the riverman-第38节

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repassing　each　other　like　pigeons　in　the　sown　fields。　　Each　of　these　

sections　would　be　in　charge　of　a　foreman；　whose　responsibility　

ceased　with　the　delivery　of　the　logs　to　the　men　next　below。　　A　

walking　boss　would　trudge　continually　the　river　trail；　or　ride　the　

logs　down　stream；　holding　the　correlation　of　these　many　units。　　Orde　

himself　would　drive　up　and　down　the　river；　overseeing　the　whole　plan　

of　campaign；　throwing　the　camps　forward；　concentrating　his　forces　

here；　spreading　them　elsewhere；　keeping　accurately　in　mind　the　

entire　situation　so　that　he　could　say　with　full　confidence：　〃Open　

Dam　Number　One　for　three　hours　at　nine　o'clock；　Dam　Number　Two　for　

two　hours　and　a　half　at　ten　thirty；〃　and　so　on　down　the　line；　sure　

that　the　flood　waters　thus　released　would　arrive　at　the　right　

moment；　would　supplement　each　other；　and　would　so　space　themselves　

as　to　accomplish　the　most　work　with　the　least　waste。　　In　that　one　

point　more　than　in　any　other　showed　the　expert。　　The　water　was　his　

ammunition；　a　definite　and　limited　quantity　of　it。　　To　〃get　the　logs　

out　with　the　water〃　was　the　last　word　of　praise　to　be　said　for　the　

river　driver。　　The　more　logs；　the　greater　the　glory。



Thus　it　can　readily　be　seen；　this　matter　was　rather　a　campaign　than　

a　mere　labour；　requiring　the　men；　the　munitions；　the　organisation；　

the　tactical　ability；　the　strategy；　the　resourcefulness；　the　

boldness；　and　the　executive　genius　of　a　military　commander。



To　all　these　things；　and　to　the　distribution　of　supplies　and　

implements　among　the　various　camps；　Orde　had　attended。　　The　wanigan　

for　the　rear　crew　was　built。　　The　foremen　and　walking　boss　had　been　

picked　out。　　Everything　was　in　readiness。　　Orde　was　satisfied　with　

the　situation　except　that　he　found　himself　rather　short…handed。　　He　

had　counted　on　three　hundred　men　for　his　crews；　but　scrape　and　

scratch　as　he　would；　he　was　unable　to　gather　over　two　hundred　and　

fifty。　　This　matter　was　not　so　serious；　however；　as　later；　when　the　

woods　camps　should　break　up；　he　would　be　able　to　pick　up　more　

workmen。



〃They　won't　be　rivermen　like　my　old　crew；　though；〃　said　Orde　

regretfully　to　Tom　North；　the　walking　boss。　　〃I'd　like　to　steal　a　

few　from　some　of　those　Muskegon　outfits。〃



Until　the　logs　should　be　well　adrift；　Orde　had　resolved　to　boss　the　

rear　crew　himself。



As　the　rear　was　naturally　the　farthest　up　stream；　Orde　had　taken　

also　the　contract　to　break　the　rollways　belonging　to　Carlin；　which　

in　the　season's　work　would　be　piled　up　on　the　bank。　　Thus　he　could　

get　to　work　immediately　at　the　break…up；　and　without　waiting　for　

some　one　else。　　The　seven　or　eight　million　feet　of　lumber　comprised　

in　Carlin's　drive　would　keep　the　men　below　busy　until　the　other　

owners；　farther　down　and　up　the　tributaries；　should　also　have　put　

their　season's　cut　afloat。



The　ice　went　out　early；　to　Orde's　satisfaction。　　As　soon　as　the　

river　ran　clear　in　its　lower　reaches　he　took　his　rear　crew　in　to　

Carlin's　rollways。



This　crew　was　forty　in　number；　and　had　been　picked　from　the　besta　

hard…bitten；　tough　band　of　veterans；　weather　beaten；　scarred　in　

numerous　fights　or　by　the　backwoods　scourge　of　small…pox；　compact；　

muscular；　fearless；　loyal；　cynically　aloof　from　those　not　of　their　

cult；　out…spoken　and　free　to　criticisein　short；　men　to　do　great　

things　under　the　strong　leader；　and　to　mutiny　at　the　end　of　three　

days　under　the　weak。　　They　piled　off　the　train　at　Sawyer's；　stamped　

their　feet　on　the　board　platform　of　the　station；　shouldered　their　

〃turkeys；〃　and　straggled　off　down　the　tote…road。　　It　was　an　

eighteen…mile　walk　in。　　The　ground　had　loosened　its　frost。　　The　

footing　was　ankle…deep　in　mud　and　snow…water。



Next　morning；　bright　and　early；　the　breaking　of　the　rollways　began。　　

During　the　winter　the　logs　had　been　hauled　down　ice　roads　to　the　

river；　where　they　were　〃banked〃　in　piles　twenty；　and　even　thirty；　

feet　in　height。　　The　bed　of　the　stream　itself　was　filled　with　them　

for　a　mile；　save　in　a　narrow　channel　left　down　through　the　middle　to　

allow　for　some　flow　of　water；　the　banks　were　piled　with　them；　side　

on；　ready　to　roll　down　at　the　urging　of　the　men。



First　of　all；　the　entire　crew　set　itself；　by　means　of　its　peavies；　

to　rolling　the　lower　logs　into　the　current；　where　they　were　rapidly　

borne　away。　　As　the　waters　were　now　at　flood；　this　was　a　quick　and　

easy　labour。　　Occasionally　some　tiers　would　be　stuck　together　by　

ice；　in　which　case　considerable　prying　and　heaving　was　necessary　in　

order　to　crack　them　apart。　　But　forty　men；　all　busily　at　work；　soon　

had　the　river　full。　　Orde　detailed　some　six　or　eight　to　drop　below　

in　order　that　the　river　might　run　clear　to　the　next　section；　where　

the　next　crew　would　take　up　the　task。　　These　men；　quite　simply；　

walked　to　the　edges　of　the　rollway；　rolled　a　log　apiece　into　the　

water；　stepped　aboard；　leaned　against　their　peavies；　and　were　swept　

away　by　the　swift　current。　　The　logs　on　which　they　stood　whirled　in　

the　eddies；　caromed　against　other　timbers；　slackened　speed；　shot　

away；　never　did　the　riders　alter　their　poses　of　easy　equilibrium。　　

From　time　to　time　one　propelled　his　craft　ashore　by　hooking　to　and　

pushing　against　other　logs。　　There　he　stood　on　some　prominent　point；　

leaning　his　chin　contemplatively　against　the　thick　shaft　of　his　

peavy；　watching　the　endless　procession　of　the　logs　drifting　by。　　

Apparently　he　was　idle；　but　in　reality　his　eyes　missed　no　shift　of　

the　ordered　ranks。　　When　a　slight　hitch　or　pause；　a　subtle　change　in　

the　pattern　of　the　brown　carpet　caught　his　attention；　he　sprang　into　

life。　　Balancing　his　peavy　across　his　body；　he　made　his　way　by　short　

dashes　to　the　point　of　threatened　congestion。　　There；　working　

vigorously；　swept　down　stream　with　the　mass；　he　pulled；　hauled；　and　

heaved；　forcing　the　heavy；　reluctant　timbers　from　the　cohesion　that　

threatened　trouble　later。　　Oblivious　to　his　surroundings；　he　

wrenched　and　pried　desperately。　　The　banks　of　the　river　drifted　by。　　

Point　succeeded　point；　as　though　withdrawn　up　stream　by　some　

invisible　manipulator。　　The　river　appeared　stationary；　the　banks　in　

motion。　　Finally　he　heard　at　his　elbow　the　voice　of　the　man　

stationed　below　him；　who　had　run　out　from　his　own　point。



〃Hullo；　Bill；〃　he　replied　to　this　man；　〃you　old　slough　hog！　　Tie　

into　this　this！〃



〃All　the　time！〃　agreed　Bill　cheerfully。



In　a　few　moments　the　danger　was　averted；　the　logs　ran　free。　　The　

rivermen　thereupon　made　their　uncertain　way　back　to　shore；　where　

they　took　the　river　trail　up　stream　again　to　their　respective　posts。



At　noon　they　ate　lunches　they　had　brought　with　them　in　little　canvas　

bags；　snatched　before　they　left　the　rollways　from　a　supply　handy　by　

the　cook。　　In　the　meantime　the　main　crew　were　squatting　in　the　lea　

of　the　brush；　devouring　a　hot　meal　which　had　been　carried　to　them　in　

wooden　boxes　strapped　to　the　backs　of　the　chore　boys。　　Down　the　

river　and　up　its　tributaries　other　crews；　both　in　the　employ　of　

Newmark　and　Orde　and　of　others；　were　also　pausing　from　their　cold　

and　dangerous　toil。　　The　river；　refreshed　after　its　long　winter；　

bent　its　mighty　back　to　the　great　annual　burden　laid　upon　it。



By　the　end　of　the　second　day　the　logs　actually　in　the　bed　of　the　

stream　had　been　shaken　loose；　and　a　large　proportion　of　them　had　

floated　entirely　from　sight。　　It　now　became　necessary　to　break　down　

the　rollways　piled　along　the　tops　of　the　banks。



The　evening　of　this　day；　however；　Orde　received　a　visit　from　Jim　

Denning；　the　foreman　of　the　next　section　below；　bringing　with　him　

Charlie；　the　cook　of　Daly's　last　year's　drive。　　Leaving　him　by　the　

larger　fire；　Jim　Denning　drew　his　principal　one　side。



〃This　fellow　drifted　in　to…night　two　days　late　after　a　drunk；　and　he　

tells　an　almighty　queer　story；〃　said　he。　　〃He　says　a　crew　of　bad　men　

from　the　Saginaw；　sixty　strong；　have　been　sent　in　by　Heinzman。　　He　

says　Heinzman　hired　them　to　come　over　not　to　work；　but　just　to　fight　

and　annoy　us。〃



〃That　so？〃　said　Orde。　　〃Well；　where　are　they？〃

s。　　Like　

Silver　Jack　of　the　Muskegon；　his　exploits　had　been　celebrated　in　

song。　　A　big；　broad…faced　man；　with　a　red　beard；　they　had　told　him；　

with　little；　flickering　eyes；　a　huge　voice　that　bellowed　through　the　

woods　in　a　torrent　of　commands　and　imprecations；　strong　as　a　bull；　

and　savage　as　a　wild　beast。　　A　hint　of　his　quality　will　suffice　from　

the　many　stories　circulated　about　him。　　It　was　said　that　while　

jobbing　for　Morrison　and　Daly；　in　some　of　that　firm's　Saginaw　Valley　

holdings；　the　Rough　Red　had　discovered　that　a　horse　had　gone　lame。　　

He　called　the　driver　of　that　team　before　him；　seized　an　iron　

starting　bar；　and　with　it　broke　the　man's　leg。　　〃Try　th'　lameness　

yourself；　Barney　Mallan；〃　said　he。　　To　appeal　to　the　charity　of　such　

a　man　would　be　utterly　useless。　　Orde　saw　this　point。　　He　picked　up　

his　reins　and　spoke　to