly。



Reed　stormed　back　and　forth　for　a　moment；　then　departed　at　full　

speed　up　the　road。



〃Now；　boys；　get　as　much　done　as　possible；〃　urged　Orde。　　〃We　better　

get　back　in　the　brush；　or　he　may　try　to　take　in　the　whole　b'iling　of　

us　on　some　sort　of　a　blanket　warrant。〃



〃How　about　the　other　boys？〃　inquired　North。



〃I　gave　one　of　them　a　telegram　to　send　to　Daly；〃　replied　Orde。　　

〃Daly　will　be　up　to　bail　them　out。〃



Once　more　they　hid　in　the　woods；　and　again；　after　a　longer　interval；　

the　mill　owner　and　the　sheriff　reappeared。　　Reed　appeared　to　be　

expostulating　violently；　and　a　number　of　times　pointed　up　river；　but　

the　sheriff　went　ahead　stolidly　to　the　dam；　summoned　those　working　

below；　and　departed　up　the　road　as　before。　　Reed　stood　uncertain　

until　he　saw　the　rivermen　beginning　to　re…emerge　from　the　brush；　

then　followed　the　officer　at　top　speed。



Without　the　necessity　of　command；　a　half…dozen　men　leaped　down　on　

the　apron。　　The　previous　crews　had　made　considerable　progress　in　

weakening　the　heavy　supports。　　As　soon　as　these　should　be　cut　out　

and　the　backing　removed；　the　mere　sawing　through　of　the　massive　sill　

should　carry　away　the　whole　obstruction。



〃Next　time　will　decide　it；〃　remarked　Orde。　　〃If　the　sheriff　brings　a　

posse　and　sits　down　to　lay　for　us；　of　course　we　won't　be　able　to　get　

near　to　finish　the　job。〃



〃I　didn't　think　that　of　George　Morris；〃　commented　Sims　in　an　

aggrieved　way。　　〃He　was　a　riverman　himself　once　before　he　was　

sheriff。〃



〃He's　got　to　obey　orders；　and　serve　a　warrant　when　it's　issued；　of　

course；〃　replied　Orde　to　this。　　〃What　did　you　expect？〃



At　the　end　of　another　hour；　which　brought　the　time　to　four　o'clock；　

the　sheriff　made　his　third　appearancethis　time　in　a　side…bar　

buggy。



〃I　wish　I　dared　join　that　confab；〃　said　Orde；　〃and　hear　what's　going　

on；　but　I'm　afraid　he'd　jug　me　sure。〃



〃He　wouldn't　jug　me；〃　spoke　up　Newmark。　　〃I'll　go　down。〃



〃Bully　for　you！〃　agreed　Orde。



The　young　man　departed　in　his　precise；　methodical　manner；　picking　

his　way　rather　mincingly　among　the　inequalities　of　the　trail。　　In　

spite　of　the　worn　and　wrinkled　condition　of　his　garments；　they　

retained　something　of　a　city　hang　and　smartness　that　sharply　

differentiated　their　wearer　from　even　the　well…dressed　citizens　of　a　

smaller　town。　　They　seemed　to　match　the　refined；　shrewd；　but　cold　

intelligence　of　his　lean　and　nervous　face。



About　sunset　he　returned　from　a　scene　which　the　distant　spectators　

had　watched　with　breathless　interest。　　It　was　in　essence　only　a　

repetition　of　the　two　that　had　preceded　it；　but　Reed　had　evidently　

gone　almost　to　the　point　of　violence　in　his　insistence；　and　the　

sheriff　had　shaken　him　off　rudely。　　Finally；　Morris　and　his　six　

prisoners　had　trailed　away。　　The　sheriff　and　North's　friend　occupied　

the　seat　of　the　buggy；　while　the　other　five　trudged　peaceably　

alongside。　　Once　again　Reed　clattered　away　on　his　bony　steed；　but　

this　time　ahead　of　the　official　party。



With　a　whoop　the　river　crew；　now　reduced　to　a　scant　dozen；　rushed　

down　to　meet　the　too　deliberate　Newmark。



〃Well？〃　they　demanded；　crowding　about　him。



〃Reed　wanted　the　sheriff　to　stay　and　protect　the　dam；〃　reported　

Newmark　in　his　brief；　dry　manner。　　〃Sheriff　refused。　　Said　his　duty　

was　simply　to　arrest　on　warrant；　and　as　often　as　Reed　got　out　

warrants；　he'd　serve　them。　　Reed　said；　then；　he　should　get　a　posse　

and　hunt　up　Orde　and　the　rest　of　them。　　Sheriff　replied　that　as　far　

as　he　could　see；　the　terms　of　his　warrant　were　covered　by　the　men　he　

found　working　on　the　dam；　Reed　demanded　protection；　Sh