the riverman-第42章

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Carroll's　great　delight；　Orde　used　solemnly　to　go　down　on　all　fours　

and　knock　his　forehead　thrice　on　the　floor　before　it　when　he　entered　

the　house　at　evening。　　When　the　very　cold　weather　came　and　they　had　

to　light　the　base…burner　stove；　which　Orde　stoutly　maintained　

occupied　all　the　other　half　of　the　parlour；　the　harp's　delicate　

constitution　necessitated　its　standing　in　the　hall。　　Nevertheless；　

Carroll　had　great　comfort　from　it。　　While　Orde　was　away　at　the　

office；　she　whispered　through　its　mellow　strings　her　great　

happiness；　the　dreams　for　her　young　motherhood　which　would　come　in　

the　summer；　the　vague　and　lingering　pain　over　the　hapless　but　

beloved　ones　she　had　left　behind　her　in　her　other　life。　　Then　she　

arose　refreshed；　and　went　about　the　simple　duties　of　her　tiny　

domain。



The　winter　was　severe。　　All　the　world　was　white。　　The　piles　of　snow　

along　the　sidewalks　grew　until　Carroll　could　hardly　look　over　them。　　

Great　fierce　winds　swept　in　from　the　lake。　　Sometimes　Orde　and　his　

wife　drove　two　miles　to　the　top　of　the　sand　hills；　where　first　they　

had　met　in　this　their　present　home；　and　looked　out　beyond　the　

tumbled　shore　ice　to　the　steel…gray；　angry　waters。　　The　wind　pricked　

their　faces；　and；　going　home；　the　sleigh…bells　jingled；　the　

snowballs　from　the　horses'　hoofs　hit　against　the　dash；　the　cold　air　

seared　the　inside　of　their　nostrils。　　When　Orde　helped　Carroll　from　

beneath　the　warm　buffalo　robes；　she　held　up　to　him　a　face　glowing　

with　colour；　framed　in　the　soft　fluffy　fur　of　a　hood。



〃You　darling！〃　he　cried；　and　stooped　to　kiss　her　smooth；　cold　cheek。



When　he　had　returned　from　the　stable　around　the　corner；　he　found　the　

lit　lamp　throwing　its　modified　light　and　shade　over　the　little　round　

table。　　He　shook　down　the　base…burner　vigorously；　thrust　several　

billets　of　wood　in　its　door；　and　turned　to　meet　her　eyes　across　the　

table。



〃Kind　of　fun　being　married；　isn't　it？〃　said　he。



〃Kind　of；〃　she　admitted；　nodding　gravely。



The　business　of　the　firm　was　by　now　about　in　shape。　　All　the　boom　

arrangements　had　been　made；　the　two　tugs　were　in　the　water　and　their　

machinery　installed；　supplies　and　equipments　were　stored　away；　the　

foremen　of　the　crews　engaged；　and　the　crews　themselves　pretty　well　

picked　out。　　Only　there　needed　to　build　the　wanigan；　and　to　cart　in　

the　supplies　for　the　upper　river　works　before　the　spring　break…up　

and　the　almost　complete　disappearance　of　the　roads。　　Therefore；　Orde　

had　the　good　fortune　of　unusual　leisure　to　enjoy　these　first　months　

with　his　bride。　　They　entered　together　the　Unexplored　Country；　and　

found　it　more　wonderful　than　they　had　dreamed。　　Almost　before　they　

knew　it；　January　and　February　had　flown。



〃We　must　pack　up；　sweetheart；〃　said　Orde。



〃It's　only　yesterday　that　we　came；〃　she　cried　regretfully。



They　took　the　train　for　Redding；　were　installed　in　the　gable　room；　

explored　together　for　three　days　the　delights　of　the　old…fashioned　

house；　the　spicy　joys　of　Grandma　Orde's　and　Amanda's　cookery；　the　

almost　adoring　adulation　of　the　old　folks。　　Then　Orde　packed　his　

〃turkey；〃　assumed　his　woods　clothes；　and　marched　off　down　the　street　

carrying　his　bag　on　his　back。



〃He　looks　like　an　old　tramp　in　that　rig；〃　said　Grandma　Orde；　closing　

the　storm　door。



〃He　looks　like　a　conqueror　of　wildernesses！〃　cried　Carroll；　

straining　her　eyes　after　his　vanishing　figure。　　Suddenly　she　darted　

after　him；　calling　in　her　high；　bird…like　tones。　　He　turned　and　came　

back　to　her。　　She　clasped　him　by　the　shoulders；　reluctant　to　let　him　

go。



〃Good…bye；〃　she　said　at　last。　　〃You'll　take　better　care　of　my　

sweetheart　than　you　ever　did　of　Jack　Orde；　won't　you；　dear？〃







XXII





Orde　had　reconnoitred　the　river　as　a　general　reconnoitres　his　

antagonist；　and　had　made　his　dispositions　as　the　general　disposes　of　

his　army；　his　commissary；　his　reserves。　　At　this　point　five　men　

could　keep　the　river　clear；　at　that　rapid　it　would　require　twenty；　

there　a　dozen　would　suffice　for　ordinary　contingencies；　and　yet　an　

emergency　might　call　for　thirtythose　thirty　must　not　be　beyond　

reach。　　In　his　mind's　eye　he　apportioned　the　sections　of　the　upper　

river。　　Among　the　remoter　wildernesses　every　section　must　have　its　

driving　camp。　　The　crews　of　each；　whether　few　or　many；　would　be　

expected　to　keep　clear　and　running　their　own　〃beats〃　on　the　river。　　

As　far　as　the　rear　crew　should　overtake　these　divisions；　either　it　

would　absorb　them　or　the　members　of　them　would　be　thrown　forward　

beyond　the　lowermost　beat；　to　take　charge　of　a　new　division　down　

stream。　　When　the　settled　farm　country　or　the　little　towns　were　

reached；　many　of　the　driving　camps　would　become　unnecessary；　the　men　

could　be　boarded　out　at　farms　lying　in　their　beats。　　A　continual　

advance　would　progress　toward　the　Lake；　the　drive　crews　passing　and　

repassing　each　other　like　pigeons　in　the　sown　fields。　　Each　of　these　

sections　would　be　in　charge　of　a　foreman；　whose　responsibility　

ceased　with　the　delivery　of　the　logs　to　the　men　next　below。　　A　

walking　boss　would　trudge　continually　the　river　trail；　or　ride　the　

logs　down　stream；　holding　the　correlation　of　these　many　units。　　Orde　

himself　would　drive　up　and　down　the　river；　overseeing　the　whole　plan　

of　campaign；　throwing　the　camps　forward；　concentrating　his　forces　

here；　spreading　them　elsewhere；　keeping　accurately　in　mind　the　

entire　situation　so　that　he　could　say　with　full　confidence：　〃Open　

Dam　Number　One　for　three　hours　at　nine　o'clock；　Dam　Number　Two　for　

two　hours　and　a　half　at　ten　thirty；〃　and　so　on　down　the　line；　sure　

that　the　flood　waters　thus　released　would　arrive　at　the　right　

moment；　would　supplement　each　other；　and　would　so　space　themselves　

as　to　accomplish　the　most　work　with　the　least　waste。　　In　that　one　

point　more　than　in　any　other　showed　the　expert。　　The　water　was　his　

ammunition；　a　definite　and　limited　quantity　of　it。　　To　〃get　the　logs　

out　with　the　water〃　was　the　last　word　of　praise　to　be　said　for　the　

river　driver。　　The　more　logs；　the　greater　the　glory。



Thus　it　can　readily　be　seen；　this　matter　was　rather　a　campaign　than　

a　mere　labour；　requiring　the　men；　the　munitions；　the　organisation；　

the　tactical　ability；　the　strategy；　the　resourcefulness；　the　

boldness；　and　the　executive　genius　of　a　military　commander。



To　all　these　things；　and　to　the　distribution　of　supplies　and　

implements　among　the　various　camps；　Orde　had　attended。　　The　wanigan　

for　the　rear　crew　was　built。　　The　foremen　and　walking　boss　had　been　

picked　out。　　Everything　was　in　readiness。　　Orde　was　satisfied　with　

the　situation　except　that　he　found　himself　rather　short…handed。　　He　

had　counted　on　three　hundred　men　for　his　crews；　but　scrape　and　

scratch　as　he　would；　he　was　unable　to　gather　over　two　hundred　and　

fifty。　　This　matter　was　not　so　serious；　however；　as　later；　when　the　

woods　camps　should　break　up；　he　would　be　able　to　pick　up　more　

workmen。



〃They　won't　be　rivermen　like　my　old　crew；　though；〃　said　Orde　

regretfully　to　Tom　North；　the　walking　boss。　　〃I'd　like　to　steal　a　

few　from　some　of　those　Muskegon　outfits。〃



Until　the　logs　should　be　well　adrift；　Orde　had　resolved　to　boss　the　

rear　crew　himself。



As　the　rear　was　naturally　the　farthest　up　stream；　Orde　had　taken　

also　the　contract　to　break　the　rollways　belonging　to　Carlin；　which　

in　the　season's　work　would　be　piled　up　on　the　bank。　　Thus　he　could　

get　to　work　immediately　at　the　break…up；　and　without　waiting　for　

some　one　else。　　The　seven　or　eight　million　feet　of　lumber　comprised　

in　Carlin's　drive　would　keep　the　men　below　busy　until　the　other　

owners；　farther　down　and　up　the　tributaries；　should　also　have　put　

their　season's　cut　afloat。



The　ice　went　out　early；　to　Orde's　satisfaction。　　As　soon　as　the　

river　ran　clear　in　its　lower　reaches　he　took　his　rear　crew　in　to　

Carlin's　rollways。



This　crew　was　forty　in　number；　and　had　been　picked　from　t