the riverman-第63章

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Marsh　smiled　grimly。



〃I　reckon　I'd　have　known　it；〃　said　he。　　〃No；　sir！　　It　sounds　wild；　

but　it's　the　only　possible　guess。　　That　last　sea　must've　lifted　us　

bodily　right　over　the　corner　of　the　pier。〃



〃Wellmaybe；〃　assented　Orde　doubtfully。



〃Sure　thing；〃　repeated　Marsh　with　conviction。



〃Well；　you'd　better　not　tell　'em　so　unless　you　want　to　rank　in　with　

Old　Man　Ananias；〃　ended　Orde。　　〃It　was　a　good　job。　　Pretty　dusty　out　

there；　wasn't　it？〃



〃Pretty　dusty；〃　grinned　Marsh。



They　turned　away　together　and　were　at　once　pounced　on　by　Leopold　

Lincoln　Bunn；　the　local　reporter；　a　callow　youth　aflame　with　the　

chance　for　a　big　story　of　more　than　local　interest。



〃Oh；　Captain　Marsh！〃　he　cried。　　〃How　did　you　get　around　the　pier？　　

It　looked　as　though　the　wave　had　you　caught。〃



Orde　glanced　at　his　companion　in　curiosity。



〃On　roller　skates；〃　replied　Marsh。



Leopold　tittered　nervously。



〃Could　you　tell　me　how　you　felt　when　you　were　out　there　in　the　worst　

of　it？〃　he　inquired。



〃Oh；　hell！〃　said　Marsh　grumpily；　stalking　away。



〃Don't　interview　for　a　cent；　does　he？〃　grinned　Orde。



〃Oh；　Mr。　Orde！　　Perhaps　you〃



〃Don't　you　think　we'd　better　lend　a　hand　below？〃　suggested　Orde；　

pointing　to　the　beach。



The　wild　and　picturesque　work　of　rescue　was　under　way。　　The　line　had　

been　successfully　brought　to　the　left　of　the　lighthouse。　　To　it　had　

been　attached　the　rope；　and　to　that　the　heavy　cable。　　These　the　crew　

of　the　schooner　had　dragged　out　and　made　fast　to　a　mast。　　The　shore　

end　passed　over　a　tall　scissors。　　When　the　cable　was　tightened　the　

breeches　buoy　was　put　into　commission；　and　before　long　the　first　

member　of　the　crew　was　hauled　ashore；　plunging　in　and　out　of　the　

waves　as　the　rope　tightened　or　slackened。　　He　was　a　flaxen…haired　

Norwegian；　who　stamped　his　feet；　shook　his　body　and　grinned　

comically　at　those　about　him。　　He　accepted　with　equanimity　a　dozen　

drinks　of　whisky　thrust　at　him　from　all　sides；　swigged　a　mug　of　the　

coffee　a　few　practical　women　were　making　over　an　open　fire；　and　

opposed　to　Leopold　Lincoln　Bunn's　frantic　efforts　a　stolid　and　

baffling　density。　　Of　none　of　these　attentions　did　he　seem　to　stand　

in　especial　need。



The　crew　and　its　volunteers　worked　quickly。　　When　the　last　man　had　

come　ashore；　the　captain　of　the　life…saving　service　entered　the　

breeches　buoy　and　caused　himself　to　be　hauled　through　the　smother　to　

the　wreck。　　After　an　interval；　a　signal　jerked　back。　　The　buoy　was　

pulled　in　empty　and　the　surf　car　substituted。　　In　it　were　piled　

various　utensils　of　equipment。　　One　man　went　with　it；　and　several　

more　on　its　next　trip；　until　nearly　the　whole　crew　were　aboard　the　

wreck。



Carroll　and　Mina　stayed　until　dusk　and　after；　watching　the　long　

heavy　labour　of　rescue。　　Lines　had　to　be　rocketed　from　the　schooner　

to　the　other　vessels。　　Then　by　their　means　cable　communication　had　

to　be　established　with　the　shore。　　After　this　it　was　really　a　matter　

of　routine　to　run　the　crew　to　the　beach；　though　cruel；　hard　work；　

and　dangerous。　　The　wrecks　were　continually　swept　by　the　great　seas；　

and　at　any　moment　the　tortured　fabrics　might　give　way；　might　

dissolve　completely　in　the　elements　that　so　battered　them。　　The　

women　making　the　hot　coffee　found　their　services　becoming　valuable。　　

Big　fires　of　driftwood　were　ignited。　　They　were　useful　for　light　as　

well　as　warmth。



By　their　illumination　finally　Orde　discovered　the　two　girls　

standing；　and　paused　long　enough　in　his　own　heavy　labour　of　

assistance　to　draw　Carroll　one　side。



〃You'd　better　go　home　now；　sweetheart；〃　said　he。　　〃Bobby'll　be　

waiting　for　you；　and　the　girls　may　be　here　in　the　crowd　somewhere。　　

There'll　be　nobody　to　take　care　of　him。〃



〃I　suppose　so；〃　she　assented。　　〃But　hasn't　it　been　exciting？　　Whose　

vessels　were　they；　do　you　know？〃



Orde　glanced　at　her　strangely。



〃They　were　ours；〃　said　he。



She　looked　up　at　him；　catching　quickly　the　wrinkles　of　his　brow　and　

the　harassed　anxiety　in　his　eyes。　　Impulsively　she　pulled　him　down　

to　her　and　kissed　him。



〃Never　mind；　dear；〃　said　she。　　〃I　care　only　if　you　do。〃



She　patted　his　great　shoulders　lightly　and　smiled　up　at　him。



〃Run；　help！〃　she　cried。　　〃And　come　home　as　soon　as　you　can。　　I'll　

have　something　nice　and　hot　all　ready　for　you。〃



She　turned　away；　the　smile　still　on　her　lips；　but　as　soon　as　she　was　

out　of　sight；　her　face　fell　grave。



〃Come；　Mina！〃　she　said　to　the　younger　girl。　　〃Time　to　go。〃



They　toiled　through　the　heavy　sand　to　where；　hours　ago；　they　had　

left　Prince。　　That　faithful　animal　dozed　in　his　tracks　and　awoke　

reluctantly。



Carroll　looked　back。　　The　fires　leaped　red　and　yellow。　　Against　them　

were　the　silhouettes　of　people；　and　in　the　farther　circle　of　their　

illumination　were　more　people　cast　in　bronze　that　flickered　red。　　In　

contrast　to　their　glow　the　night　was　very　dark。　　Only　from　the　lake　

there　disengaged　a　faint　gray　light　where　the　waters　broke。　　The　

strength　of　the　failing　wind　still　lifted　the　finer　particles　of　

sand。　　The　organ　of　the　pounding　surf　filled　the　night　with　the　

grandeur　of　its　music。







XXXV





Orde　mounted　the　office　stairs　next　day　with　a　very　heavy　step。　　The　

loss　of　the　NORTH　STAR　and　of　the　two　schooners　meant　a　great　deal　

to　him　at　that　time。



〃It　kicks　us　into　somewhat　of　a　hole；〃　he　grumbled　to　Newmark。



〃A　loss　is　never　pleasant；〃　replied　the　latter；　〃and　it　puts　us　out　

of　the　carrying　business　for　awhile。　　But　we're　insured。〃



〃I　can't　understand　why　Floyd　started；〃　said　Orde。　　〃He　ought　to　

know　better　than　to　face　sure　prospects　of　a　fall　blow。　　I'll　tan　

his　soul　for　that；　all　right！〃



〃I'm　afraid　I'm　partly　responsible　for　his　going；〃　put　in　Newmark。



〃You！〃　cried　Orde。



〃Yes。　　You　see　that　Smith　and　Mabley　shipment　was　important　enough　

to　strain　a　point　forand　it's　only　twenty…four　hours　or　soand　it　

certainly　didn't　look　to　see　me　as　if　it　were　going　to　blow　very　

soon。　　Poor　Floyd　feels　bad　enough。　　He's　about　sick。〃



Orde　for　the　first　time　began　to　appreciate　the　pressure　of　his　

circumstances。　　The　loss　on　the　cargo　of　〃uppers〃　reached　about　

8；000；000　feet；　which　represented　20；000　in　money。　　As　for　the　

NORTH　STAR　and　her　consorts；　save　for　the　insurance；　they　were　

simply　eliminated。　　They　had　represented　property。　　Now　they　were　

gone。　　The　loss　of　60；000　or　so　on　them；　however；　did　not　mean　a　

diminution　of　the　company's　present　cash　resources　to　that　amount；　

and　so　did　not　immediately　affect　Orde's　calculations　as　to　the　

payment　of　the　notes　which　were　now　soon　to　come　due。



At　this　time　the　woods　work　increasingly　demanded　his　attention。　　He　

disappeared　for　a　week；　his　organising　abilities　claimed　for　the　

distribution　of　the　road　crews。　　When　he　returned　to　the　office；　

Newmark；　with　an　air　of　small　triumph；　showed　him　contracts　for　the　

construction　of　three　new　vessels。



〃I　get　them　for　55；000；〃　said　he；　〃with　30；000　of　it　on　long　

time。〃



〃Without　consulting　me！〃　cried　Orde。



Newmark　explained　carefully　that　the　action；　seemingly　so　abrupt；　

had　really　been　taking　advantage　of　a　lucky　opportunity。



〃Otherwise；〃　he　finished；　〃we　shouldn't　have　been　able　to　get　the　

job　done　for　another　year；　at　least。　　If　that　big　Cronin　contract　

goes　throughwell；　you　know　what　that　would　mean　in　the　shipyards

nobody　would　get　even　a　look…in。　　And　McLeod　is　willing；　in　the　

meantime；　to　give　us　a　price　to　keep　his　men　busy。　　So　you　see　I　had　

to　close　at　once。　　You　can　see　what　a　short　chance　it　was。〃



〃It's　a　good　chance；　all　right；〃　admitted　Orde；　〃butwhythat　is；　

I　thought　perhaps　we'd　job　our　own　freighting　for　awhileit　never　

occurred　to　me　we'd　build　any　more　vessels　until　we'd　recovered　a　

little。〃



〃Recovered；〃　Newmark　repeated　coldly。　　〃I　don't　see　what　'recovered'　

has　to　do　with　it。　　If