freckles-第11部分

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that　bamboozled　you　could　sell　out　the　whole　swamp　and　he'd　never

mistrust　you。　　What　do　you　say？〃



Freckles'　soul　was　satisfied。　　〃Is　that　all？〃　he　asked。



〃No；　it　ain't；〃　said　Wessner。　　〃If　you　really　want　to　brace　up　and

be　a　man　and　go　into　the　thing　for　keeps；　you　can　make　five　times

that　in　a　week。　　My　friend　knows　a　dozen　others　we　could　get　out　in

a　few　days；　and　all　you'd　have　to　do　would　be　to　keep　out　of　sight。

Then　you　could　take　your　money　and　skip　some　night；　and　begin　life

like　a　gentleman　somewhere　else。　　What　do　you　think　about　it？〃



Freckles　purred　like　a　kitten。



〃'Twould　be　a　rare　joke　on　the　Boss；〃　he　said；　〃to　be　stalin'　from

him　the　very　thing　he's　trusted　me　to　guard；　and　be　getting　me　wages

all　winter　throwed　in　free。　　And　you're　making　the　pay　awful　high。　

Me　to　be　getting　five　hundred　for　such　a　simple　little　thing　as　that。　

You're　trating　me　most　royal　indade！　　It's　away　beyond　all　I'd

be　expecting。　　Sivinteen　cints　would　be　a　big　price　for　that　job。　

It　must　be　looked　into　thorough。　　Just　you　wait　here　until　I　do

a　minute's　turn　in　the　swamp；　and　then　I'll　be　eschorting　you　out

of　the　clearing　and　giving　you　the　answer。〃



Freckles　lifted　the　overhanging　bushes　and　hurried　to　the　case。　

He　unslung　the　specimen…box　and　laid　it　inside　with　his　hatchet

and　revolver。　　He　slipped　the　key　in　his　pocket　and　went　back

to　Wessner。



〃Now　for　the　answer；〃　he　said。　　〃Stand　up！〃



There　was　iron　in　his　voice；　and　he　was　commanding　as　an

outraged　general。　　〃Anything；　you　want　to　be　taking　off？〃

he　questioned。



Wessner　looked　the　astonishment　he　felt。　　〃Why；　no；　Freckles；〃　he　said。



〃Have　the　goodness　to　be　calling　me　Mister　McLean；〃　snapped　Freckles。　

〃I'm　after　resarvin'　me　pet　name　for　the　use　of　me　friends！　

You　may　stand　with　your　back　to　the　light　or　be　taking　any

advantage　you　want。〃



〃Why；　what　do　you　mean？〃　spluttered　Wessner。



〃I'm　manin'；〃　said　Freckles　tersely；　〃to　lick　a　quarter…section　of

hell　out　of　you；　and　may　the　Holy　Vargin　stay　me　before　I　leave　you

here　carrion；　for　your　carcass　would　turn　the　stummicks　of　me　chickens！〃



At　the　camp　that　morning；　Wessner's　conduct　had　been　so　palpable

an　excuse　to　force　a　discharge　that　Duncan　moved　near　McLean　and

whispered；　〃Think　of　the　boy；　sir？〃



McLean　was　so　troubled　that；　an　hour　later；　he　mounted　Nellie　and

followed　Wessner　to　his　home　in　Wildcat　Hollow；　only　to　find　that

he　had　left　there　shortly　before；　heading　for　the　Limberlost。　

McLean　rode　at　top　speed。　　When　Mrs。　Duncan　told　him　that　a　man

answering　Wessner's　description　had　gone　down　the　west　side　of　the

swamp　close　noon；　he　left　the　mare　in　her　charge　and　followed　on　foot。　

When　he　heard　voices　he　entered　the　swamp　and　silently　crept　close

just　in　time　to　hear　Wessner　whine：　　〃But　I　can't　fight　you；　Freckles。　

I　hain't　done　nothing　to　you。　　I'm　away　bigger　than　you；　and　you've

only　one　hand。〃



The　Boss　slid　off　his　coat　and　crouched　among　the　bushes；　ready　to

spring；　but　as　Freckles'　voice　reached　him　he　held　himself；　with　a

strong　effort；　to　learn　what　mettle　was　in　the　boy。



〃Don't　you　be　wasting　of　me　good　time　in　the　numbering　of　me

hands；〃　cried　Freckles。　　〃The　stringth　of　me　cause　will　make　up

for　the　weakness　of　me　mimbers；　and　the　size　of　a　cowardly　thief

doesn't　count。　　You'll　think　all　the　wildcats　of　the　Limberlost

are　turned　loose　on　you　whin　I　come　against　you；　and　as　for　me

causeI　slept　with　you；　Wessner；　the　night　I　came　down　the

corduroy　like　a　dirty；　friendless　tramp；　and　the　Boss　was　for

taking　me　up；　washing；　clothing；　and　feeding　me；　and　giving　me　a

home　full　of　love　and　tinderness；　and　a　master　to　look　to；　and

good；　well…earned　money　in　the　bank。　　He's　trusting　me　his　heartful；

and　here　comes　you；　you　spotted　toad　of　the　big　road；　and　insults

me；　as　is　an　honest　Irish　gintleman；　by　hinting　that　you　concaive

I'd　be　willing　to　shut　me　eyes　and　hold　fast　while　you　rob　him　of

the　thing　I　was　set　and　paid　to　guard；　and　then　act　the　sneak

and　liar　to　him；　and　ruin　and　eternally　blacken　the　soul　of　me。　

You　damned　rascal；〃　raved　Freckles；　〃be　fighting　before　I　forget　the

laws　of　a　gintlemin's　game　and　split　your　dirty　head　with　me　stick！〃



Wessner　backed　away；　mumbling；　〃But　I　don't　want　to　hurt　you；　Freckles！〃



〃Oh；　don't　you！〃　raged　the　boy；　now　fairly　frothing。　　〃Well；　you

ain't　resembling　me　none；　for　I'm　itching　like　death　to　git　me

fingers　in　the　face　of　you。〃



He　danced　up；　and　as　Wessner　lunged　in　self…defense；　ducked　under

his　arm　as　a　bantam　and　punched　him　in　the　pit　of　the　stomach　so

that　he　doubled　with　a　groan。　　Before　Wessner　could　straighten

himself；　Freckles　was　on　him；　fighting　like　the　wildest　fury　that

ever　left　the　beautiful　island。　　The　Dutchman　dealt　thundering　blows

that　sometimes　landed　and　sent　Freckles　reeling；　and　sometimes　missed；

while　he　went　plunging　into　the　swale　with　the　impetus　of　them。　

Freckles　could　not　strike　with　half　Wessner's　force；　but　he　could

land　three　blows　to　the　Dutchman's　one。　　It　was　here　that　the　boy's

days　of　alert　watching　on　the　line；　the　perpetual　swinging　of　the

heavy　cudgel；　and　the　endurance　of　all　weather　stood　him　in　good

stead；　for　he　was　tough；　and　agile。　　He　skipped；　ducked；　and　dodged。　

For　the　first　five　minutes　he　endured　fearful　punishment。　

Then　Wessner's　breath　commenced　to　whistle　between　his　teeth；　when

Freckles　only　had　begun　fighting。　　He　sprang　back　with　shrill　laughter。



〃Begolly！　　and　will　your　honor　be　whistling　the　hornpipe　for　me　to

be　dancing　of？〃　he　cried。



SPANG！　went　his　fist　into　Wessner's　face；　and　he　was　past　him　into

the　swale。



〃And　would　you　be　pleased　to　tune　up　a　little　livelier？〃　he　gasped；

and　clipped　his　ear　as　he　sprang　back。　　Wessner　lunged　at　him　in

blind　fury。　　Freckles；　seeing　an　opening；　forgot　the　laws　of　a

gentleman's　game　and　drove　the　toe　of　his　heavy　wading…boot　in

Wessner's　middle　until　he　doubled　and　fell　heavily。　　In　a　flash

Freckles　was　on　him。　　For　a　time　McLean　could　not　see　what

was　happening。　　〃Go！　　Go　to　him　now！〃　he　commanded　himself；

but　so　intense　was　his　desire　to　see　the　boy　win　alone　that　he

did　not　stir。



At　last　Freckles　sprang　up　and　backed　away。　　〃Time！〃　he　yelled　as

a　fury。　　〃Be　getting　up；　Mr。　Wessner；　and　don't　be　afraid　of

hurting　me。　　I'll　let　you　throw　in　an　extra　hand　and　lick　you　to

me　complate　satisfaction　all　the　same。　　Did　you　hear　me　call

the　limit？　　Will　you　get　up　and　be　facing　me？〃



As　Wessner　struggled　to　his　feet；　he　resembled　a　battlefield；　for

his　clothing　was　in　ribbons　and　his　face　and　hands　streaming　blood。



〃II　guess　I　got　enough；〃　he　mumbled。



〃Oh；　you　do？〃　roared　Freckles。　　〃Well　this　ain't　your　say。　　You　come

on　to　me　ground；　lying　about　me　Boss　and　intimatin'　I'd　stale　from

his　very　pockets。　　Now　will　you　be　standing　up　and　taking　your

medicine　like　a　man；　or　getting　it　poured　down　the　throat　of　you

like　a　baby？　　I　ain't　got　enough！　　This　is　only　just　the　beginning

with　me。　　Be　looking　out　there！〃



He　sprang　against　Wessner　and　sent　him　rolling。　　He　attacked　the

unresisting　figure　and　fought　him　until　he　lay　limp　and　quiet　and

Freckles　had　no　strength　left　to　lift　an　arm。　　Then　he　arose　and

stepped　back；　gasping　for　breath。　　With　his　first　lungful　of　air

he　shouted：　　〃Time！〃　But　the　figure　of　Wessner　lay　motionless。



Freckles　watched　him　with　regardful　eye　and　saw　at　last　that　he　was

completely　exhausted。　　He　bent　over　him；　and　catching　him　by　the

back　of　the　neck；　jerked　him　to　his　knees。　　Wessner　lifted　the　face

of　a　whipped　cur；　and　fearing　further　punishment；　burst　into

shivering　sobs；　while　the　tears　washed　tiny　rivulets　through　the

blood　and　muck。　　Freckles　stepped　back；　glaring　at　Wessner；　but

suddenly　the　scowl　of　anger　and　the　ugly　disfiguring　red　faded　from

the　boy's　face。　　He　dabbed　at　a　cut　on　his　temple　from　which　issued

a　tiny　crimson　stream；　and　jauntily　shook　back　his　hair。　　His　face

took　on　the　innocent　look　of　a　cherub；　and　his　voice　rivaled　that　of

a　brooding　dove；　but　into　his　eyes　crept　a　look　of　diabolical　mischief。



He　glanced　vaguely　around　him　until　he　saw　his　club；　seized　and

twirled　it　as　a　drum　major；　stuck　it　upright　in　the　muck；　and

marched　on　tiptoe　to　Wessner；　mechanically；　as　a　puppet　worked　by

a　string。　　Bending　over；　Freckles　reached　an　arm　around　Wessner's

waist　and　helped　him　to　his　feet。



〃Careful；　now〃　he　cautioned；　〃be　careful；　Freddy；　there's　danger　of

you　hurting　me。〃



Drawing　a　handkerchief　from　a　back　pocket；　Freckles　tenderly　wiped

Wessner's　eyes　and　nose。



〃Come；　Freddy；　me　child；〃　he　admonished　Wessner；　〃it's　time　little

boys　were　going　home。　　I've　me　work　to　do；　and　can't　be　entertaining

you　any　more　today。　　Come　back　tomorrow；　if　you　ain't　through　yet；

and　we'll　repate　the　perfarmance。　　Don't　be　staring　at　me　so　wild　like！　

I　would　eat　you；　but　I　can't　afford　it。　　Me　earnings；　being　honest；

come　slow；　and　I've　no　money　to　be　squanderin'　on　the　pailful　of

Dyspeptic's　Delight　it　would　be　to　taking　to　work　you　out　of　my　innards！〃



Again　an　awful　wrenching　seized　McLean。　　Freckles　stepped　back　as

Wessner；　tottering　and　reeling；　as　a　thoroughly　drunken　man；　came

toward　the　path；　appearing　indeed　as　if　wildcats　had　attacked　him。



The　cudgel　spun　high　in　air；　and　catching　it　with　an　expertness

acquired　by　long　practice　on　the　line；　the　boy　twirled　it　a　second；

shook　back　his　thick　hair　bonnily；　and　stepping　into　the　trail；

followed　Wessner。　　Because　Freckles　was　Irish；　it　was　impossible　to

do　it　silently；　so　presently　his　clear　tenor　rang　out；　though　there

were　bad　catches　where　he　was　hard　pressed　for　breath：



　　　　　　　　　　　　〃It　was　the　Dutch。　　It　was　the　Dutch。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　Do　you　think　it　was　the　Irish　hollered　help？

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Not　much！

　　　　　　　　　　　　　It　was　the　Dutch。　　It　was　the　Dutch〃





Wessner　turned　and　mumbled：　　〃