the riverman-第3节
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〃Told you we'd have Johnson on our necks；〃 he remarked； jerking his
thumb up river toward a rapidly approaching figure。
This soon defined itself as a tall； sun…reddened； very blond
individual with a choleric blue eye。
〃What in hell's the matter here？〃 he yelled； as soon as he came
within hearing distance。
Orde made no reply； but stood contemplating the newcomer with a
flicker of amusement。
〃What in hell's the matter？〃 repeated the latter violently。
〃Better go there and inquire；〃 rejoined Orde drolly。 〃What ails
you； Johnson？〃
〃We're right at your rear；〃 cried the other； 〃 and you ain't even
made a start gettin' through this dam！ We'll lose the water next！
Why in hell ain't you through and gone？〃
〃Keep your shirt on；〃 advised Orde。 〃We're getting through as fast
as we can。 If you want these logs pushed any faster； come down and
do it yourself。〃
Johnson vouchsafed no reply； but splashed away over the logs；
examining in detail the progress of the work。 After a little he
returned within hailing distance。
〃If you can't get out logs； why do you take the job？〃 he roared；
with a string of oaths。 〃If you hang my drive； damn you； you'll
catch it for damages！ It's gettin' to a purty pass when any old
highbanker from anywheres can get out and play jackstraws holdin' up
every drive in the river！ I tell you our mills need logs； and
what's more they're agoin' to GIT them！〃
He departed in a rumble of vituperation。
Orde laughed humorously at his foreman。
〃Johnson gets so mad sometimes； his skin cracks；〃 he remarked。
〃However；〃 he went on more seriously； 〃there's a heap in what he
means； if there ain't so much in what he says。 I'll go labour with
our old friend below。〃
He regained the bank； stopped to light his pipe； and sauntered； with
every appearance of leisure； down the bank； past the dam； to the
mill structure below。
Here he found the owner occupying a chair tilted back against the
wall of the building。 His ruffled plug hat was thrust； as usual；
well away from his high and narrow forehead； the long broadcloth
coat fell back to reveal an unbuttoned waistcoat the flapping black
trousers were hitched up far enough to display woollen socks
wrinkled about bony shanks。 He was whittling a pine stick； which he
held pointing down between his spread knees； and conversing
animatedly with a young fellow occupying another chair at his side。
〃And there comes one of 'em now；〃 declaimed the old man
dramatically。
Orde nodded briefly to the stranger； and came at once to business。
〃I want to talk this matter over with you；〃 he began。 〃We aren't
making much progress。 We can't afford to hang up the drive； and the
water is going down every day。 We've got to have more water。 I'll
tell you what we'll do： If you'll let us cut down the new sill；
we'll replace it in good shape when we get all our logs through。〃
〃No； sir！〃 promptly vetoed the old man。
〃Well； we'll give you something for the privilege。 What do you
think is fair？〃
〃I tell ye I'll give you your legal rights； and not a cent more；〃
replied the old man； still quietly； but with quivering nostrils。
〃What is your name？〃 asked Orde。
〃My name is Reed； sir。〃
〃Well； Mr。 Reed； stop and think what this means。 It's a more
serious matter than you think。 In a little while the water will be
so low in the river that it will be impossible to take out the logs
this year。 That means a large loss； of course； as you know。〃
〃I don't know nothin' about the pesky business； and I don't wan to；〃
snorted Reed。
〃Well； there's borers； for one thing； to spoil a good many of the
logs。 And think what it will mean to the mills。 No logs means no
lumber。 That is bankruptcy for a good many who have contracts to
fulfil。 And no logs means the mills must close。 Thousands of men
will be thrown out of their jobs； and a good many of them will go
hungry。 And with the stream full of the old cutting； that means
less to do next winter in the woodsmore men thrown out。 Getting
out a season's cut with the flood…water is a pretty serious matter
to a great many people； and if you insist on holding us up here in
this slack water the situation will soon become alarming。〃
〃Ye finished？〃 demanded Reed grimly。
〃Yes；〃 replied Orde。
The old man cast from him his half…whittled piece of pine。 He
closed his jack…knife with a snap and thrust it in his pocket。 He
brought to earth the front legs of his chair with a thump； and
jammed his ruffled plug hat to its proper place。
〃And if the whole kit and kaboodle of ye starved out…right；〃 said
he； 〃it would but be the fulfillin' of the word of the prophet who
says； 'So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts； and they
shall bereave thee； and pestilence and blood shall pass through
thee； and I will bring the sword upon thee。 I the Lord have spoken
it！'〃
〃That's your last word？〃 inquired Orde。
〃That's my last word； and my first。 Ye that make of God's smilin'
land waste places and a wilderness； by your own folly shall ye
perish。〃
〃Good…day；〃 said Orde； whirling on his heel without further
argument。
The young man； who had during this colloquy sat an interested and
silent spectator； arose and joined him。 Orde looked at his new
companion a little curiously。 lie was a very slender young man；
taut…muscled； taut…nerved； but impassive in demeanour。 He possessed
a shrewd； thin face； steel…gray； inscrutable eyes behind glasses。
His costume was quite simply an old gray suit of business clothes
and a gray felt hat。 At the moment he held in his mouth an
unlighted and badly chewed cigar。
〃Nice； amiable old party；〃 volunteered Orde with a chuckle。
〃Seems to be；〃 agreed the young man drily。
〃Well； I reckon we'll just have to worry along without him；〃
remarked Orde； striking his steel caulks into the first log and
preparing to cross out into the river where the work was going on。
〃Wait a minute；〃 said the young fellow。 〃Have you any objections to
my hanging around a little to watch the work？ My name is Newmark
Joseph Newmark。 I'm out in this country a good deal for my health。
This thing interests me。〃
〃Sure；〃 replied Orde； puzzled。 〃Look all you want to。 The
scenery's free。〃
〃Yes。 But can you put me up？ Can I get a chance to stay with you a
little while？〃
〃Oh； as far as I'm concerned；〃 agreed Orde heartily。 〃But；〃 he
supplemented with one of his contagious chuckles； 〃I'm only river…
boss。 You'll have to fix it up with the doctorthe cook； I mean；〃
he explained； as Newmark look puzzled。 〃You'll find him at camp up
behind that brush。 He's a slim； handsome fellow； with a jolly
expression of countenance。〃
He leaped lightly out over the bobbing timbers； leaving Newmark to
find his way。
In the centre of the stream the work had been gradually slowing down
to a standstill with the subsidence of the first rush of water after
the sluice…gate was opened。 Tom North； leaning gracefully against
the shaft of a peavy； looked up eagerly as his principal approached。
〃Well； Jack；〃 he inquired； 〃is it to be peace or war？〃
〃War；〃 replied Orde briefly。
III
At this moment the cook stepped into view； and； making a trumpet of
his two hands； sent across the water a long； weird； and not
unmusical cry。 The men at once began slowly to drift in the
direction of the camp。 There； when the tin plates had all been
filled； and each had found a place to his liking； Orde addressed
them。 His manner was casual and conversational。
〃Boys；〃 said he； 〃the old mossback who owns that dam has come up
here loaded to scatter。 He's built up the sill of that gate until
we can't get a draw on the water； and he refuses to give； lend； or
sell us the right to cut her out。 I've made him every reasonable
proposition； but all I get back is quotations from the prophets。
Now； we've got to get those logs outthat's what we're here for。 A
fine bunch of whitewater birlers we'd look if we got hung up by an
old mossback in a plug hat。 Johnny Sims； what's the answer？〃
〃Cut her out；〃 grinned Johnny Sims briefly。
〃Correct！〃 replied Orde with a chuckle。 〃Cut her out。 But； my son；
it's against the law to interfere with another man's property。〃
This was so obviously humourous in intent that its only reception
consisted of more grins from everybody。
〃But；〃 went on Orde more seriously； 〃it's quite a job。 We can't
work more than six or eight men at it at a time。 We got to work as
fast as we can before the old man can interfere。〃
〃The nearest sheriff's at Spruce Rapids；〃 commented some one
philosophically。
〃We have sixty men； all told；〃 said Orde。 〃We ought to be able to
carry it through。〃
