the riverman-第45章
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did you come from? Byes;〃 he shouted to the men; 〃it's me ould boss
on th' Au Sable six year backthat time; ye mind; whin we had th'
ice jam! Glory be! but I'm glad to see ye!〃
Orde was still laughing。
〃I didn't know you'd turned into the Rough Red; Jimmy;〃 said he。 〃I
don't believe we were either of us old enough for whiskers then;
were we?〃
The Rough Red grinned。
〃Thrue for ye!〃 said he。 〃And what have ye been doing all these
years?〃
〃That's just it; Jimmy;〃 said Orde; drawing the giant one side; out
of ear…shot。 〃All my eggs are in one basket; and it's a mean trick
of you to hire out for filthy lucre to kick that basket。〃
〃What do ye mane?〃 asked the Rough Red; fixing his twinkling little
eyes on Orde。
〃You don't mean to tell me;〃 countered Orde; glancing down at the
other's rubber…shod feet; 〃that this crew has been sent up here just
to break out those measly little rollways?〃
〃Thim?〃 said the Rough Red。 〃Thim? Hell; NO! Thim's my bodyguard。
They can lick their weight in wild cats; and I'd loike well to see
the gang of highbankers that infists this river thry to pry thim
out。 We weren't sint here to wurrk; we were sint here to foight。〃
〃Fight? Why?〃 asked Orde。
〃Oh; I dunno;〃 replied the Rough Red easily。 〃Me boss and the blank
of a blank blanked blank that's attimptin' to droive this river has
some sort of a row。〃
〃Jimmy;〃 said Orde; 〃didn't you know that I am the gentleman last
mentioned?〃
〃What!〃
〃I'm driving this river; and that's my dam…keeper you've got hid
away somewhere here; and that's my water you're planning to waste!〃
〃What?〃 repeated the Rough Red; but in a different tone of voice。
〃That's right;〃 said Orde。
In a tone of vast astonishment; the Rough Red mentioned his probable
deserts in the future life。
〃Luk here; Jack;〃 said he after a moment; 〃here's a crew of white…
water birlers that ye can't beat nowheres。 What do you want us to
do? We're now gettin' four dollars a day AN' board from that
murderin' ould villain; Heinzman; SO WE CAN AFFORD TO WURRK FOR YOU
CHEAP。〃
Orde hesitated。
〃Oh; please do now; darlint!〃 wheedled the Rough Red; his little
eyes agleam with mischief。 〃Sind us some oakum and pitch and we'll
caulk yure wanigan for ye。 Or maybe some more peavies; and we'll
hilp ye on yure rollways。 And till us; afore ye go; how ye want
this dam; and that's the way she'll be。 Come; now; dear! and ain't
ye short…handed now?〃
Orde slapped his knee and laughed。
〃This is sure one hell of a joke!〃 he cried。
〃And ain't it now?〃 said the Rough Red; smiling with as much
ingratiation as he was able。
〃I'll take you boys on;〃 said Orde at last; 〃at the usual wages
dollar and a half for the jam; three for the rear。 I doubt if
you'll see much of Heinzman's money when this leaks out。〃
XXIV
Thus Orde; by the sheer good luck that sometimes favours men engaged
in large enterprises; not only frustrated a plan likely to bring
failure to his interests; but filled up his crews。 It may be
remarked here; as well as later; that the 〃terrors of the Saginaw〃
stayed with the drive to its finish; and proved reliable and
tractable in every particular。 Orde scattered them judiciously; so
there was no friction with the local men。 The Rough Red he retained
on the rear。
Here the breaking of the rollways had reached a stage more exciting
both to onlooker and participant than the mere opening of the river
channel。 Huge stacks of logs piled sidewise to the bank lined the
stream for miles。 When the lowermost log on the river side was
teased and pried out; the upper tiers were apt to cascade down with
a roar; a crash; and a splash。 The man who had done the prying had
to be very quick…eyed; very cool; and very agile to avoid being
buried under the tons of timber that rushed down on him。 Only the
most reliable men were permitted at this initial breaking down。
Afterwards the crew rolled in what logs remained。
The Rough Red's enormous strength; dare…devil spirit; and nimbleness
of body made him invaluable at this dangerous work。 Orde; too;
often took a hand in some of the more ticklish situations。 In old
days; before he had attained the position of responsibility that
raised the value of his time beyond manual work; he had been one of
the best men on the river at breaking bank rollways。 A slim;
graceful; handsome boy of twenty; known as 〃Rollway Charlie;〃 also
distinguished himself by the quickness and certainty of his work。
Often the men standing near lost sight of him entirely in the spray;
the confusion; the blur of the breaking rollways; until it seemed
certain he must have perished。 Nevertheless; always he appeared at
right or left; sometimes even on a log astream; nonchalant; smiling;
escaped easily from the destructive power he had loosed。 Once in
the stream the logs ran their appointed course; watched by the men
who herded them on their way。 And below; from the tributaries; from
the other rollways a never…ending procession of recruits joined this
great brown army on its way to the lake; until for miles and miles
the river was almost a solid mass of logs。
The crews on the various beats now had their hands full to keep the
logs running。 The slightest check at any one point meant a jam; for
there was no way of stopping the unending procession。 The logs
behind floated gently against the obstruction and came to rest。 The
brown mass thickened。 As far as the eye could reach the surface of
the water was concealed。 And then; as the slow pressure developed
from the three or four miles of logs forced against each other by
the pushing of the current; the breast of the jam began to rise。
Timbers up…ended; crossed; interlocked; slid one over the other;
mounted higher and higher in the formidable game of jack…straws the
loss of which spelled death to the players。
Immediately; and with feverish activity; the men nearest at hand
attacked the work。 Logs on top they tumbled and rolled into the
current below。 Men beneath the breast tugged and pried in search of
the key logs causing all the trouble。 Others 〃flattened out the
wings;〃 hoping to get a 〃draw〃 around the ends。 As the stoppage of
the drive indicated to the men up and down stream that a jam had
formed; they gathered at the scenethose from above over the logs;
those from below up the river trail。
Rarely; unless in case of unusual complications; did it take more
than a few hours at most to break the jam。 The breast of it went
out with a rush。 More slowly the wings sucked in。 Reluctantly the
mass floating on the surface for miles up stream stirred; silently
moved forward。 For a few minutes it was necessary to watch
carefully until the flow onward steadied itself; until the
congestion had spaced and ordered as before。 Then the men moved
back to their posts; the drive was resumed。 At night the river was
necessarily left to its own devices。 Rivermen; with the touch of
superstition inseparably connected with such affairs; believe
implicitly that 〃logs run free at night。〃 Certainly; though it
might be expected that each morning would reveal a big jam to break;
such was rarely the case。 The logs had usually stopped; to be sure;
but generally in so peaceful a situation as easily to be started on
by a few minutes' work。 Probably this was because they tended to
come to rest in the slow; still reaches of the river; through which;
in daytime; they would be urged by the rivermen。
Jams on the river; contrary to general belief; are of very common
occurrence。 Throughout the length of the drive there were probably
three or four hang…ups a day。 Each of these had to be broken; and
in the breaking was danger。 The smallest misstep; the least
slowness in readi