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第12章

the riverman-第12章

小说: the riverman 字数: 每页4000字

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sputtering; roaring fires as they could get。  Always the work went 

forward。



But there were other times when a golden sun rose each morning a 

little earlier on a green and joyous world。  The river ran blue。  

Migratory birds fled busily northwardrobins; flute…voiced blue…

birds; warblers of many species; sparrows of different kinds; shore 

birds and ducks; the sweet…songed thrushes。  Little tepid breezes 

wandered up and down; warm in contrast to the faint snow…chill that 

even yet lingered in the shadows。  Sounds carried clearly; so that 

the shouts and banter of the rivermen were plainly audible up the 

reaches of the river。  Ashore moist and aggressive green things were 

pushing up through the watery earth from which; in shade; the last 

frost had not yet departed。  At camp the fires roaed invitingly。  

Charlie's grub was hot and grateful。  The fir beds gave dreamless 

sleep。



Newmark followed the work of the log…drive with great interest。  All 

day long he tramped back and forthon jam one day; on rear the 

next。  He never said much; but watched keenly; and listened to the 

men's banter both on the work and about the evening's fire as though 

he enjoyed it。  Gradually the men got used to him; and ceased to 

treat him as an outsider。  His thin; eager face; his steel…blue; 

inquiring eyes behind the glasses; his gray felt hat; his lank; 

tense figure in its gray; became a familiar feature。  They threw 

remarks to him; to which he replied briefly and drily。  When 

anything interesting was going on; somebody told him about it。  Then 

he hurried to the spot; no matter how distant it might be。  He used 

always the river trail; he never attempted to ride the logs。



He seemed to depend most on observation; for he rarely asked any 

questions。  What few queries he had to proffer; he made to Orde 

himself; waiting sometimes until evening to interview that busy and 

good…natured individual。  Then his questions were direct and to the 

point。  They related generally to the advisability of something he 

had seen done; only rarely did they ask for explanation of the work 

itself。  That Newmark seemed capable of puzzling out for himself。



The drive; as has been said; went down as far as Redding in thirty…

three days。  It had its share of tribulation。  The men worked 

fourteen and sixteen hours at times。  Several bad jams relieved the 

monotony。  Three dams had to be sluiced through。  Problems of 

mechanics arose to be solved on the spot; problems that an older 

civilisation would have attacked deliberately and with due respect 

for the seriousness of the situation and the dignity of engineering。  

Orde solved them by a rough…and…ready but very effective rule of 

thumb。  He built and abandoned structures which would have furnished 

opportunity for a winter's discussion to some committees; just as; 

earlier in the work; the loggers had built through a rough country 

some hundreds of miles of road better than railroad grade; solid in 

foundation; and smooth as a turnpike; the quarter of which would 

have occupied the average county board of supervisors for five 

years。  And while he was at it; Orde kept his men busy and 

satisfied。  Your white…water birler is not an easy citizen to 

handle。  Yet never once did the boss appear hurried or flustered。  

Always he wandered about; his hands in his pockets; chewing a twig; 

his round; wind…reddened face puckered humorously; his blue eyes 

twinkling; his square; burly form lazily relaxed。  He seemed to meet 

his men almost solely on the plane of good…natured chaffing。  Yet 

the work was done; and done efficiently; and Orde was the man 

responsible。



The drive of which Orde had charge was to be delivered at the booms 

of Morrison and Daly; a mile or so above the city of Redding。  

Redding was a thriving place of about thirty thousand inhabitants; 

situated on a long rapids some forty miles from Lake Michigan。  The 

water…power developed from the rapids explained Redding's existence。  

Most of the logs floated down the river were carried through to the 

village at the lake coast; where; strung up the river for eight or 

ten miles; stood a dozen or so big saw…mills; with concomitant 

booms; yards; and wharves。  Morrison and Daly; however; had built a 

saw and planing mill at Redding; where they supplied most of the 

local trade and that of the surrounding country…side。



The drive; then; was due to break up as soon as the logs should be 

safely impounded。



The last camp was made some six or eight miles above the mill。  From 

that point a good proportion of the rivermen; eager for a taste of 

the town; tramped away down the road; to return early in the 

morning; more or less drunk; but faithful to their job。  One or two 

did not return。



Among the revellers was the cook; Charlie; commonly called The 

Doctor。  The rivermen early worked off the effects of their rather 

wild spree; and turned up at noon chipper as larks。  Not so the 

cook。  He moped about disconsolately all day; and in the evening; 

after his work had been finished; he looked so much like a chicken 

with the pip that Orde's attention was attracted。



〃Got that dark…brown taste; Charlie?〃 he inquired with mock 

solicitude。



The cook mournfully shook his head。



〃Large head?  Let's feel your pulse。  Stick out your tongue; sonny。〃



〃I ain't been drinking; I tell you!〃 growled Charlie。



〃Drinking!〃 expostulated Orde; horrified。  〃Of course not!  I hope 

none of MY boys ever take a drink!  But that lemon…pop didn't agree 

with your stomachnow did it; Charlie?〃



〃I tell you I only had two glasses of beer!〃 cried Charlie; goaded; 

〃and I can prove it by Johnny Challan。〃



Orde turned to survey the pink…cheeked; embarrassed young boy thus 

designated。



〃How many glasses did Johnny Challan have?〃 he inquired。



〃He didn't drink none to speak of;〃 spoke up the boy。



〃Then why this joyless demeanour?〃 begged Orde。



Charlie grumbled; fiercely inarticulate; but Johnny Challan 

interposed with a chuckle of enjoyment。



〃He got 'bunked。'〃



〃Tell us!〃 cried Orde delightedly。



〃It was down at McNeill's place;〃 explained Johnny Challan; 

encouraged by the interest of his audience。  〃They was a couple of 

sports there who throwed out three cards on the table and bet you 

couldn't pick the jack。  They showed you where the jack was before 

they throwed; and it surely looked like a picnic; but it wasn't。〃



〃Three…card monte;〃 said Newmark。



〃How much?〃 asked Simms。



〃About fifty dollars;〃 replied the boy。




Orde turned on the disgruntlenly want three;〃 assured Newmark; reaching his hand

for the 

pack。



The men crowded around close; those in front squatting; those behind 

looking over their shoulders。



Newmark cleared a cracker…box of drying socks and drew it to him。



〃These three are the cards;〃 he said; speaking rapidly。  〃There is 

the jack of hearts。  I pass my handsso。  Pick the jack; one of 

you;〃 he challenged; leaning back from the cracker…box on which lay 

the three cards; back up。  〃Any of you;〃 he urged。  〃You; North。〃



Thus directly singled out; the foreman leaned forward and rather 

hesitatingly laid a blunt forefinger on one of the bits of 

pasteboard。



Without a word; Newmark turned it over。  It was the ten of spades。



〃Let me try;〃 interposed Tim Nolan; pressing his big shoulders 

forward。  〃I bet I know which it was that time; and I bet I can pick 

her next time。〃



〃Oh; yes; you BET!〃 shrugged Newmark。  〃And that's where the card…

sharps get you fellows every time。  Well; pick it;〃 said he; again 

deftly flipping the cards。



Nolan; who had watched keenly; indicated one without hesitation。  

Again it proved to be the ten of spades。



〃Anybody else ambitious?〃 inquired Newmark。  Everybody was 

ambitious; and the young man; with inexhaustible patience; threw out 

the c

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