the riverman-第5部分
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as he could see; the terms of his warrant were covered by the men he
found working on the dam; Reed demanded protection; Sheriff said for
him to get an injunction; and it would be enforced。〃
〃Well; that's all right;〃 interjected Orde with satisfaction。
〃We'll have her cut through before he gets that injunction; and I
guess I've got men enough here and down river to get through before
we're ALL arrested。〃
〃Yes;〃 said Newmark; 〃that's all very well。 But now he's gone to
telegraph the governor to send the troops。〃
Orde whistled a jig tune。
〃Kind of expected that; boys;〃 said he。 〃Let's see。 The next train
out from ReddingThey'll be here by five in the morning at soonest。
Hope it'll be later。〃
〃What will you do?〃 asked Newmark。
〃Take chances;〃 replied Orde。 〃All you boys get to work。 Zeke;〃 he
commanded one of the cookees; 〃go up road; and report if Morris
comes back。 I reckon this time we'll have to scatter if he comes
after us。 I hope we won't have to; though。 Like to keep everything
square on account of this State troop business。〃
The sun had dropped below the fringe of trees; which immediately
etched their delicate outlines against a pale; translucent green
sky。 Two straight; thin columns of smoke rose from the neglected
camp…fires。 Orde; glancing around him; noticed these。
〃Doctor;〃 he commanded sharply; 〃get at your grub! Make some coffee
right off; and bring it down。 Get the lanterns from the wanigan;
and bring them to the dam。 Come on; boys!〃
Over a score of men attacked the sluice…way; for by now part of the
rear crew had come down river。 The pond above had recovered its
volume。 Water was beginning to trickle over the top of the gate。
In a short time progress became difficult; almost impossible; The
men worked up to their knees in swift water。 They could not see;
and the strokes of axe or pick lost much of their force against the
liquid。 Dusk fell。 The fringe of the forest became mysterious in
its velvet dark。 Silver streaks; of a supernal calm; suggested the
reaches of the pond。 Above; the sky's day surface unfolded and
receded and dissolved and melted away until; through the pale
afterglow; one saw beyond into the infinities。 Down by the sluice a
dozen lanterns flickered and blinked yellow against the blue…
blackness of the night。
After some time Orde called his crew off and opened the sluice…
gates。 The water had become too deep for effective work; and a half
hour's flow would reduce the pressure。 The time was occupied in
eating and in drying off about the huge fire the second cookee had
built close at hand。
〃Water cold; boys?〃 asked Orde。
〃Some;〃 was his reply。
〃Want to quit?〃 he inquired; with mock solicitude。
〃Nary quit。〃
Orde's shout of laughter broke the night silence of the whispering
breeze and the rushing water。
〃We'll stick to 'em like death to a dead nigger;〃 was his comment。
Newmark; having extracted a kind of cardigan jacket from the bag he
had brought with him as far as the mill; looked at the smooth; iron…
black water and shivered。
When the meal was finished; the men lit their pipes and went back to
work philosophically。 With entire absorption in the task; they dug;
chopped; and picked。 The dull sound of blows; the gurgle and
trickle of the water; the occasional grunt or brief comment of a
riverman alone broke the calm of evening。 Now that the sluice…gate
was down and the water had ceased temporarily to flow over it; the
work went faster。 Orde; watching with the eye of an expert;
vouchsafed to the taciturn Newmark that he thought they'd make it。
Near midnight; however; a swaying lantern was seen approaching。
Orde; leaping to his feet with a curse at the boy on watch; heard
the sound of wheels。 A moment later; Daly's bulky form stepped into
the illumination of the fire。
Orde wandered over to where his principal stood peering about him。
〃Hullo!〃 said he。
〃Oh; there you are!〃 cried Daly angrily。 〃What in hell you up to
here?〃
〃Running logs;〃 replied Orde coolly。
〃Running logs!〃 shouted Daly; tugging at his overcoat pocket; and
finally producing a much…folded newspaper。 〃How about this?〃
Orde unfolded the paper and lowered it to the campfire。 It was an
extra; screaming with wood type。 He read it deliberately over。
WAR!
the headline ran。
RIOTING AND BLOODSHED IN THE WOODS
RIVERMEN AND DAM OWNERS CLASH!
There followed a vague and highly coloured statement to the effect
that an initial skirmish had left the field in possession of the
rivermen; in spite of the sheriff and a large posse; but that troops
were being rushed to the spot; and that this 〃high…handed defiance
of authority〃 would undoubtedly soon be suppressed。 It concluded
truthfully with the statement that the loss of life was as yet
unknown。
Orde folded up the paper and handed it back。
〃Don't you know any better than to get into that kind of a row down
here?〃 Daly had been saying。 〃Do you want to bring us up for good
here? Don't you realise that this isn't the northern peninsula?
What are you trying to do; any way?〃
〃Sure I do;〃 replied Orde placidly。 〃Come along here till I show
you the situation。〃
Ten minutes later; Daly; relieved in his mind; was standing by the
fire drinking hot coffee and laughing at Orde's description of
Reed's plug hat。
To Orde's satisfaction; the sheriff did not reappear。 Reed
evidently now pinned his faith to the State troops。
All night the work went on; the men spelling each other at intervals
of every few hours。 By three o'clock the main abutments had been
removed。 The gate was then blocked to prevent its fall when its
nether support should be withdrawn; and two men; leaning over
cautiously; began at arm's…length to deliver their axe…strokes
against the middle of the sill…timbers of the sluice itself;
notching each heavy beam deeply that the force of the current might
finally break it in two。 The night was very dark; and very still。
Even the night creatures had fallen into the quietude that precedes
the first morning hours。 The muffled; spaced blows of the axes; the
low…voiced comments or directions of the workers; the crackle of the
fire ashore were thrown by contrast into an undue importance。 Men
in blankets; awaiting their turn; slept close to the blaze。
Suddenly the vast silence of before dawn was broken by a loud and
exultant yell from one of the axemen。 At once the two scrambled to
the top of the dam。 The blanketed figures about the fire sprang to
life。 A brief instant later the snapping of wood fibres began like
the rapid explosions of infantry fire; a crash and bang of timbers
smote the air; and then the river; exultant; roaring with joy;
rushed from its pent quietude into the new passage opened for it。
At the same moment; as though at the signal; a single bird;
premonitor of the yet distant day; lifted up his voice; clearly
audible above the tumult。
Orde stormed into the camp up stream; his eyes bright; his big voice
booming exultantly。
〃Roll out; you river…hogs!〃 he shouted to those who had worked out
their shifts earlier in the night。 〃Roll out; you web…footed sons
of guns; and hear the little birds sing praise!〃
Newmark; who had sat up the night through; and now shivered sleepily
by the fire; began to hunt around for the bed…roll he had; earlier
in the evening; dumped down somewhere in camp。
〃I suppose that's all;〃 said he。 〃Just a case of run logs now。
I'll turn in for a little。〃
But Orde; a thick slice of bread half…way to his lips; had frozen in
an attitude of attentive listening。
〃Hark!〃 said he。
Faint; still in the depths of the forest; the wandering morning
breeze bore to their ears a sound whose difference from the louder
noises nearer at hand alone rendered it audible。
〃The troops!〃 exclaimed Orde。
He seized a lantern and returned down the trail; followed eagerly by
Newmark and every man in camp。
〃Troops coming!〃 said Orde to Daly。
The men drew a little to one side; watching the dim line of the
forest; dark against the paling sky。 Shadows seemed to stir in its
blackness。 They heard quite distinctly the clink of metal against
metal。 A man rode out of the shadow and reined up by the fire。
〃Halt!〃 commanded a harsh voice。 The rivermen could make out the
troopsthree or four score of themstanding rigid at attention。
Reed; afoot now in favour of the commanding officer; pushed forward。
〃Who is in charge here?〃 inquired the officer crisply。
〃I am;〃 replied Orde; stepping forward。
〃I wish to inquire; sir; if you have gone mad to counsel your men to
resist civil authority?〃
〃I have not resisted civil authority;〃 replied Orde respectfully。
〃It has been otherwise reported。〃
〃The reports have been false。 The sheriff of this county has
arrested about twenty of my men single…handed and without the
slightest trouble。〃
〃Mr。 Morris;〃 cried the officer sharply。
〃Yes?〃 replied the sheriff。
〃Is what this man says true?〃
〃It sure is。 Never had so little fuss arrestin' rivermen before in
my life。〃
The officer's face turned a slow brick…red。 For a moment he said
nothing; then exploded with the utmost violence。
〃Then why the devil am I dragged up here with my men in the night?〃
he cried。 〃Who's responsible for this insanity; anyway? Don't you
know;〃 he roared at Reed; who that moment swung within his range of
vision; 〃that I have no standing in the presence of civil law? What
do you mean getting me up here to your miserable little backwoods
squabbles?〃
Reed started to say something; but was immediately cut short by the