the riverman-第11节
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point。 They related generally to the advisability of something he
had seen done； only rarely did they ask for explanation of the work
itself。 That Newmark seemed capable of puzzling out for himself。
The drive； as has been said； went down as far as Redding in thirty…
three days。 It had its share of tribulation。 The men worked
fourteen and sixteen hours at times。 Several bad jams relieved the
monotony。 Three dams had to be sluiced through。 Problems of
mechanics arose to be solved on the spot； problems that an older
civilisation would have attacked deliberately and with due respect
for the seriousness of the situation and the dignity of engineering。
Orde solved them by a rough…and…ready but very effective rule of
thumb。 He built and abandoned structures which would have furnished
opportunity for a winter's discussion to some committees； just as；
earlier in the work； the loggers had built through a rough country
some hundreds of miles of road better than railroad grade； solid in
foundation； and smooth as a turnpike； the quarter of which would
have occupied the average county board of supervisors for five
years。 And while he was at it； Orde kept his men busy and
satisfied。 Your white…water birler is not an easy citizen to
handle。 Yet never once did the boss appear hurried or flustered。
Always he wandered about； his hands in his pockets； chewing a twig；
his round； wind…reddened face puckered humorously； his blue eyes
twinkling； his square； burly form lazily relaxed。 He seemed to meet
his men almost solely on the plane of good…natured chaffing。 Yet
the work was done； and done efficiently； and Orde was the man
responsible。
The drive of which Orde had charge was to be delivered at the booms
of Morrison and Daly； a mile or so above the city of Redding。
Redding was a thriving place of about thirty thousand inhabitants；
situated on a long rapids some forty miles from Lake Michigan。 The
water…power developed from the rapids explained Redding's existence。
Most of the logs floated down the river were carried through to the
village at the lake coast； where； strung up the river for eight or
ten miles； stood a dozen or so big saw…mills； with concomitant
booms； yards； and wharves。 Morrison and Daly； however； had built a
saw and planing mill at Redding； where they supplied most of the
local trade and that of the surrounding country…side。
The drive； then； was due to break up as soon as the logs should be
safely impounded。
The last camp was made some six or eight miles above the mill。 From
that point a good proportion of the rivermen； eager for a taste of
the town； tramped away down the road； to return early in the
morning； more or less drunk； but faithful to their job。 One or two
did not return。
Among the revellers was the cook； Charlie； commonly called The
Doctor。 The rivermen early worked off the effects of their rather
wild spree； and turned up at noon chipper as larks。 Not so the
cook。 He moped about disconsolately all day； and in the evening；
after his work had been finished； he looked so much like a chicken
with the pip that Orde's attention was attracted。
〃Got that dark…brown taste； Charlie？〃 he inquired with mock
solicitude。
The cook mournfully shook his head。
〃Large head？ Let's feel your pulse。 Stick out your tongue； sonny。〃
〃I ain't been drinking； I tell you！〃 growled Charlie。
〃Drinking！〃 expostulated Orde； horrified。 〃Of course not！ I hope
none of MY boys ever take a drink！ But that lemon…pop didn't agree
with your stomachnow did it； Charlie？〃
〃I tell you I only had two glasses of beer！〃 cried Charlie； goaded；
〃and I can prove it by Johnny Challan。〃
Orde turned to survey the pink…cheeked； embarrassed young boy thus
designated。
〃How many glasses did Johnny Challan have？〃 he inquired。
〃He didn't drink none to speak of；〃 spoke up the boy。
〃Then why this joyless demeanour？〃 begged Orde。
Charlie grumbled； fiercely inarticulate； but Johnny Challan
interposed with a chuckle of enjoyment。
〃He got 'bunked。'〃
〃Tell us！〃 cried Orde delightedly。
〃It was down at McNeill's place；〃 explained Johnny Challan；
encouraged by the interest of his audience。 〃They was a couple of
sports there who throwed out three cards on the table and bet you
couldn't pick the jack。 They showed you where the jack was before
they throwed； and it surely looked like a picnic； but it wasn't。〃
〃Three…card monte；〃 said Newmark。
〃How much？〃 asked Simms。
〃About fifty dollars；〃 replied the boy。
Orde turned on the disgruntlenly want three；〃 assured Newmark； reaching his hand
for the
pack。
The men crowded around close； those in front squatting； those behind
looking over their shoulders。
Newmark cleared a cracker…box of drying socks and drew it to him。
〃These three are the cards；〃 he said； speaking rapidly。 〃There is
the jack of hearts。 I pass my handsso。 Pick the jack； one of
you；〃 he challenged； leaning back from the cracker…box on which lay
the three cards； back up。 〃Any of you；〃 he urged。 〃You； North。〃
Thus directly singled out； the foreman leaned forward and rather
hesitatingly laid a blunt forefinger on one of the bits of
pasteboard。
Without a word； Newmark turned it over。 It was the ten of spades。
〃Let me try；〃 interposed Tim Nolan； pressing his big shoulders
forward。 〃I bet I know which it was that time； and I bet I can pick
her next time。〃
〃Oh； yes； you BET！〃 shrugged Newmark。 〃And that's where the card…
sharps get you fellows every time。 Well； pick it；〃 said he； again
deftly flipping the cards。
Nolan； who had watched keenly； indicated one without hesitation。
Again it proved to be the ten of spades。
〃Anybody else ambitious？〃 inquired Newmark。 Everybody was
ambitious； and the young man； with inexhaustible patience； threw out
the cards； the corners of his mouth twitching sardonically at each
wrong guess。
At length he called a halt。
〃By this time I'd have had all your money；〃 he pointed out。 〃Now；
I'll pick the jack。〃
For the last time he made his swift passes and distributed the
cards。 Then quite calmly； without disturbing the three on the
cracker…box； he held before their eyes the jack of hearts。
An exclamation broke from the interested group。 Tim Nolan； who was
the nearest； leaned forward and turned over the three on the board。
They were the eight of diamonds and two tens of spades。
〃That's how the thing is worked nine times out of ten；〃 announced
Newmark。 〃Once in a while you'll run against a straight game； but
not often。〃
〃But you showed us the jack every time before you throwed them！〃
puzzled Johnny Simms。
〃Sleight of hand；〃 explained Newmark。 〃The simplest kind of
palming。〃
〃Well； Charlie；〃 said big Tim； 〃looks to me as if you had just about
as much chance as a snowball in hell。〃
〃Where'd you get onto doing all that； Newmark？〃 inquired North。
〃You ain't a tin horn yourself？〃
Newmark laughed briefly。 〃Not I；〃 said he。 〃I learned a lot of
those tricks from a travelling magician in college。〃
During this demonstration Orde had sat well in the background； his
chin propped on his hand； watching intently all that was going on。
After the comment and exclamations following the exposure of the
method had subsided； he spoke。
〃Boys；〃 said he； 〃how game are you to get Charlie's money backand
then some？〃
〃Try us；〃 returned big Tim。
〃This game's at McNeill's； and McNeill's is a tough hole；〃 warned
Orde。 〃Maybe everything will go peaceful； and maybe not。 And you
boys that go with me have got to keep sober。 There isn't going to
be any row unless I say so； and I'm not taking any contract to
handle a lot of drunken river…hogs as well as go against a game。〃
〃All right；〃 agreed Nolan； 〃I'm with you。〃
The thirty or so men of the rear crew then in camp signified their
intention to stay by the procession。
〃You can't make those sharps disgorge；〃 counselled Newmark。 〃At the
first look of trouble they will light out。 They have it all fixed。
Force won't do you much goodand may get some of you shot。〃
〃I'm not going to use force；〃 denied Orde。 〃I'm just going to play
their game。 But I bet I can make it go。 Only I sort of want the
moral support of the boys。〃
〃I tell you； you CAN'T win！〃 cried Newmark disgustedly。 〃It's a
brace game pure and simple。〃
〃I don't know about it's being pure；〃 replied Orde drolly； 〃but it's
simple enough； if you know how to make the wheels go 'round。 How is
it； boyswill you back my play？〃
And such was their confidence that； in face of Newmark's
demonstration； they said they would。
VII
After the men had been paid off； perhaps a dozen of them hung ar
