the riverman-第20章

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don't　do　it；　I'll　be　DEAD　around　here。〃



〃So　that's　about　a　stand…off；〃　said　Newmark。　　〃I'm　betting　twenty　

thousand　on　what　I've　seen　and　heard　of　you；　and　you're　risking　your　

reputation　that　I　don't　want　to　drop　my　money。〃



Orde　laughed。



〃And　I　reckon　we're　both　right；〃　he　responded。



〃Still；〃　Newmark　pursued　the　subject；　〃I've　no　objection　to　telling　

you　about　myself。　　New　York　born　and　bred；　experience　with　Cooper　

and　Dunne；　brokers；　eight　years。　　Money　from　a　legacy。　　Parents　

dead。　　No　relatives　to　speak　to。〃



Orde　nodded　gravely　twice　in　acknowledgment。



〃Now；〃　said　Newmark；　〃have　you　had　time　to　do　any　figuring？〃



〃Well；〃　replied　Orde；　〃I　got　at　it　a　little　yesterday　afternoon；　and　

a　little　this　noon。　　I　have　a　rough　idea。〃　　He　produced　a　bundle　of　

scribbled　papers　from　his　coat…pocket。　　〃Here　you　are。　　I　take　Daly　

as　a　sample；　because　I've　been　with　his　outfit。　　It　costs　him　to　run　

and　deliver　his　logs　one　hundred　miles　about　two　dollars　a　thousand　

feet。　　He's　the　only　big　manufacturer　up　here；　the　rest　are　all　at　

Monrovia；　where　they　can　get　shipping　by　water。　　I　suppose　it　costs　

the　other　nine　firms　doing　business　on　the　river　from　two　to　two　and　

a　half　a　thousand。〃



Newmark　produced　a　note…book　and　began　to　jot　down　figures。



〃Do　these　men　all　conduct　separate　drives？〃　he　inquired。



〃All　but　Proctor　and　old　Heinzman。　　They　pool　in　together。〃



〃Now；〃　went　on　Newmark；　〃if　we　were　to　drive　the　whole　river；　how　

could　we　improve　on　that？〃



〃Well；　I　haven't　got　it　down　very　fine；　of　course；〃　Orde　told　him；　

〃but　in　the　first　place　we　wouldn't　need　so　many　men。　　I　could　run　

the　river　on　three　hundred　easy　enough。　　That　saves　wages　and　grub　

on　two　hundred　right　there。　　And；　of　course；　a　few　improvements　on　

the　river　would　save　time；　which　in　our　case　would　mean　money。　　We　

would　not　need　so　many　separate　cook　outfits　and　all　that。　　Of　

course；　that　part　of　it　we'd　have　to　get　right　down　and　figure　on；　

and　it　will　take　time。　　Then；　too；　if　we　agreed　to　sort　and　deliver；　

we'd　have　to　build　sorting　booms　down　at　Monrovia。〃



〃Suppose　we　had　all　that。　　What；　for　example；　do　you　reckon　you　

could　bring　Daly's　logs　down　for？〃



Orde　fell　into　deep　thought；　from　which　he　emerged　occasionally　to　

scribble　on　the　back　of　his　memoranda。



〃I　suppose　somewhere　about　a　dollar；〃　he　announced　at　last。　　He　

looked　up　a　trifle　startled。　　〃Why；〃　he　cried；　〃that　looks　like　big　

money！　　A　hundred　per　cent！〃



Newmark　watched　him　for　a　moment；　a　quizzical　smile　wrinkling　the　

corners　of　his　eyes。



〃Hold　your　horses；〃　said　he　at　last。　　〃I　don't　know　anything　about　

this　business；　but　I　can　see　a　few　things。　　In　the　first　place；　

close　figuring　will　probably　add　a　few　cents　to　that　dollar。　　And　

then；　of　course；　all　our　improvements　will　be　absolutely　valueless　

to　anybody　after　we've　got　through　using　them。　　You　said　yesterday　

they'd　probably　stand　us　in　seventy…five　thousand　dollars。　　Even　at　

a　dollar　profit；　we'd　have　to　drive　seventy…five　million　before　we　

got　a　cent　back。　　And；　of　course；　we've　got　to　agree　to　drive　for　a　

little　less　than　they　could　themselves。〃



〃That's　so；〃　agreed　Orde；　his　crest　falling。



〃However；〃　said　Newmark　briskly；　as　he　arose；　〃there's　good　money　in　

it；　as　you　say。　　Now；　how　soon　can　you　leave　Daly？〃



〃By　the　middle　of　the　week　we　ought　to　be　through　with　this　job。〃



〃That's　good。　　Then　we'll　go　into　this　matter　of　expense　thoroughly；　

and　establish　our　schedule　of　rates　to　submit　to　the　different　

firms。〃



Newmark　said　a　punctilious　farewell　to　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Orde。



〃By　the　way；〃　said　Orde　to　him　at　the　gate；　〃where　are　you　staying？〃



〃At　the　Grand。〃



〃I　know　most　of　the　people　hereall　the　young　folks。　　I'd　be　glad　

to　take　you　around　and　get　you　acquainted。〃



〃Thank　you；〃　replied　Newmark；　〃you　are　very　kind。　　But　I　don't　go　in　

much　for　that　sort　of　thing；　and　I　expect　to　be　very　busy　now　on　

this　new　matter；　so　I　won't　trouble　you。〃







XI





The　new　partners；　as　soon　as　Orde　had　released　himself　from　Daly；　

gave　all　their　time　to　working　out　a　schedule　of　tolls。　　Orde　drew　

on　his　intimate　knowledge　of　the　river　and　its　tributaries；　and　the　

locations　of　the　different　rollways；　to　estimate　as　closely　as　

possible　the　time　it　would　take　to　drive　them。　　He　also　hunted　up　

Tom　North　and　others　of　the　older　men　domiciled　in　the　cheap　

boarding…houses　of　Hell's　Half…Mile；　talked　with　them；　and　verified　

his　own　impressions。　　Together；　he　and　Newmark　visited　the　supply　

houses；　got　prices；　obtained　lists。　　All　the　evenings　they　figured　

busily；　until　at　last　Newmark　expressed　himself　as　satisfied。



〃Now；　Orde；〃　said　he；　〃here　is　where　you　come　in。　　It's　now　your　job　

to　go　out　and　interview　these　men　and　get　their　contracts　for　

driving　their　next　winter's　cut。〃



But　Orde　drew　back。



〃Look　here；　Joe；〃　he　objected；　〃that's　more　in　your　line。　　You　can　

talk　business　to　them　better　than　I　can。〃



〃Not　a　bit；〃　negatived　Newmark。　　〃They　don't　know　me　from　Adam；　and　

they　do　know　you；　and　all　about　you。　　We've　got　to　carry　this　thing　

through　at　first　on　our　face；　and　they'd　be　more　apt　to　entrust　the　

matter　to　you　personally。〃



〃All　right；〃　agreed　Orde。　　〃I'll　start　in　on　Daly。〃



He　did　so　the　following　morning。　　Daly　swung　his　bulk　around　in　his　

revolving　office…chair　and　listened　attentively。



〃Well；　Jack；〃　said　he；　〃I　think　you're　a　good　riverman；　and　I　

believe　you　can　do　it。　　I'd　be　only　too　glad　to　get　rid　of　the　

nuisance　of　it；　let　alone　get　it　done　cheaper。　　If　you'll　draw　up　

your　contract　and　bring　it　in　here；　I'll　sign　it。　　I　suppose　you'll　

break　out　the　rollways？〃



〃No；〃　said　Orde；　〃we　hadn't　thought　of　doing　more　than　the　driving　

and　distributing。　　You'll　have　to　deliver　the　logs　in　the　river。　　

Maybe　another　year；　after　we　get　better　organised；　we'll　be　able　to　

break　rollwaysat　a　price　per　thousandbut　until　we　get　a…going　

we'll　have　to　rush　her　through。〃



Orde　repeated　this　to　his　associate。



〃That　was　smooth　enough　sailing；〃　he　exulted。



〃Yes；〃　pondered　Newmark；　removing　his　glasses　and　tapping　his　thumb　

with　their　edge。　　〃Yes；〃　he　repeated；　〃that　was　smooth　sailing。　　

What　was　that　about　rollways？〃



〃Oh；　I　told　him　we'd　expect　him　to　break　out　his　own；〃　said　Orde。



〃Yes；　but　what　does　that　mean　exactly？〃



〃Why；〃　explained　Orde；　with　a　slight　stare　of　surprise；　〃when　the　

logs　are　cut　and　hauled　during　the　winter；　they　are　banked　on　the　

river…banks；　and　even　in　the　river…channel　itself。　　Then；　when　the　

thaws　come　in　the　spring；　these　piles　are　broken　down　and　set　afloat　

in　the　river。〃



〃I　see；〃　said　Newmark。　　〃Well；　but　why　shouldn't　we　undertake　that　

part　of　it？　　I　should　think　that　would　he　more　the　job　of　the　river…

drivers。〃



〃It　would　hold　back　our　drive　too　much　to　have　to　stop　and　break　

rollways；〃　explained　Orde。



The　next　morning　they　took　the　early　train　for　Monrovia；　where　were　

situated　the　big　mills　and　the　offices　of　the　nine　other　lumber　

companies。　　Within　an　hour　they　had　descended　at　the　small　frame　

terminal　station；　and　were　walking　together　up　the　village　street。



Monrovia　was　at　that　time　a　very　spread…out　little　place　of　perhaps　

two　thousand　population。　　It　was　situated　a　half　mile　from　Lake　

Michigan；　behind　the　sparsely　wooded　sand　hills　of　its　shore。　　From　

the　river；　which　had　here　grown　to　a　great　depth　and　width；　its　main　

street　ran　directly　at　right　angles。　　Four　brick　blocks　of　three　

stories　lent　impressiveness　to　the　vista。　　The　stores　in　general；　

however；　were　low　frame　structures。　　All　faced　broad　plank　sidewalks　

raised　above　the　street　to　the　level　of　a　waggon　body。　　From　this　

main　street　ran　off；　to　right　and　left；　other　streets；　rendered　

lovely　by　maple　trees　that　fairly　met　across　the　way。　　In　summer；　

ove