black rock-第5章

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gratitude　he　drank　himself　to　death。'

He　walked　up　and　down　in　high　excitement　and　in　such　evident
delight　that　I　felt　pledged　to　my　best　effort。

'Well；'　I　said；　'first　the　poster。　　We　must　beat　them　in　that。'

He　brought　me　large　sheets　of　brown　paper；　and　after　two　hours'
hard　work　I　had　half　a　dozen　pictorial　showbills　done　in　gorgeous
colours　and　striking　designs。　　They　were　good；　if　I　do　say　it
myself。

The　turkey；　the　magic　lantern；　the　Punch　and　Judy　show　were　all
there；　the　last　with　a　crowd　before　it　in　gaping　delight。　　A　few
explanatory　words　were　thrown　in；　emphasising　the　highly　artistic
nature　of　the　Punch　and　Judy　entertainment。

Craig　was　delighted；　and　proceeded　to　perfect　his　plans。　　He　had
some　half　a　dozen　young　men；　four　young　ladies；　and　eight　or　ten
matrons；　upon　whom　he　could　depend　for　help。　　These　he　organised
into　a　vigilance　committee　charged　with　the　duty　of　preventing
miners　and　lumbermen　from　getting　away　to　Slavin's。　　'The　critical
moments　will　be　immediately　before　and　after　dinner；　and　then　again
after　the　show　is　over；'　he　explained。　　'The　first　two　crises　must
be　left　to　the　care　of　Punch　and　Judy；　and　as　for　the　last；　I　am
not　yet　sure　what　shall　be　done'；　but　I　saw　he　had　something　in　his
head；　for　he　added；　'I　shall　see　Mrs。　Mavor。'

'Who　is　Mrs。　Mavor？'　I　asked。　　But　he　made　no　reply。　　He　was　a　born
fighter；　and　he　put　the　fighting　spirit　into　us　all。　　We　were　bound
to　win。

The　sports　were　to　begin　at　two　o'clock。　　By　lunch…time　everything
was　in　readiness。　　After　lunch　I　was　having　a　quiet　smoke　in
Craig's　shack　when　in　he　rushed；　saying

'The　battle　will　be　lost　before　it　is　fought。　　If　we　lose　Quatre
Bras；　we　shall　never　get　to　Waterloo。'

'What's　up？'

'Slavin；　just　now。　　The　miners　are　coming　in；　and　he　will　have　them
in　tow　in　half　an　hour。'

He　looked　at　me　appealingly。　　I　knew　what　he　wanted。

'All　right；　I　suppose　I　must；　but　it　is　an　awful　bore　that　a　man
can't　have　a　quiet　smoke。'

'You're　not　half　a　bad　fellow；'　he　replied；　smiling。　　'I　shall　get
the　ladies　to　furnish　coffee　inside　the　booth。　　You　furnish　them
intellectual　nourishment　in　front　with　dear　old　Punch　and　Judy。'

He　sent　a　boy　with　a　bell　round　the　village　announcing；　'Punch；　and
Judy　in　front　of　the　Christmas　booth　beside　the　church'；　and　for
three…quarters　of　an　hour　I　shrieked　and　sweated　in　that　awful
little　pen。　　But　it　was　almost　worth　it　to　hear　the　shouts　of
approval　and　laughter　that　greeted　my　performance。　　It　was　cold
work　standing　about；　so　that　the　crowd　was　quite　ready　to　respond
when　Punch；　after　being　duly　hanged；　came　forward　and　invited　all
into　the　booth　for　the　hot　coffee　which　Judy　had　ordered。

In　they　trooped；　and　Quatre　Bras　was　won。

No　sooner　were　the　miners　safely　engaged　with　their　coffee　than　I
heard　a　great　noise　of　bells　and　of　men　shouting；　and　on　reaching
the　street　I　saw　that　the　men　from　the　lumber　camp　were　coming　in。
Two　immense　sleighs；　decorated　with　ribbons　and　spruce　boughs；　each
drawn　by　a　four…horse　team　gaily　adorned；　filled　with　some　fifty
men；　singing　and　shouting　with　all　their　might；　were　coming　down
the　hill　road　at　full　gallop。　　Round　the　corner　they　swung；　dashed
at　full　speed　across　the　bridge　and　down　the　street；　and　pulled　up
after　they　had　made　the　circuit　of　a　block；　to　the　great　admiration
of　the　onlookers。　　Among　others　Slavin　sauntered　up　good…naturedly；
making　himself　agreeable　to　Sandy　and　those　who　were　helping　to
unhitch　his　team。

'Oh；　you　need　not　take　trouble　with　me　or　my　team；　Mike　Slavin。
Batchees　and　me　and　the　boys　can　look　after　them　fine；'　said　Sandy
coolly。

This　rejecting　of　hospitality　was　perfectly　understood　by　Slavin
and　by　all。

'Dat's　too　bad；　heh？'　said　Baptiste　wickedly；　'and；　Sandy；　he's　got
good　money　on　his　pocket　for　sure；　too。'　　The　boys　laughed；　and
Slavin；　joining　in；　turned　away　with　Keele　and　Blaney；　but　by　the
look　in　his　eye　I　knew　he　was　playing　'Br'er　Rabbit；'　and　lying
low。

Mr。　Craig　just　then　came　up；　'Hello；　boys！　too　late　for　Punch　and
Judy；　but　just　in　time　for　hot　coffee　and　doughnuts。'

'Bon；　dat's　fuss　rate；'　said　Baptiste　heartily；　'where　you　keep
him？'

'Up　in　the　tent　next　the　church　there。　　The　miners　are　all　in。'

'Ah；　dat　so？　　Dat's　bad　news　for　the　shantymen；　heh；　Sandy？'　said
the　little　Frenchman　dolefully。

'There　was　a　clothes…basket　full　of　doughnuts　and　a　boiler　of
coffee　left　as　I　passed　just　now；'　said　Craig　encouragingly。

'Allons；　mes　garcons；　vite！　never　say　keel！'　cried　Baptiste
excitedly；　stripping　off　the　harness。

But　Sandy　would　not　leave　the　horses　till　they　were　carefully
rubbed　down；　blanketed；　and　fed；　for　he　was　entered　for　the　four…
horse　race　and　it　behoved　him　to　do　his　best　to　win。　　Besides；　he
scorned　to　hurry　himself　for　anything　so　unimportant　as　eating；
that　he　considered　hardly　worthy　even　of　Baptiste。　　Mr。　Craig
managed　to　get　a　word　with　him　before　he　went　off；　and　I　saw　Sandy
solemnly　and　emphatically　shake　his　head；　saying；　'Ah！　we'll　beat
him　this　day；'　and　I　gathered　that　he　was　added　to　the　vigilance
committee。

Old　man　Nelson　was　busy　with　his　own　team。　　He　turned　slowly　at　Mr。
Craig's　greeting；　'How　is　it；　Nelson？'　and　it　was　with　a　very　grave
voice　he　answered；　'I　hardly　know；　sir；　but　I　am　not　gone　yet；
though　it　seems　little　to　hold　to。'

'All　you　want　for　a　grip　is　what　your　hand　can　cover。　　What　would
you　have？　　And　besides；　do　you　know　why　you　are　not　gone　yet？'

The　old　man　waited；　looking　at　the　minister　gravely。

'Because　He　hasn't　let　go　His　grip　of　you。'

'How　do　you　know　He's　gripped　me？'

'Now；　look　here；　Nelson；　do　you　want　to　quit　this　thing　and　give　it
all　up？'

'No；　no！　　For　heaven's　sake；　no！　　Why；　do　you　think　I　have　lost
it？'　said　Nelson；　almost　piteously。

'Well；　He's　keener　about　it　than　you；　and　I'll　bet　you　haven't
thought　it　worth　while　to　thank　Him。'

'To　thank　Him；'　he　repeated；　almost　stupidly；　'for'

'For　keeping　you　where　you　are　overnight；'　said　Mr。　Craig；　almost
sternly。

The　old　man　gazed　at　the　minister；　a　light　growing　in　his　eyes。

'You're　right。　　Thank　God；　you're　right。'　　And　then　he　turned
quickly　away；　and　went　into　the　stable　behind　his　team。　　It　was　a
minute　before　he　came　out。　　Over　his　face　there　was　a　trembling
joy。

'Can　I　do　anything　for　you　to…day？'　he　asked　humbly。

'Indeed　you　just　can；'　said　the　minister；　taking　his　hand　and
shaking　it　very　warmly；　and　then　he　told　him　Slavin's　programme　and
ours。

'Sandy　is　all　right　till　after　his　race。　　After　that　is　his　time　of
danger；'　said　the　minister。

'I'll　stay　with　him；　sir；'　said　old　Nelson；　in　the　tone　of　a　man
taking　a　covenant；　and　immediately　set　off　for　the　coffee…tent。

'Here　comes　another　recruit　for　your　corps；'　I　said；　pointing　to
Leslie　Graeme；　who　was　coming　down　the　street　at　that　moment　in　his
light　sleigh。

'I　am　not　so　sure。　　Do　you　think　you　could　get　him？'

I　laughed。　　'You　are　a　good　one。'

'Well；'　he　replied；　half　defiantly；　'is　not　this　your　fight　too？'

'You　make　me　think　so；　though　I　am　bound　to　say　I　hardly　recognise
myself　to　day。　　But　here　goes；'　and　before　I　knew　it　I　was
describing　our　plans　to　Graeme；　growing　more　and　more　enthusiastic
as　he　sat　in　his　sleigh；　listening　with　a　quizzical　smile　I　didn't
quite　like。

'He's　got　you　too；'　he　said；　'I　feared　so。'

'Well；'　I　laughed；　'perhaps　so。　　But　I　want　to　lick　that　man
Slavin。　　I've　just　seen　him；　and　he's　just　what　Craig　calls　him；　〃a
slick　son　of　the　devil。〃　　Don't　be　shocked；　he　says　it　is
Scripture。'

'Revised　version；'　said　Graeme　gravely；　while　Craig　looked　a　little
abashed。

'What　is　assigned　me；　Mr。　Craig？　for　I　know　that　this　man　is　simply
your　agent。'

I　repudiated　the　idea；　while　Mr。　Craig　said　nothing。

'What's　my　part？'　demanded　Graeme。

'Well；'　said　Mr。　Craig　hesitatingly；　'of　course　I　would　do　nothing
till　I　had　consulted　you；　but　I　want　a　man　to　take　my　place　at　the
sports。　　I　am　referee。'

'That's　all　right；'　said　Graeme；　with　an　air　of　relief；　'I　expected
something　hard。'

'And　then　I　thought　you　would　not　mind　presiding　at　dinnerI　want
it　to　go　off　well。'

'Did　you　notice　that？'