the riverman-第39节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
a man would be utterly useless。 Orde saw this point。 He picked up
his reins and spoke to his team。
But before the horses had
〃Don't know。 But he sticks by his story； and tells it pretty
straight。〃
〃Bring him over； and let's hear it；〃 said Orde。
〃Hullo； Charlie！〃 he greeted the cook when the latter stood before
him。 〃What's this yarn Jim's telling me？〃
〃It's straight； Mr。 Orde；〃 said the cook。 〃There's a big crew
brought in from the Saginaw Waters to do you up。 They're supposed
to be over here to run his drive； but really they're goin' to fight
and raise hell。 For why would he want sixty men to break out them
little rollways of his'n up at the headwaters？〃
〃Is that where they've gone？〃 asked Orde like a flash。
〃Yes； sir。 And he only owns a 'forty' up there； and it ain't more'n
half cut； anyway。〃
〃I didn't know he owned any。〃
〃Yes； sir。 He bought that little Johnson piece last winter。 I been
workin' up there with a little two…horse crew since January。 We
didn't put up more'n a couple hundred thousand。〃
〃Is he breaking out his rollways below？〃 Orde asked Denning。
〃No； sir；〃 struck in Charlie； 〃he ain't。〃
〃How do you happen to be so wise？〃 inquired Orde； 〃Seems to me you
know about as much as old man Solomon。〃
〃Well；〃 explained Charlie； 〃you see it's like this。 When I got back
from the woods last week； I just sort of happened into McNeill's
place。 I wasn't drinkin' a drop！〃 he cried virtuously； in answer to
Orde's smile。
〃Of course not；〃 said Orde。 〃I was just thinking of the last time
we were in there together。〃
〃That's just it！〃 cried Charlie。 〃They was always sore at you about
that。 Well； I was lyin' on one of those there benches back of the
'Merican flags in the dance hall 'cause I was very sleepy； when in
blew old man Heinzman and McNeill himself。 I just lay low for black
ducks and heard their talk。 They took a look around； but didn't see
no one； so they opened her up wide。〃
〃What did you hear？〃 asked Orde。
Well； McNeill he agreed to get a gang of bad ones from the Saginaw
to run in on the river； and I heard Heinzman tell him to send 'em in
to headwaters。 And McNeill said； 'That's all right about the cash；
Mr。 Heinzman； but I been figgerin' on gettin' even with Orde for
some myself。'〃
〃Is that all？〃 inquired Orde。
〃That's about all；〃 confessed Charlie。
〃How do you know he didn't hire them to carry down his drive for
him？ He'd need sixty men for his lower rollways； and maybe they
weren't all to go to headwaters？〃 asked Orde by way of testing
Charlie's beliefs。
〃He's payin' them four dollars a day；〃 replied Charlie simply。
〃Now； who'd pay that fer just river work？〃
Orde nodded at Jim Denning。
〃Hold on； Charlie；〃 said he。 〃Why are you giving all this away if
you were working for Heinzman？〃
〃I'm working for you now；〃 replied Charlie with dignity。 〃And；
besides； you helped me out once yourself。〃
I guess it's a straight tip all right；〃 said Orde to Denning； when
the cook had resumed his place by the fire。
〃Thattaken three steps； a huge riverman had
planted himself squarely in the way。 The others rising； slowly
surrounded the rig。
〃I don't know what you're up here for；〃 growled the man's what I thought。 That's
why I brought him up。〃
〃If that crew's been sent in there； it means only one thing at that
end of the line；〃 said Orde。
〃Sure。 They're sent up to waste out the water in the reservoir and
hang this end of the drive；〃 replied Denning。
〃Correct；〃 said Orde。 〃The old skunk knows his own rollways are so
far down stream that he's safe； flood water or no flood water。〃
A pause ensued； during which the two smoked vigorously。
〃What are you going to do about it？〃 asked Denning at last。
〃What would you do？〃 countered Orde。
〃Well；〃 said Denning slowly； and with a certain grim joy； 〃I don't
bet those Saginaw river…pigs are any more two…fisted than the boys
on this river。 I'd go up and clean 'em out。〃
〃Won't do；〃 negatived Orde briefly。 〃In the first place； as you
know very well； we're short…handed now； and we can't spare the men
from the work。 In the second place； we'd hang up sure； then； to go
up in that wilderness； fifty miles from civilisation； would mean a
first…class row of too big a size to handle。 Won't do！〃
〃Suppose you get a lawyer；〃 suggested Denning sarcastically。
Orde laughed with great good…humour
〃Where'd our water be by the time he got an injunction for us？〃
He fell into a brown study； during which his pipe went out。
〃Jim；〃 he said finally； 〃it isn't a fair game。 I don't know what to
do。 Delay will hang us； taking men off the work will hang us。 I've
just got to go tip there myself and see what can be done by talking
to them。〃
〃Talking to them！〃 Denning snorted。 〃You might as well whistle down
the draught…pipe of hell！ If they're just up there for a row；
there'll be whisky in camp； and you can bet McNeill's got some of
'em instructed on YOUR account。 They'll kill you； sure！〃
〃I agree with you it's risky；〃 replied Orde。 〃I'm scared； I'm
willing to admit it。 But I don't see what else to do。 Of course
he's got no rights； but what the hell good does that do us after our
water is gone？ And Jim； my son； if we hang this drive； I'll be
buried so deep I never will dig out。 No； I've got to go。 You can
stay up here in charge of the rear until I get back。 Send word by
Charlie who's to boss your division while you're gone。〃
XXIII
Orde tramped back to Sawyer's early next morning； hitched into the
light buckboard the excellent team with which later； when the drive
should spread out； he would make his longest jumps； and drove to
head…waters。 He arrived in sight of the dam about three o'clock。
At the edge of the clearing he pulled up to survey the scene。
A group of three small log…cabins marked the Johnson； and later the
Heinzman； camp。 From the chimneys a smoke arose。 Twenty or thirty
rivermen lounged about the sunny side of the largest structure。
They had evidently just arrived； for some of their 〃turkeys〃 were
still piled outside the door。 Orde clucked to his horses； and the
spidery wheels of the buckboard swung lightly over the wet hummocks
of the clearing； to come to a stop opposite the men。 Orde leaned
forward against his knees。
〃Hullo； boys！〃 said he cheerfully。
No one replied； though two or three nodded surlily。 Orde looked
them over with some interest。
They were a dirty； unkempt； unshaven； hard…looking lot； with
bloodshot eyes； a flicker of the dare…devil in expression； beyond
the first youth； hardened into an enduring toughness of fibrebad
men from the Saginaw； in truth； and； unless Orde was mistaken； men
just off a drunk； and therefore especially dangerous； men eager to
fight at the drop of the hat； or sooner； to be accommodating； and
ready to employ in their assaults all the formidable and terrifying
weapons of the rough…and…tumble； reckless； hard； irreverrent；
blasphemous； to be gained over by no words； fair or foul； absolutely
scornful of any and all institutions imposed on them by any other
but the few men whom they acknowledged as their leaders。 And to
master these men's respect there needed either superlative strength；
superlative recklessness； or superlative skill。
〃Who's your boss？〃 asked Orde。
〃The Rough Red；〃 growled one of the men without moving。
Orde had heard of this man； of his personality and his deed at the
horses' heads； 〃but you wanted to see the boss； and I guess you'd
better see him。〃
〃I intend to see him；〃 said Orde sharply。 〃Get out of the way and
let me hitch my team。〃
He drove deliberately ahead； forcing the man to step aside； and
stopped his horses by a stub。 He tied them there and descended； to
lean his back also against the log walls of the little house。
After a few moments a huge form appeared above the river bank at
some forty rods' distance。
〃Yonder he comes now；〃 vouchsafed the man nearest Orde。
Orde made out the great square figure of the boss； his soft hat； his
flaming red beard； his dingy mackinaw coat； his dingy black…and…
white checked flannel shirt； his dingy blue trousers tucked into
high socks； and； instead of driving boots； his ordinary lumberman's
rubbers。 As a spot of colour； he wore a flaming red knit sash； with
tassels。 Before he had approached near enough to be plainly
distinguishable； he began to bellow at the men； commanding them；
with a mighty array of oaths； to wake up and get the sluice…gate
open。 In a moment or so he had disappeared behind some bushes that
intervened in his approach to the house。 His course through them
could be traced by the top of his cap； which just
