the riverman-第7章
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〃Hark!〃 said he。
Faint; still in the depths of the forest; the wandering morning
breeze bore to their ears a sound whose difference from the louder
noises nearer at hand alone rendered it audible。
〃The troops!〃 exclaimed Orde。
He seized a lantern and returned down the trail; followed eagerly by
Newmark and every man in camp。
〃Troops coming!〃 said Orde to Daly。
The men drew a little to one side; watching the dim line of the
forest; dark against the paling sky。 Shadows seemed to stir in its
blackness。 They heard quite distinctly the clink of metal against
metal。 A man rode out of the shadow and reined up by the fire。
〃Halt!〃 commanded a harsh voice。 The rivermen could make out the
troopsthree or four score of themstanding rigid at attention。
Reed; afoot now in favour of the commanding officer; pushed forward。
〃Who is in charge here?〃 inquired the officer crisply。
〃I am;〃 replied Orde; stepping forward。
〃I wish to inquire; sir; if you have gone mad to counsel your men to
resist civil authority?〃
〃I have not resisted civil authority;〃 replied Orde respectfully。
〃It has been otherwise reported。〃
〃The reports have been false。 The sheriff of this county has
arrested about twenty of my men single…handed and without the
slightest trouble。〃
〃Mr。 Morris;〃 cried the officer sharply。
〃Yes?〃 replied the sheriff。
〃Is what this man says true?〃
〃It sure is。 Never had so little fuss arrestin' rivermen before in
my life。〃
The officer's face turned a slow brick…red。 For a moment he said
nothing; then exploded with the utmost violence。
〃Then why the devil am I dragged up here with my men in the night?〃
he cried。 〃Who's responsible for this insanity; anyway? Don't you
know;〃 he roared at Reed; who that moment swung within his range of
vision; 〃that I have no standing in the presence of civil law? What
do you mean getting me up here to your miserable little backwoods
squabbles?〃
Reed started to say something; but was immediately cut short by the
irate captain。
〃I've nothing to do with that; settle it in court。 And what's more;
you'll have something yourself to settle with the State! About;
face! Forward; march!〃
The men faded into the gray light as though dissolved by it。
A deep and respectful silence fell upon the men; which was broken by
Orde's solemn and dramatic declamation。
〃The King of France and twice ten thousand men
Marched up the hill; and then marched down again;〃
he recited; then burst into his deep roar of laughter。
〃Now you see; boys;〃 he said; digging his fists into his eyes; 〃if
you'd put up a row; what we'd have got into。 No blue…coats in mine;
thank you。 Well; push the grub pile; and then get at those logs。
It's a case of flood…water now。〃
But Reed; having recovered from his astonishment; had still his say。
〃I tell ye; I'm not done with ye yet;〃 he threatened; shaking his
bony forefinger in Orde's face。 〃I'll sue ye for damages; and I'll
GIT 'em; too。〃
〃See here; you old mossback;〃 said Orde; thrusting his bulky form to
the fore; 〃you sue just as soon as you want to。 You can't get at it
any too quick to suit us。 But just now you get out of this camp;
and you stay out。 You're an old man; and we don't want to be rough
with you; but you're biting off more than you can chew。 Skedaddle!〃
Reed hesitated; waving his long arms about; flail…like; as though to
begin a new oration。
〃Now; do hop along;〃 urged Orde。 〃We'll pay you any legitimate
damages; of course; but you can't expect to hang up a riverful of
logs just on a notion。 And we're sick of you。 Oh; hell; then! See
here; you two; just see that this man leaves camp。〃
Orde turned square on his heel。 Reed; after a glance at the two
huge rivermen approaching; beat a retreat to his mill; muttering and
wrathful still。
〃Well; good…bye; boys;〃 said Daly; pulling on his overcoat; 〃I'll
just get along and bail the boys out of that village calaboose。 I
reckon they've had a good night's rest。 Be good!〃
The fringe of trees to eastward showed clearly against the whitening
sky。 Hundreds of birds of all kinds sang in an ecstasy。 Another
day had begun。 Already men with pike…poles were guiding the sullen
timbers toward the sluice…way。
IV
When Newmark awoke once more to interest in affairs; the morning was
well spent。 On the river the work was going forward with the
precision of clockwork。 The six…foot lowering of the sluice…way had
produced a fine current; which sucked the logs down from above。 Men
were busily engaged in 〃sacking〃 them from the sides of the pond
toward its centre; lest the lowering water should leave them
stranded。 Below the dam the jam crew was finding plenty to do in
keeping them moving in the white…water and the shallows。 A fine
sun; tempered with a prophetic warmth of later spring; animated the
scene。 Reed had withdrawn to the interior of his mill; and appeared
to have given up the contest。
Some of the logs shot away down the current; running freely。 To
these the crews were not required to pay any attention。 With luck;
a few of the individual timbers would float ten; even twenty; miles
before some chance eddy or fortuitous obstruction would bring them
to rest。 Such eddies and obstructions; however; drew a constant
toll from the ranks of the free…moving logs; so that always the
volume of timbers floating with the current diminished; and always
the number of logs caught and stranded along the sides of the river
increased。 To restore these to the faster water was the especial
province of the last and most expert crewthe rear。
Orde discovered about noon that the jam crew was having its
troubles。 Immediately below Reed's dam ran a long chute strewn with
boulders; which was alternately a shallow or a stretch of white…
water according as the stream rose or fell。 Ordinarily the logs
were flushed over this declivity by opening the gate; behind which a
head of water had been accumulated。 Now; however; the efficiency of
the gate had been destroyed。 Orde early discovered that he was
likely to have trouble in preventing the logs rushing through the
chute from grounding into a bad jam on the rapids below。
For a time the jam crew succeeded in keeping the 〃wings〃 clear。 In
the centre of the stream; however; a small jam formed; like a pier。
Along the banks logs grounded; and were rolled over by their own
momentum into places so shallow as to discourage any hope of
refloating them unless by main strength。 As the sluicing of the
nine or ten million feet that constituted this particular drive went
forward; the situation rapidly became worse。
Tom; we've got to get flood…water unless we want to run into an
awful job there;〃 said Orde to the foreman。 〃I wonder if we can't
drop that gate 'way down to get something for a head。〃
The two men examined the chute and the sluice…gate attentively for
some time。
〃If we could clear out the splinters and rubbish; we might spike a
couple of saplings on each side for the gate to slide down into;〃
speculated North。 〃Might try her on。〃
The logs were held up in the pond; and a crew of men set to work to
cut away; as well as they might in the rush of water; the splintered
ends of the old sill and apron。 It was hard work。 Newmark;
watching; thought it impracticable。 The current rendered footing
impossible; so all the work had to be done from above。 Wet wood
gripped the long saws vice…like; so that a man's utmost strength
could scarcely budge them。 The water deadened the force of axe…
blows。 Nevertheless; with the sure persistence of the riverman;
they held to it。 Orde; watching them a few moments; satisfied
himself that they would succeed; and so departed u