the riverman-第46章
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in the breaking was danger。 The smallest misstep; the least
slowness in reading the signs of the break; the slightest lack of
promptness in acting on the hint or of agility in leaping from one
to the other of the plunging timbers; the faintest flicker from
rigid attention to the antagonist crouching on the spring; would
mean instant death to the delinquent。 Thus it was literally true
that each one of these men was called upon almost daily to wager his
personal skill against his destruction。
In the meantime the rear was 〃sacking〃 its way as fast as possible;
moving camp with the wanigan whenever necessary; working very hard
and very cold and very long。 In its work; however; beyond the
breaking of the rollways; was little of the spectacular。
Orde; after the rear was well started; patrolled the length of the
drive in his light buckboard。 He had a first…class team of young
horseshigh…spirited; somewhat fractious; but capable on a pinch of
their hundred miles in a day。 He handled them well over the rough
corduroys and swamp roads。 From jam to rear and back again he
travelled; pausing on the river banks to converse earnestly with one
of the foremen; surveying the situation with the bird's…eye view of
the general。 At times he remained at one camp for several days
watching the trend of the work。 The improvements made during the
preceding summer gave him the greatest satisfaction; especially the
apron at the falls。
〃We'd have had a dozen bad jams here before now with all these logs
in the river;〃 said he to Tim Nolan; who was in charge of that beat。
〃And as it is;〃 said Tim; 〃we've had but the one little wing jam。〃
The piers to define the channel along certain shallows also saved
the rear crew much labour in the matter of stranded logs。
Everything was very satisfactory。 Even old man Reed held to his
chastened attitude; and made no trouble。 In fact; he seemed glad to
turn an honest penny by boarding the small crew in charge of
sluicing the logs。
No trouble was experienced until Heinzman's rollways were reached。
Here Orde had; as he had promised his partner; boomed a free channel
to prevent Heinzman from filling up the entire river…bed with his
rollways。 When the jam of the drive had descended the river as far
as this; Orde found that Heinzman had not yet begun to break out。
Hardly had Orde's first crew passed; however; when Heinzman's men
began to break down the logs into the drive。 Long before the rear
had caught up; all Heinzman's drive was in the water; inextricably
mingled with the sixty or eighty million feet Orde had in charge。
The situation was plain。 All Heinzman now had to do was to retain a
small crew; which should follow after the rear in order to sack what
logs the latter should leave stranded。 This amounted practically to
nothing。 As it was impossible in so great a mass of timbers; and in
the haste of a pressing labour; to distinguish or discriminate
against any single brand; Heinzman was in a fair way to get his logs
sent down stream with practically no expense。
〃Vell; my boy;〃 remarked the German quite frankly to Orde as they
met on the road one day; 〃looks like I got you dis time; eh?〃
Orde laughed; also with entire good…humour。
〃If you mean your logs are going down with ours; why I guess you
have。 But you paste this in your hat: you're going to keep awful
busy; and it's going to cost you something yet to get 'em down。〃
To Newmark; on one of his occasional visits to the camps; Orde
detailed the situation。
〃It doesn't amount to much;〃 said he; 〃except that it complicates
matters。 We'll make him scratch gravel; if we have to sit up nights
and work overtime to do it。 We can't injure him or leave his logs;
but we can annoy him a lot。〃
The state of affairs was perfectly well known to the men; and the
entire river entered into the spirit of the contest。 The drivers
kept a sharp lookout for 〃H〃 logs; and whenever possible thrust them
aside into eddies and backwaters。 This; of course; merely made work
for the sackers Heinzman had left above the rear。 Soon they were in
charge of a very fair little drive of their own。 Their lot was not
enviable。 Indeed; only the pressure of work prevented some of the
more aggressive of Orde's rearamong whom could be numbered the
Rough Redfrom going back and 〃cleaning out〃 this impertinent band
of hangers…on。 One day two of the latter; conducting the jam of the
miniature drive astern; came within reach of the Rough Red。 The
latter had lingered in hopes of rescuing his peavy; which had gone
overboard。 To lose one's peavy is; among rivermen; the most
mortifying disgrace。 Consequently; the Rough Red was in a fit mood
for trouble。 He attacked the two single…handed。 A desperate battle
ensued; which lasted upward of an hour。 The two rivermen punched;
kicked; and battered the Rough Red in a manner to tear his clothes;
deprive him to some extent of red whiskers; bloody his face; cut his
shoulder; and knock loose two teeth。 The Rough Red; more than the
equal of either man singly; had reciprocated in kind。 Orde; driving
in toward the rear from a detour to avoid a swamp; heard; and
descended from his buckboard。 Tying his horses to trees; he made
his way through the brush to the scene of conflict。 So winded and
wearied were the belligerents by now that he had no difficulty in
separating them。 He surveyed their wrecks with a sardonic half
smile。
〃I call this a draw;〃 said he finally。 His attitude became
threatening as the two up…river men; recovering somewhat; showed
ugly symptoms。 〃Git!〃 he commanded。 〃Scat! I guess you don't know
me。 I'm Jack Orde。 Jimmy and I together could do a dozen of you。〃
He menaced them until; muttering; they had turned away。
〃Well; Jimmy;〃 said he humorously; 〃you look as if you'd been run
through a thrashing machine。〃
〃Those fellers make me sick!〃 growled the Rough Red。
Orde looked him over again。
〃You look sick;〃 said he。
When the buckboard drew into camp; Orde sent Bourke away to repair
damages while he called the cookee to help unpack several heavy
boxes of hardware。 They proved to contain about thirty small
hatchets; well sharpened; and each with a leather guard。 When the
rear crew had come in that night; Orde distributed the hatchets。
〃Boys;〃 said he; 〃while you're on the work; I want you all to keep a
watch…out for these 〃H〃 logs; and whenever you strike one I want you
to blaze it plainly; so there won't be any mistake about it。〃
〃What for?〃 asked one of the Saginaw men as he received his hatchet。
But the riverman who squatted next nudged him with his elbow。
〃The less questions you ask Jack; the more answers you'll get。 Just
do what you're told to on this river and you'll see fun sure。〃
Three days later the rear crew ran into the head of the pond above
Reed's dam。 To every one's surprise; Orde called a halt on the work
and announced a holiday。
Now; holidays are unknown on drive。 Barely is time allowed for
eating and sleeping。 Nevertheless; all that day the men lay about
in complete idleness; smoking; talking; sleeping in the warm sun。
The river; silenced by the closed sluice…gates; slept also。 The
pond filled with logs。 From above; the current; aided by a fair
wind; was driving down still other logsthe forerunners of the
little drive astern。 At sight of these; some of the men grumbled。
〃We're losin' what we made;〃 said they。 〃We left them logs; and
sorted 'em out once already。〃
Orde sent a couple of axe…men to blaze the newcomers。 A little
before sundown he ordered the sluice…gates of the dam opened。
〃Night work;〃 said the men to one another。 They knew; of course;
that in sluicing logs; the gate must be open a couple of hours
before the sluicing begins in orde