the riverman-第54部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



raft　of　piles　had　not　become　detached　in　the　upheaval。



〃Tom；〃　said　Orde　briskly　to　North；　〃you　know　the　pile…driver　

business。　　Pick　out　your　crew；　and　take　charge。〃



In　ten　seconds　of　time　the　situation　had　changed　from　one　of　

comparative　safety　to　one　of　extreme　gravity。　　The　logs；　broken　

loose　from　the　upper　temporary　booms；　now　jammed　against　the　swing　

and　against　the　other　logs　already　filling　the　main　booms。　　Already　

the　pressure　was　beginning　to　tell；　as　the　water　banked　up　behind　

the　mass。　　The　fifteen…inch　cables　tightened　slowly　but　mightily；　

some　of　the　piles　began　to　groan　and　rub　one　against　the　other；　here　

and　there　a　log　deliberately　up…ended　above　the　level。



Orde　took　charge　of　the　situation　in　its　entirety；　as　a　general　

might。　　He　set　North　immediately　to　driving　clumps　each　of　sixteen　

piles；　bound　to　solidity　by　chains；　and　so　arranged　in　angles　and　

slants　as　to　direct　the　enormous　pressure　toward　either　bank；　thus　

splitting　the　enemy's　power。　　The　small　driver　owned　by　the　Boom　

Company　drove　similar　clumps　here；　there　and　everywhere　that　need　

arose　or　weakness　developed。　　Seventy…five　men　opposed；　to　the　

weight　of　twenty　million　tons　of　logs　and　a　river　of　water；　the　

expedients　invented　by　determination　and　desperation。



As　in　a　virulent　disease；　the　symptoms　developed　rapidly　when　once　

the　course　of　the　malady　was　assured。　　After　the　first　rush；　when　

the　upper　booms　broke；　nothing　spectacular　occurred。　　Steadily　and　

relentlessly　the　logs；　packed　close　together　down　to　the　very　bed　of　

the　stream；　pressed　outward　against　the　frail　defences。　　Orde　soon　

found　himself　forced　from　the　consideration　of　definite　plans　of　

campaign。　　He　gave　over　formal　defences；　and　threw　his　energies　to　

saving　the　weak　places　which　rapidly　developed。　　By　the　most　

tremendous　exertions　he　seemed　but　just　able　to　keep　even。　　So　

closely　balanced　was　the　equilibrium　between　the　improvisation　of　

defence　and　the　increase　of　pressure　behind　the　jam　that　it　seemed　

as　if　even　a　moment's　breathing　spell　would　bring　the　deluge。　　Piles　

quivered；　bent　slowly　outwardimmediately；　before　the　logs　behind　

them　could　stir；　the　pile…driver　must　do　its　work。　　Back　and　forth　

darted　the　SPRITE　and　her　sister…tug　the　SPRAY　towing　the　pile…

drivers　or　the　strings　of　piles。　　Under　the　frowning　destruction　

that　a　breath　might　loosen；　the　crews　had　to　do　their　work。　　And　if　

ever　that　breath　should　come；　there　would　be　no　chance　for　escape。　　

Crushed　and　buried；　the　men　and　their　craft　alike　would　be　borne　

with　the　breaking　jam　to　an　unknown　grave　in　the　Lake。　　Every　man　

knew　it。



Darkness　came。　　No　one　stopped　for　food。　　By　the　light　of　lanterns　

the　struggle　went　on；　doubly　terrifying　in　the　mystery　of　night。　　By　

day　the　men；　practised　in　such　matters；　could　at　least　judge　of　the　

probabilities　of　a　break。　　At　night　they　had　to　work　blindly；　

uncertain　at　what　moment　the　forces　they　could　not　see　would　cut　

loose　to　overwhelm　them。



Morning　found　no　change　in　the　situation。　　The　water　rose　steadily；　

the　logs　grew　more　and　more　restive；　the　defences　weaker　and　more　

inadequate。　　Orde　brought　out　steaming　pails　of　coffee　which　the　men　

gulped　down　between　moments。　　No　one　thought　of　quitting。　　They　were　

afire　with　the　flame　of　combat；　and　were　set　obstinately　on　winning　

even　in　the　face　of　odds。　　About　ten　o'clock　they　were　reinforced　by　

men　from　the　mills　downstream。　　The　Owners　of　those　mills　had　no　

mind　to　lose　their　logs。　　Another　pile…driver　was　also　sent　up　from　

the　Government　work。　　Without　this　assistance　the　jam　must　surely　

have　gone　out。　　Spectators　marvelled　how　it　held　as　it　did。　　The　

mass　seemed　constantly　to　quiver　on　the　edge　of　motion。　　Here　and　

there　over　the　surface　of　the　jam　single　logs　could　be　seen　popping　

suddenly　into　the　air；　propelled　as　an　apple　seed　is　projected　from　

between　a　boy's　thumb　and　forefinger。　　Some　of　the　fifteen…inch　

cables　stretched　to　the　shore　parted。　　One；　which　passed　once　around　

an　oak　tree　before　reaching　its　shore　anchorage；　actually　buried　

itself　out　of　sight　in　the　hard　wood。　　Bunches　of　piles　bent；　

twisted；　or　were　cut　off　as　though　they　had　been　but　shocks　of　

Indian　corn。　　The　current　had　become　so　swift　that　the　tugs　could　

not　hold　the　drivers　against　it；　and　as　a　consequence；　before　

commencing　operations；　special　mooring　piles　had　to　be　driven。　　Each　

minute　threatened　to　bring　an　end　to　the　jam；　yet　it　held；　and　

without　rest　the　dogged　little　insects　under　its　face　toiled　to　gain　

an　inch　on　the　waters。







XXXIX





All　that　day　and　the　next　night　the　fight　was　hand　to　hand；　without　

the　opportunity　of　a　breathing　space。　　Then　Orde；　bareheaded　and　

dishevelled；　strung　to　a　high　excitement；　but　cool　as　a　veteran　

under　fire；　began　to　be　harassed　by　annoyances。　　The　piles　provided　

for　the　drivers　gave　out。　　Newmark　left；　ostensibly　to　purchase　

more。　　He　did　not　return。　　Tom　North　and　Jim　Denning；　their　eyes　

burning　deep　in　their　heads　for　lack　of　sleep；　came　to　Orde　holding　

to　him　symbolically　their　empty　hands。



〃No　more　piles；〃　they　said　briefly。



〃Get　'em；〃　said　Orde　with　equal　brevity。　　〃Newmark　will　have　enough　

here　shortly。　　In　the　meantime；　get　them。〃



North　and　his　friend　disappeared；　taking　with　them　the　crews　of　the　

drivers　and　the　two　tugs。　　After　an　interval　they　returned　towing　

small　rafts　of　the　long　timbers。　　Orde　did　not　make　any　inquiries；　

nor　until　days　later　did　he　see　a　copy　of　the　newspaper　telling　how　

a　lawless　gang　of　rivermen　had　driven　away　the　railroad　men　and　

stolen　the　railroad's　property。　　These　piles　lasted　five　or　six　

hours。　　Tom　North　placed　and　drove　them　accurately　and　deliberately；　

quite　unmindful　of　the　constant　danger。　　A　cold　fire　seemed　to　

consume　the　man；　inflaming　his　courage　and　his　dogged　obstinacy。　　

Once　a　wing　of　the　jam　broke　suddenly　just　as　his　crew　had　placed　a　

pile　in　the　carrier。　　The　scow　was　picked　up；　whirled　around；　

carried　bodily　a　hundred　feet；　and　deposited　finally　with　a　crash。　　

The　instant　the　craft　steadied　and　even　before　any　one　could　tell　

whether　or　no　the　danger　was　past；　Tom　cut　loose　the　hammer　and　

drove　that　pile！



〃I　put　you　in　that　carrier　to　be　DROVE！〃　he　shouted　viciously；　〃and　

drove　you'll　be；　if　we　ARE　goin'　to　hell！〃



When　the　SPRAY　shouldered　the　scow　back　to　position　that　one　pile　

was　left　standing　upright　in　the　channel；　a　monument　to　the　blind　

determination　of　the　man。



Fortunately　the　wing　break　carried　with　it　but　a　few　logs；　but　it　

sufficed　to　show；　if　demonstration　were　needed；　what　would　happen　if　

any　more　serious　break　should　occur。



Orde　was　everywhere。　　Long　since　he　had　lost　his　hat；　and　over　his　

forehead　and　into　his　eyes　the　strands　of　his　hair　whipped　tousled　

and　unkempt。　　Miles　and　miles　he　travelled；　running　along　the　tops　

of　the　booms；　over　the　surface　of　the　jam；　spying　the　weakening　

places；　and　hurrying　to　them　a　rescue。　　He　seemed　tireless；　

omnipresent；　alive　to　every　need。　　It　was　as　though　his　personality　

alone　held　in　correlation　these　struggling　forces；　as　though　were　he　

to　relax　for　an　instant　his　effort　they　would　burst　forth　with　the　

explosion　of　long…pent　energies。



Toward　noon　the　piles　gave　out　again。



〃Where　in　HELL　is　Newmark！〃　exploded　Orde；　and　immediately　was　

himself　again；　controlled　and　resourceful。　　He　sent　North　and　a　crew　

of　men　to　cut　piles　from　standing　timber　in　farm　wood　lots　near　the　

river。



〃Haul　them　out　with　your　winch；〃　said　he。　　〃If　the　owners　object；　

stand　them　off　with　your　peavies。　　Get　them　anyway。〃



About　three　of　the　afternoon　the　LUCY　BELLE　splattered　up　stream　

from　the　village；　carrying　an　excursion　to　see　the　jam。　　Captain　

Simpson　brought　her　as　close　in　as　possible。　　The　waves　raised　by　

her　awkward　paddle…wheel　and　her　clumsy　lines　surged　among　the　logs　

and　piles。　　Orde　looked　on　this　with　distrust。



〃Go　tell　him　to　pull　out　of　that；〃　he　instructed　Jimmy　Powers　〃The　

confounded　old　fool　ought　to　know　better　than　that。　　Tell　him　it's　

dangerous。　　If　the　jam　goes　out；　it'll　carry　him　to　Kingdom　Come。〃



Jimmy　Powers　returned　red…faced　from　his　interview。



〃He　told　me　to　go　to　hell；〃　he　said　shortly。



〃Oh；　he　did；〃　snapped　Orde。　　〃I　should　think　we　had　enough　without　

that　old　idiot！〃



With　the　short　nervous　leaps　of　a　suppressed　anger　he　ran　down　to　

where　the　SPRITE　had　just　towed　the　Number　One　driver　into　a　new　

position。



〃Lay　me　alongside　the　LUCY　BELLE；〃　he　told　Marsh。



But　Simpson；　in　a　position　of　importance　at　last；　was　disinclined　to　

listen。　　He　had　worn　his　blue　clothes　and　brass　buttons　for　a　good　

many　years　in　charge　only　of　boxes　and　barrels。　　Now　at　a　stroke　he　

found　himself　commander　over　tenscore　people。　　Likewise；　at　fifty　

cents　a　head；　he　foresaw　a　good　thing　as　long　as　high　water　should　

last。　　He　had　risen　nobly　to　the　occasion；　for　he　had　even　hoisted　

his　bunting　and　brought　with　him　the　local　brass　band。　　Orde；　

brusque　in　his　desire　to　hurry　through　an　affair　of　minor　

importance；　rubbed　the　man　the　wrong　way。



〃I　reckon　I've　some　rights　on　this　river；〃　Captain　Simpson　concluded　

the　argument；　〃and　I　ain't　agoin'　to　be　bulldozed　out　of　them。〃



The　excursionists；　typical　〃trippers〃　from　Redding；　Holland；　

Monrovia　and　Muskegon；　cheered　this　sentiment　and　jeered　at　Orde。



Orde　nodded　briefly。



〃Marsh；〃　said　he　to　his　captain　in　a　low　voice；　〃get　a　crew　and　take　

them　in　charge。　　Run　'em　off。〃



As　soon　as　the　tug　touched　the　piling；　he　was　off　and　away；　paying　

no　further　attention　to　a　matter　already　settled。　　Captain　Marsh　

called　a　dozen　rivermen　to　him；　laid　the　SPRITE　alongside　the　LUCY　

BELLE；　and　in　spite　of　Simpson's　scandalised　protests　and　an　

incipient　panic　among　the　passengers；　thrust　aside　the　r