the riverman-第2章

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rotundity　to　the　contrary　notwithstanding；　he　was　ravaged　by　a　

gnawing　dyspepsia；　and　the　sight　of　six　eggs　eaten　as　a　side　dish　to　

substantials　carried　consternation　to　his　interior。



So　busily　engaged　was　each　after　his　own　fashion　that　nobody　

observed　the　approach　of　a　solitary　figure　down　the　highway　of　the　

river。　　The　man　appeared　tiny　around　the　upper　bend；　momently　

growing　larger　as　he　approached。　　His　progress　was　jerky　and　on　an　

uneven　zigzag；　according　as　the　logs　lay；　by　leaps；　short　runs；　

brief　pauses；　as　a　riverman　goes。　　Finally　he　stepped　ashore　just　

below　the　camp；　stamped　his　feet　vigorously　free　of　water；　and　

approached　the　group　around　the　cooking…fire。



No　one　saw　him　save　the　cook；　who　vouchsafed　him　a　stately　and　

lugubrious　inclination　of　the　head。



The　newcomer　was　a　man　somewhere　about　thirty　years　of　age；　squarely　

built；　big　of　bone；　compact　in　bulk。　　His　face　was　burly；　jolly；　and　

reddened　rather　than　tanned　by　long　exposure。　　A　pair　of　twinkling　

blue　eyes　and　a　humorously　quirked　mouth　redeemed　his　countenance　

from　commonplaceness。



He　spread　his　feet　apart　and　surveyed　the　scene。



〃Well；　boys；〃　he　remarked　at　last　in　a　rollicking　big　voice；　〃I'm　

glad　to　see　the　situation　hasn't　spoiled　your　appetites。〃



At　this　they　looked　up　with　a　spontaneous　answering　grin。　　Tom　North　

laid　aside　his　plate　and　started　to　arise。



〃Sit　still；　Tom；〃　interposed　the　newcomer。　　〃Eat　hearty。　　I'm　going　

to　feed　yet　myself。　　Then　we'll　see　what's　to　be　done。　　I　think　

first　thing　you'd　better　see　to　having　this　wind　turned　off。〃



After　the　meal　was　finished；　North　and　his　principal　sauntered　to　

the　water's　edge；　where　they　stood　for　a　minute　looking　at　the　logs　

and　the　ruffled　expanse　of　water　below。



〃Might　as　well　have　sails　on　them　and　be　done　with　it；〃　remarked　

Jack　Orde　reflectively。　　〃Couldn't　hold　'em　any　tighter。　　It's　a　

pity　that　old　mossback　had　to　put　in　a　mill。　　The　water　was　slack　

enough　before；　but　now　there　seems　to　be　no　current　at　all。〃



〃Case　of　wait　for　the　wind；〃　agreed　Tom　North。　　〃Old　Daly　will　be　

red…headed。　　He　must　be　about　out　of　logs　at　the　mill。　　The　flood…

water's　going　down　every　minute；　and　it'll　make　the　riffles　above　

Redding　a　holy　fright。　　And　I　expect　Johnson's　drive　will　be　down　on　

our　rear　most　any　time。〃



〃It's　there　already。　　Let's　go　take　a　look；〃　suggested　Orde。



They　picked　their　way　around　the　edge　of　the　pond　to　the　site　of　the　

new　mill。



〃Sluice　open　all　right；〃　commented　Orde。　　〃Thought　she　might　be　

closed。〃



〃I　saw　to　that；〃　rejoined　North　in　an　injured　tone。



〃'Course；〃　agreed　Orde；　〃but　he　might　have　dropped　her　shut　on　you　

between　times；　when　you　weren't　looking。〃



He　walked　out　on　the　structure　and　looked　down　on　the　smooth　water　

rushing　through。



〃Ought　to　make　a　draw；〃　he　reflected。　　Then　he　laughed。　　〃Tom；　look　

here；〃　he　called。　　〃Climb　down　and　take　a　squint　at　this。〃



North　clambered　to　a　position　below。



〃The　son　of　a　gun！〃　he　exclaimed。



The　sluice；　instead　of　bedding　at　the　natural　channel　of　the　river；　

had　been　built　a　good　six　feet　above　that　level；　so　that；　even　with　

the　gates　wide　open；　a　〃head〃　of　six　feet　was　retained　in　the　slack　

water　of　the　pond。



〃No　wonder　we　couldn't　get　a　draw；〃　said　Orde。　　〃Let's　hunt　up　old　

What's…his…name　and　have　a　pow…wow。〃



〃His　name　is　plain　Reed；〃　explained　North。　　〃There　he　comes　now。〃



〃Sainted　cats！〃　cried　Orde；　with　one　of　his　big；　rollicking　

chuckles。　　〃Where　did　you　catch　it？〃



The　owner　of　the　dam　flapped　into　view　as　a　lank　and　lengthy　

individual　dressed　in　loose；　long　clothes　and　wearing　a…top　a　

battered　old　〃plug〃　hat；　the　nap　of　which　seemed　all　to　have　been　

rubbed　off　the　wrong　way。



As　he　bore　down　on　the　intruders　with　tremendous；　nervous　strides；　

they　perceived　him　to　be　an　old　man；　white　of　hair；　cadaverous　of　

countenance；　with　thin；　straight　lips；　and　burning；　fanatic　eyes　

beneath　stiff　and　bushy　brows。



〃Good…morning；　Mr。　Reed；〃　shouted　Orde　above　the　noise　of　the　water。



〃Good…morning；　gentlemen；〃　replied　the　apparition。



〃Nice　dam　you　got　here；〃　went　on　Orde。



Reed　nodded；　his　fiery　eyes　fixed　unblinking　on　the　riverman。



〃But　you　haven't　been　quite　square　to　us；〃　said　Orde。　　You　aren't　

giving　us　much　show　to　get　our　logs　out。〃



〃How　so？〃　snapped　the　owner；　his　thin　lips　tightening。



〃Oh；　I　guess　you　know；　all　right；〃　laughed　Orde；　clambering　

leisurely　back　to　the　top　of　the　dam。　　〃That　sluice　is　a　good　six　

foot　too　high。〃



〃Is　that　so！〃　cried　the　old　man；　plunging　suddenly　into　a　craze　of　

excitement。　　〃Well；　let　me　tell　you　this；　Mr。　Man；　I'm　giving　you　

all　the　law　gives　you；　and　that's　the　natural　flow　of　the　river；　and　

not　a　thing　more　will　you　get！　　You　that　comes　to　waste　and　destroy；　

to　arrogate　unto　yourselves　the　kingdoms　of　the　yearth　and　all　the　

fruits　thereof；　let　me　tell　you　you　can't　override　Simeon　Reed！　　I'm　

engaged　here　in　a　peaceful　and　fittin'　operation；　which　is　to　feed　

the　hungry　by　means　of　this　grist…mill；　not　to　rampage　and　bring　

destruction　to　the　noble　forests　God　has　planted！　　I've　give　you　

what　the　law　gives　you；　and　nothin'　more！〃



Somewhat　astonished　at　this　outbreak；　the　two　rivermen　stood　for　a　

moment　staring　at　the　old　man。　　Then　a　steely　glint　crept　into　

Orde's　frank　blue　eye　and　the　corners　of　his　mouth　tightened。



〃We　want　no　trouble　with　you；　Mr。　Reed；〃　said　he；　〃and　I'm　no　lawyer　

to　know　what　the　law　requires　you　to　do　and　what　it　requires　you　not　

to　do。　　But　I　do　know　that　this　is　the　only　dam　on　the　river　with　

sluices　built　up　that　way；　and　I　do　know　that　we'll　never　get　those　

logs　out　if　we　don't　get　more　draw　on　the　water。　　Good…day。〃



Followed　by　the　reluctant　North　he　walked　away；　leaving　the　gaunt　

figure　of　the　dam　owner　gazing　after　them；　his　black　garments　

flapping　about　him；　his　hands　clasped　behind　his　back；　his　ruffled　

plug　hat　thrust　from　his　forehead。



〃Well！〃　burst　out　North；　when　they　were　out　of　hearing。



〃Well！〃　mimicked　Orde　with　a　laugh。



〃Are　you　going　to　let　that　old　high…banker　walk　all　over　you？〃



〃What　are　you　going　to　do　about　it；　Tom？　　It's　his　dam。〃



〃I　don't　know。　　But　you　ain't　going　to　let　him　bang　us　up　here　all　

summer〃



〃Sure　not。　　But　the　wind's　shifting。　　Let's　see　what　the　weather's　

like　to…morrow。　　To…day's　pretty　late。〃







II





The　next　morning　dawned　clear　and　breathless。　　Before　daylight　the　

pessimistic　cook　was　out；　his　fire　winking　bravely　against　the　

darkness。　　His　only　satisfaction　of　the　long　day　came　when　he　

aroused　the　men　from　the　heavy　sleep　into　which　daily　toil　plunged　

them。　　With　the　first　light　the　entire　crew　were　at　the　banks　of　the　

river。



As　soon　as　the　wind　died　the　logs　had　begun　to　drift　slowly　out　into　

the　open　water。　　The　surface　of　the　pond　was　covered　with　the　

scattered　timbers　floating　idly。　　After　a　few　moments　the　clank　of　

the　bars　and　ratchet　was　heard　as　two　of　the　men　raised　the　heavy　

sluice…gate　on　the　dam。　　A　roar　of　water；　momently　increasing；　

marked　the　slow　rise　of　the　barrier。　　A　very　imaginative　man　might　

then　have　made　out　a　tendency　forward　on　the　part　of　those　timbers　

floating　nearest　the　centre　of　the　pond。　　It　was　a　very　sluggish　

tendency；　however；　and　the　men　watching　critically　shook　their　

heads。



Four　more　had　by　this　time　joined　the　two　men　who　had　raised　the　

gate；　and　all　together；　armed　with　long　pike　poles；　walked　out　on　

the　funnel…shaped　booms　that　should　concentrate　the　logs　into　the　

chute。　　Here　they　prodded　forward　the　few　timbers　within　reach；　and　

waited　for　more。



These　were　a　long　time　coming。　　Members　of　the　driving　crew　leaped　

shouting　from　one　log　to　another。　　Sometimes；　when　the　space　across　

was　too　wide　to　jump；　they　propelled　a　log　over　either　by　rolling