the man from glengarry-第30节

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excite　her　brother's　or　her　nephew's　suspicion。　　It　was　a　good
thing　that　little　baking　was　required；　for　the　teams　that　brought
the　men　with　their　axes　and　logging…chains　for　the　day's　work　at
the　brule　brought　also　their　sisters　and　mothers　with　baskets　of
provisions。　　A　logging　bee　without　the　sisters　and　mothers　with
their　baskets　would　hardly　be　an　unmixed　blessing。

The　first　man　to　arrive　with　his　team　was　Peter　McGregor's　Angus；
and　with　him　came　his　sister　Bella。　　He　was　shortly　afterward
followed　by　other　teams　in　rapid　successionthe　Rosses；　the
McKerachers；　the　Camerons；　both　Don　and　Murdie；　the　Rory　McCuaigs；
the　McRaes；　two　or　three　families　of　them；　the　Frasers；　and　others
till　some　fifteen　teams　and　forty　men；　and　boys；　who　thought
themselves　quite　men；　lined　up　in　front　of　the　brule。

The　bee　was　a　great　affair；　for　Macdonald　Bhain　was　held　in　high
regard　by　the　people；　and　besides　this；　the　misfortune　that　had
befallen　his　brother；　and　the　circumstances　under　which　it　had
overtaken　him；　had　aroused　in　the　community　a　very　deep　sympathy
for　him；　and　people　were　glad　of　the　opportunity　to　manifest　this
sympathy。　　And　more　than　all；　a　logging　bee　was　an　event　that
always　promised　more　or　less　excitement　and　social　festivity。

Yankee　was　〃boss〃　for　the　day。　　This　position　would　naturally　have
fallen　to　Macdonald　Bhain；　but　at　his　brother's　bee；　Macdonald
Bhain　shrank　from　taking　the　leading　place。

The　men　with　the　axes　went　first；　chopping　up　the　half…burned　logs
into　lengths　suitable　for　the　burning…piles；　clearing　away　the
brushwood；　and　cutting　through　the　big　roots　of　the　fire…eaten
stumps　so　that　they　might　more　easily　be　pulled。　　Then　followed　the
teams　with　their　logging…chains；　hauling　the　logs　to　the　piles；
jerking　out　and　drawing　off　the　stumps　whose　huge　roots　stuck　up
high　into　the　air；　and　drawing　great　heaps　of　brush…wood　to　aid　in
reducing　the　heavy　logs　to　ashes。　　At　each　log…pile　stood　a　man
with　a　hand…spike　to　help　the　driver　to　get　the　log　into　position；
a　work　requiring　strength　and　skill；　and　above　all；　a　knowledge　of
the　ways　of　logs　which　comes　only　by　experience。　　It　was　at　this
work　that　Macdonald　Bhain　shone。　　With　his　mighty　strength　he　could
hold　steady　one　end　of　a　log　until　the　team　could　haul　the　other
into　its　place。

The　stump…pulling　was　always　attended　with　more　or　less　interest
and　excitement。　　Stumps；　as　well　as　logs；　have　their　ways；　and　it
takes　a　long　experience　to　understand　the　ways　of　stumps。

In　stump…hauling；　young　Aleck　McGregor　was　an　expert。　　He　rarely
failed　to　detect　the　weak　side　of　a　stump。　　He　knew　his　team；　and
what　was　of　far　greater　importance；　his　team　knew　him。　　They　were
partly　of　French…Canadian　stock；　not　as　large　as　Farquhar
McNaughton's　big；　fat　blacks；　but　〃as　full　of　spirit　as　a　bottle　of
whisky；〃　as　Aleck　himself　would　say。　　Their　first　tentative　pulls
at　the　stump　were　taken　with　caution；　until　their　driver　and
themselves　had　taken　the　full　measure　of　the　strength　of　the　enemy。
But　when　once　Aleck　had　made　up　his　mind　that　victory　was　possible；
and　had　given　them　the　call　for　the　final　effort；　then　his　team　put
their　bodies　and　souls　into　the　pull；　and　never　drew　back　till
something　came。　　Their　driver　was　accustomed　to　boast　that　never
yet　had　they　failed　to　honor　his　call。

Farquhar's　handsome　blacks；　on　the　other　hand；　were　never　handled
after　this　fashion。　　They　were　slow　and　sure　and　steady；　like　their
driver。　　Their　great　weight　gave　them　a　mighty　advantage　in　a　pull；
but　never；　in　all　the　solemn　course　of　their　existence；　had　they
thrown　themselves　into　any　doubtful　trial　of　strength。　　In　a　slow；
steady　haul　they　were　to　be　relied　upon；　but　they　never　could　be
got　to　jerk；　and　a　jerk　is　an　important　feature　in　stump…hauling
tactics。　　To…day；　however；　a　new　experience　was　awaiting　them。
Farquhar　was　an　old　man　and　slow；　and　Yankee；　while　he　was　unwilling
to　hurry　him；　was　equally　unwilling　that　his　team　should　not　do　a
full　day's　work。　　He　persuaded　Farquhar　that　his　presence　was
necessary　at　one　of　the　piles；　not　with　the　hand…spike；　but　simply
to　superintend　the　arranging　of　the　mass　for　burning。　　〃For　it　ain't
every　man；　Yankee　declared；　〃could　build　a　pile　to　burn。〃　　As　for　his
team；　Yankee　persuaded　the　old　man　that　Ranald　was　unequaled　in
handling　horses；　that　last　winter　no　driver　in　the　camp　was　up　to
him。　　Reluctantly　Farquhar　handed　his　team　over　to　Ranald；　and　stood
for　some　time　watching　the　result　of　the　new　combination。

Ranald　was　a　born　horseman。　　He　loved　horses　and　understood　them。
Slowly　he　moved　the　blacks　at　their　work；　knowing　that　horses　are
sensitive　to　a　new　hand　and　voice；　and　that　he　must　adapt　himself
to　their　ways；　if　he　would　bring　them　at　last　to　his。　　Before　long
Farquhar　was　contented　to　go　off　to　his　pile；　satisfied　that　his
team　was　in　good　hands；　and　not　sorry　to　be　relieved　of　the
necessity　of　hurrying　his　pace　through　the　long；　hot　day；　as　would
have　been　necessary　in　order　to　keep　up　with　the　other　drivers。

For　each　team　a　strip　of　the　brule　was　marked　out　to　clear　after
the　axes。　　The　logs；　brush；　and　stumps　had　to　be　removed　and
dragged　to　the　burning…piles。　　Aleck；　with　his　active；　invincible
French…Canadians；　Ranald　with　Farquhar's　big；　sleek　blacks；　and
Don　with　his　father's　team；　worked　side　by　side。　　A　contest　was
inevitable；　and　before　an　hour　had　passed　Don　and　Aleck；　while
making　a　great　show　of　deliberation；　were　striving　for　the　first
place；　with　Aleck　easily　leading。　　Like　a　piece　of　machinery；　Aleck
and　his　team　worked　together。　　Quickly　and　neatly　both　driver　and
horses　moved　about　their　work　with　perfect　understanding　of　each
other。　　With　hardly　a　touch　of　the　lines；　but　almost　entirely　by
word　of　command；　Aleck　guided　his　team。　　And　when　he　took　up　the
whiffletrees　to　swing　them　around　to　a　log　or　stump；　his　horses
wheeled　at　once　into　place。　　It　was　beautiful　to　see　them；
wheeling；　backing；　hauling；　pulling；　without　loss　of　time　or
temper。

With　Don　and　his　team　it　was　all　hard　work。　　His　horses　were
willing　and　quick　enough；　but　they　were　ill…trained　and　needed
constant　tugging　at　the　lines。　　In　vain　Don　shouted　and　cracked　his
whip；　hurrying　his　team　to　his　pile　and　back　again；　the　horses　only
grew　more　and　more　awkward；　while　they　foamed　and　fretted　and　tired
themselves　out。

Behind　came　Ranald；　still　humoring　his　slow…going　team　with　easy
hand　and　quiet　voice。　　But　while　he　refrained　from　hurrying　his
horses；　he　himself　worked　hard；　and　by　his　good　judgment　and　skill
with　the　chain；　and　in　skidding　the　logs　into　his　pile；　in　which
his　training　in　the　shanty　had　made　him　more　than　a　match　for　any
one　in　the　field；　many　minutes　were　saved。

When　the　cowbell　sounded　for　dinner；　Aleck's　team　stepped　off　for
the　barn；　wet；　but　fresh　and　frisky　as　ever；　and　in　perfect　heart。
Don's　horses　appeared　fretted　and　jaded；　while　Ranald　brought　in
his　blacks　with　their　glossy　skins　white　with　foam　where　the
harness　had　chafed；　but　unfretted；　and　apparently　as　ready　for　work
as　when　they　began。

〃You　have　spoiled　the　shine　of　your　team；〃　said　Aleck；　looking　over
Ranald's　horses　as　he　brought　them　up　to　the　trough。　　〃Better　turn
them　out　for　the　afternoon。　　They　can't　stand　much　more　of　that
pace。〃

Aleck　was　evidently　trying　to　be　good…natured；　but　he　could　not
hide　the　sneer　in　his　tone。　　They　had　neither　of　them　forgotten　the
incident　at　the　church　door；　and　both　felt　that　it　would　not　be
closed　until　more　had　been　said　about　it。　　But　to…day；　Ranald　was
in　the　place　of　host；　and　it　behooved　him　to　be　courteous；　and
Aleck　was　in　good　humor　with　himself；　for　his　team　had　easily　led
the　field；　and　besides；　he　was　engaged　in　a　kind　and　neighborly
undertaking；　and　he　was　too　much　of　a　man　to　spoil　it　by　any
private　grudge。　　He　would　have　to　wait　for　his　settlement　with
Ranald。

During　the　hour　and　a　half　allowed　for　dinner；　Ranald　took　his
horses　to　the　well；　washed　off　their　legs；　removed　their　harness；
and　led　them　to　a　cool　spot　behind　the　barn；　and　there；　while　they
munched　their　oats；　he　gave　them　a　good　hard　rub…down；　so　that　when
he　brought　them　into　the　field　again；　his　team　looked　as　glossy　and
felt　as　fresh　as　before　they　began　the　day's　work。

As　Ranald　appeared　on　the　field　with　his　glossy　blacks；　Aleck
glanced　at　the　horses；　and　began　to　feel　that；　in　the　contest　for
first　place；　it　was　Ranald　he　had　to　fear；　with　his　cool；　steady
team；　rather　than　Don。　　Not　that　any　suspicion　crossed　his　mind
that　Farquhar　McNaughton's　sleek；　slow…going　horses　could　ever　hold
their　own　with　his；　but　he　made　up　his　mind　that　Ranald；　at　least；
was　worth　watching。

〃Bring　up　your　gentry；〃　he　called　to　Ranald；　〃if　you　are　not　too
fine　for　common　folks。　　Man；　that　team　of　yours；〃　he　continued；
〃should　never　be　put　to　work　like　this。　　Their　feet　should　never　be
off　pavement。〃

〃Never　you　mind；〃　said　Ranald；　quietly。　　〃I　am　coming　after　you；
and　perhaps　before　night　the　blacks　may　show　you　their　heels　yet。〃

〃There's　lots　of　room；〃　said　Aleck；　scornfully；　and　they　both　set
to　work　with　all　the　skill　and　strength　that　lay　in　themselves　and
in　their　teams。