the man from glengarry-第31节

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to　work　with　all　the　skill　and　strength　that　lay　in　themselves　and
in　their　teams。

For　the　first　hour　or　two　Ranald　was　contented　to　follow；　letting
his　team　take　their　way；　but　saving　every　moment　he　could　by　his
own　efforts。　　So　that；　without　fretting　his　horses　in　the　least；　or
without　moving　them　perceptibly　out　of　their　ordinary　gait；　he
found　himself　a　little　nearer　to　Aleck　than　he　had　been　at　noon；
but　the　heavy　lifting　and　quick　work　began　to　tell　upon　him。　　His
horses；　he　knew；　would　not　stand　very　much　hurrying。　　They　were　too
fat　for　any　extra　exertion　in　such　heat；　and　so　Ranald　was　about　to
resign　himself　to　defeat；　when　he　observed　that　in　the　western　sky
clouds　were　coming　up。　　At　the　same　time　a　cool　breeze　began　to
blow；　and　he　took　fresh　heart。　　If　he　could　hurry　his　team　a　little
more；　he　might　catch　Aleck　yet；　so　he　held　his　own　a　little　longer；
preserving　the　same　steady　pace；　until　the　clouds　from　the　west　had
covered　all　the　sky。　　Then　gradually　he　began　to　quicken　his
horses'　movements　and　to　put　them　on　heavier　loads。　　Wherever
opportunity　offered；　instead　of　a　single　log；　or　at　most　two；　he
would　take　three　or　four　for　his　load；　and　in　ways　known　only　to
horsemen；　he　began　to　stir　up　the　spirit　of　his　team；　and　to　make
them　feel　something　of　his　own　excitement。

To　such　good　purpose　did　he　plan；　and　so　nobly　did　his　team　respond
to　his　quiet　but　persistent　pressure；　that；　ere　Aleck　was　aware；
Ranald　was　up　on　his　flank；　and　then　they　each　knew　that　until　the
supper…bell　rang　he　would　have　to　use　to　the　best　advantage　every
moment　of　time　and　every　ounce　of　strength　in　himself　and　his　team
if　he　was　to　win　first　place。

Somehow　the　report　of　the　contest　went　over　the　field；　till　at
length　it　reached　the　ears　of　Farquhar。　　At　once　the　old　man；
seized　with　anxiety　for　his　team；　and　moved　by　the　fear　of　what
Kirsty　might　say　if　the　news　ever　reached　her　ears；　set　off　across
the　brule　to　remonstrate　with　Ranald；　and　if　necessary；　rescue　his
team　from　peril。

But　Don　saw　him　coming；　and　knowing　that　every　moment　was　precious；
and　dreading　lest　the　old　man　would　snatch　from　Ranald　the　victory
which　seemed　to　be　at　least　possible　for　him；　he　arrested　Farquhar
with　a　call　for　assistance　with　a　big　log；　and　then　engaged　him　in
conversation　upon　the　merits　of　his　splendid　team。

〃And　look；〃　cried　he；　admiringly；　〃how　Ranald　is　handling　them！
Did　you　ever　see　the　likes　of　that？〃

The　old　man　stood　watching　for　a　few　moments；　doubtfully　enough；
while　Don　continued　pouring　forth　the　praises　of　his　horses；　and
the　latter；　as　he　noticed　Farquhar's　eyes　glisten　with　pride；
ventured　to　hint　that　before　the　day　was　done　〃he　would　make　Aleck
McRae　and　his　team　look　sick。　　And　without　a　hurt　to　the　blacks；
too；〃　he　put　in；　diplomatically；　〃for　Ranald　is　not　the　man　to　hurt
a　team。〃　　And　as　Farquhar　stood　and　watched　Ranald　at　his　work；　and
noted　with　surprise　how　briskly　and　cleverly　the　blacks　swung　into
their　places；　and　detected　also　with　his　experienced　eye　that　Aleck
was　beginning　to　show　signs　of　hurry；　he　entered　into　the　spirit　of
the　contest；　and　determined　to　allow　his　team　to　win　victory　for
themselves　and　their　driver　if　they　could。

The　ax　men　had　finished　their　〃stent。〃　　It　wanted　still　an　hour　of
supper…time；　and　surely　if　slowly；　Ranald　was　making　toward　first
place。　　The　other　teams　were　left　far　behind　with　their　work；　and
the　whole　field　began　to　center　attention　upon　the　two　that　were
now　confessedly　engaged　in　desperate　conflict　at　the　front。　　One　by
one　the　ax　men　drew　toward　the　end　of　the　field；　where　Ranald　and
Aleck　were　fighting　out　their　fight；　all　pretense　of　deliberation
on　the　part　of　the　drivers　having　by　this　time　been　dropped。　　They
no　longer　walked　as　they　hitched　their　chains　about　the　logs　or
stumps；　but　sprang　with　eager　haste　to　their　work。　　One　by　one　the
other　teamsters　abandoned　their　teams　and　moved　across　the　field　to
join　the　crowd　already　gathered　about　the　contestants。　　Among　them
came　Macdonald　Bhain；　who　had　been　working　at　the　farthest　corner
of　the　brule。　　As　soon　as　he　arrived　upon　the　scene；　and　understood
what　was　going　on；　he　cried　to　Ranald：　　〃That　will　do　now；　Ranald；
it　will　be　time　to　quit。〃

Ranald　was　about　to　stop；　and　indeed　had　checked　his　horses；　when
Aleck；　whose　blood　was　up；　called　out　tauntingly；　〃Aye；　it　would　be
better　for　him　and　his　horses　to　stop。　　They　need　it　bad　enough。〃

This　was　too　much　for　even　Farquhar's　sluggish　blood。　　〃Let　them
go；　Ranald！〃　he　cried。　　〃Let　them　go；　man！　　Never　you　fear　for　the
horses；　if　you　take　down　the　spunk　o'　yon　crowing　cock。〃

It　was　just　what　Ranald　needed　to　spur　him　ona　taunt　from　his　foe
and　leave　from　Farquhar　to　push　his　team。

Before　each　lay　a　fallen　tree　cut　into　lengths　and　two　or　three
half…burned　stumps。　　Ranald's　tree　was　much　the　bigger。　　A　single
length　would　have　been　an　ordinary　load　for　the　blacks；　but　their
driver　felt　that　their　strength　and　spirit　were　both　equal　to　much
more　than　this。　　He　determined　to　clear　away　the　whole　tree　at　a
single　load。　　As　soon　as　he　heard　Farquhar's　voice；　he　seized　hold
of　the　whiffletrees；　struck　his　team　a　sharp　blow　with　the　lines
their　first　blow　that　dayswung　them　round　to　the　top　of　the　tree；
ran　the　chain　through　its　swivel；　hooked　an　end　round　each　of　the
top　lengths；　swung　them　in　toward　the　butt；　unhooked　his　chain；
gathered　all　three　lengths　into　a　single　load；　faced　his　horses
toward　the　pile；　and　shouted　at　them。　　The　blacks；　unused　to　this
sort　of　treatment；　were　prancing　with　excitement；　and　when　the　word
came　they　threw　themselves　into　their　collars　with　a　fierceness
that　nothing　could　check；　and　amid　the　admiring　shouts　of　the
crowd；　tore　the　logs　through　the　black　soil　and　landed　them　safely
at　the　pile。　　It　was　the　work　of　only　a　few　minutes　to　unhitch　the
chain；　haul　the　logs；　one　by　one；　into　place；　and　dash　back　with
his　team　at　the　gallop　for　the　stumps；　while　Aleck　had　still
another　load　of　logs　to　draw。

Ranald's　first　stump　came　out　with　little　trouble；　and　was　borne　at
full　speed　to　the　pile。　　The　second　stump　gave　him　more　difficulty；
and　before　it　would　yield　he　had　to　sever　two　or　three　of　its
thickest　roots。

Together　the　teams　swung　round　to　their　last　stump。　　The　excitement
in　the　crowd　was　intense。　　Aleck's　team　was　moving　swiftly　and　with
the　steadiness　of　clockwork。　　The　blacks　were　frantic　with
excitement　and　hard　to　control。　　Ranald's　last　stump　was　a　pine　of
medium　size；　whose　roots　were　partly　burned　away。　　It　looked　like
an　easy　victim。　　Aleck's　was　an　ugly…looking　little　elm。

Ranald　thought　he　would　try　his　first　pull　without　the　use　of　the
ax。　　Quickly　he　backed　up　his　team　to　the　stump；　passed　the　chain
round　a　root　on　the　far　side；　drew　the　big　hook　far　up　the　chain；
hitched　it　so　as　to　give　the　shortest　possible　draught；　threw　the
chain　over　the　top　of　the　stump　to　give　it　purchase；　picked　up　his
lines；　and　called　to　his　team。　　With　a　rush　the　blacks　went　at　it。
The　chain　slipped　up　on　the　root；　tightened；　bit　into　the　wood；　and
then　the　blacks　flung　back。　　Ranald　swung　them　round　the　point　and
tried　them　again；　but　still　the　stump　refused　to　budge。

All　this　time　he　could　hear　Aleck　chopping　furiously　at　his　elm…
roots；　and　he　knew　that　unless　he　had　his　stump　out　before　his
rival　had　his　chain　hitched　for　the　pull　the　victory　was　lost。

For　a　moment　or　two　he　hesitated；　looking　round　for　the　ax。

〃Try　them　again；　Ranald；〃　cried　Farquhar。　　〃Haw　them　a　bit。〃

Once　more　Ranald　picked　up　the　lines；　swung　his　horses　round　to　the
left；　held　them　steady　a　moment　or　two；　and　then　with　a　yell　sent
them　at　their　pull。　　Magnificently　the　blacks　responded；　furiously
tearing　up　the　ground　with　their　feet。　　A　moment　or　two　they　hung
straining　on　their　chain；　refusing　to　come　back；　when　slowly　the
stump　began　to　move。

〃You　have　got　it；〃　cried　Farquhar。　　〃Gee　them　a　point　or　two。〃

But　already　Ranald　had　seen　that　this　was　necessary；　and　once　more
backed　his　team　to　readjust　the　chain　which　had　slipped　off　the
top。　　As　he　fastened　the　hook　he　heard　a　sharp　〃Back！〃　behind　him；
and　he　knew　that　the　next　moment　Aleck's　team　would　be　away　with
their　load。　　With　a　yell　he　sprang　at　his　lines；　lashed　the　blacks
over　the　back；　and　called　to　them　once　more。　　Again　his　team
responded；　and　with　a　mighty　heave；　the　stump　came　slowly　out；
carrying　with　it　what　looked　like　half　a　ton　of　earth。　　But　even　as
it　heaved；　he　heard　Aleck's　call　and　the　answering　crash；　and
before　he　could　get　his　team　a…going；　the　French…Canadians　were　off
for　their　pile　at　a　gallop；　with　the　lines　flying　in　the　air　behind
them。　　A　moment　later　he　followed；　the　blacks　hauling　their　stump
at　a　run。

Together　he　and　Aleck　reached　the　pile。　　It　only　remained　now　to
unhook　the　chain。　　In　vain　he　tugged　and　hauled。　　The　chain　was
buried　deep　beneath　the　stump　and　refused　to　move；　and　before　he
could　swing　his　team　about　and　turn　the　stump　over；　he　heard
Aleck's　shout　of　victory。

But　as　he　dropped　his　chain　and　was　leisurely　backing　his　horses；
he　heard　old　Farquhar　cry；　〃Hurry；　man！　　Hurry；　for　the　life　of
you！〃