the riverman-第37章
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churned and frantically caught crabs in a vain effort to hold their
own。 Marsh lowered his telescope； the tears streaming down his
face。
〃It's better than a goat fight；〃 said he。
Futilely protesting； the rowboats were dragged backward； turned as a
whip is snapped； and strung out along the bank below。
〃They'll have to have two tugs before they can close the break that
way；〃 commented Orde。
〃Sure thing；〃 replied Captain Marsh。
But at that moment a black smoke rolled up over the marshes； and
shortly around the bend from above came the LUCY BELLE。
The LUCY BELLE was the main excuse for calling the river navigable。
She made trips as often as she could between Redding and Monrovia。
In luck； she could cover the forty miles in a day。 It was no
unusual thing； however； for the LUCY BELLE to hang up indefinitely
on some one of the numerous shifting sand bars。 For that reason she
carried more imperishable freight than passengers。 In appearance
she was two…storied； with twin smokestacks； an iron Indian on her
top； and a 〃splutter…bmysterious her always fathomless eyes。 To Orde she seemed
fragile； aloof； enshrined among her laces and dainty ribbons。
Hardly dared he touch her when she held her hand out to him weakly；
but fell on his knees beside the bed and buried his face in the
clothes。 She placed a gentle hand caressio appreciates you！〃 she cried；
possessing herself of the infant。 〃He's a beautiful baby； one of
the best…looking new…born babies I ever saw！〃
Orde escaped to the open air。 He had to go to the office to attend
to some details of the business。 With every step his elation
increased。 At the office he threw open his desk with a slam。
Newmark jumped nervously and frowned。 Orde's big； open； and brusque
manners bothered him as they would have bothered a cat。
〃Got a son and heir over at my place；〃 called Orde in his big voice。
〃This old firm's got to rustle now； I tell you。〃
〃Congratulate you； I'm sure；〃 said Newmark ehind〃 paddle…wheel。
〃There comes his help；〃 said Orde。 〃Old Simpson would stop to pick
up a bogus three…cent piece。〃
Sure enough； on hail from one of the rowboats； the LUCY BELLE slowed
down and stopped。 After a short conference； she steamed clumsily
over to get hold of one end of the booms。 The tug took the other。
In time； and by dint of much splashing； some collisions； and several
attempts； the ends of the booms were united。
By this time； however； nearly all the logs had escaped。 The tug；
towing a string of rowboats； set out in pursuit。
The SPRITE continued on her way until beyond sight。 Then she slowed
down again。 The LUCY BELLE churned around the bend； and turned in
toward the tug。
〃She's going to speak us；〃 marvelled Orde。 〃I wonder what the
dickens she wants。〃
〃Tug ahoy！〃 bellowed a red…faced individual from the upper deck。 He
was dressed in blue and brass buttons； carried a telescope in one
hand； and was liberally festooned with gold braid and embroidered
anchors。
〃Answer him；〃 Orde commanded Marsh。
〃Hullo there； commodore！ what is it？〃 replied the tug captain。
The red…faced figure glared down for a moment。
〃They want a tug up there at Heinzman's。 Can you go？〃
〃Sure！〃 cried Marsh； choking。
The LUCY BELLE sheered off magnificently。
〃What do you think of that？〃 Marsh asked Orde。
〃The commodore always acts as if that old raft was a sixty…gun
frigate；〃 was Orde's non…committal answer。 〃Head up stream again。〃
Heinzman saw the SPRITE coming； and rowed out frantically； splashing
at every stroke and yelling with every breath。
〃Don't you go through there！ Vait a minute！ Stop； I tell you！〃
〃Hold up！〃 said Orde to Marsh。
Heinzman rowed alongside； dropped his oars and mopped his brow。
〃Vat you do？〃 he demanded heatedly。
〃I forgot the money to buy my stamp with；〃 said Orde sweetly。 〃I'm
going back to get it。〃
〃Not through my pooms！〃 cried Heinzman。
〃Mr。 Heinzman；〃 said Orde severely； 〃you are obstructing a navigable
stream。 I am doing business； and I cannot be interfered with。〃
〃But my logs！〃 cried the unhappy mill man。
〃I have nothing to do with your logs。 You are driving your own
logs；〃 Orde reminded him。
Heinzman vituperated and pounded the gunwale。
〃Go ahead； Marsh！〃 said Orde。
The tug gathered way。 Soon Heinzman was forced to let go。 For a
second time the chains were snapped。 Orde and Marsh looked back
over the churning wake left by the SPRITE。 The severed ends of the
booms were swinging back toward either shore。 Between them floated
a rowboat。 In the rowboat gesticulated a pudgy man。 The river was
well sprinkled with logs。 Evidently the sorting was going on well。
〃May as well go back to the works；〃 said Orde。 〃He won't string
them together again to…daynot if he waits for that tug he sent
Simpson for。〃
Accordingly； they returned to the booms； where work was suspended
while Orde detailed to an appreciative audience the happenings
below。 This tickled the men immensely。
〃Why； we hain't sorted out more'n a million feet of his logs；〃 cried
Rollway Charlie。 〃He hain't SEEN no logs yet！〃
They turned with new enthusiasm to the work of shunting 〃H〃 logs
into the channel。
In ten minutes； however； the stableman picked his way out over the
booms with a message for Orde。
Mr。 Heinzman's ashore； and wants to see you；〃 said he。
Orde and Jim Denning exchanged glances。
〃'Coon's come down；〃 said the latter。
Orde found the mill man pacing restlessly up and down before a
steaming pair of horses。 Newmark； perched on a stump； was surveying
him sardonically and chewing the end of an unlighted cigar。
〃Here you poth are！〃 burst out Heinzman； when Orde stepped ashore。
〃Now； this must stop。 I must not lose my logs！ Vat is your
probosition？〃
Newmark broke in quickly before Orde could speak。
〃I've told Mr。 Heinzman；〃 said he； 〃that we would sort and deliver
the rest of his logs for two dollars a thousand。〃
〃That will be about it；〃 agreed Orde。
〃But；〃 exploded Heinzman； 〃that is as much as you agreet to drive
and deliffer my whole cut！〃
〃Precisely；〃 said Newmark。
〃Put I haf all the eggspence of driving the logs myself。 Why shoult
I pay you for doing what I haf alretty paid to haf done？〃
Orde chuckled。
〃Heinzman；〃 said he； 〃I told you I'd make you scratch gravel。 Now
it's time to talk business。 You thought you were boring with a
mighty auger； but it's time to revise。 We aren't forced to bother
with your logs； and you're lucky to get out so easy。 If I turn your
whole drive into the river； you'll lose more than half of it
outright； and it'll cost you a heap to salvage the rest。 And what's
more； I'll turn 'em in before you can get hold of a pile…driver。
I'll sort night and day；〃 he bluffed； 〃and by to…morrow morning you
won't have a stick of timber above my booms。〃 He laughed again。
〃You want to get down to business almighty sudden。〃
When finally Heinzman had driven sadly away； and the whole drive；
〃H〃 logs included； was pouring into the main boom； Orde stretched
his arms over his head in a luxury of satisfaction。
〃That just about settles that campaign；〃 he said to Newmark。
〃Oh； no； it doesn't；〃 replied the latter decidedly。
〃Why？〃 asked Orde； surprised。 〃You don't imagine he'll do anything
more？〃
〃No； but I will；〃 said Newmark。
XXVII
Early in the fall the baby was born。 It proved to be a boy。 Orde；
nervous as a cat after the ordeal of doing nothing； tiptoed into the
darkened room。 He found his wife weak and pale； her dark hair
framing her face； a new look of rapt inner contemplation rendering
even more ngly on his head。
So they remained for some time。 Finally he raised his eyes。 She
held her lips to him。 He kissed them。
〃It seems sort of make…believe even yet； sweetheart；〃 she smiled at
him whimsically； 〃that we have a real； live baby all of our own。〃
〃Like other people；〃 said Orde。
〃Not like other people at all！〃 she disclaimed； with a show of
indignation。
Grandma Orde brought the newcomer in for Orde's inspection。 He
looked gravely down on the puckered； discoloured bit of humanity
with some feeling of disappointment； and perhaps a faint uneasiness。
After a moment he voiced the latter。
〃Isdo you thinkthat is〃 he hesitated； 〃does the doctor say
he's going to be all right？〃
〃All right！〃 cried Grandma Orde indignantly。 〃I'd like to know if
he isn't all right now！ What in the world do you expect of a new…
born baby？〃
But Carroll was laughing softly to herself on the bed。 She held out
her arms for the baby； and cuddled it close to her breast。
〃He's a little darling；〃 she crooned； 〃and he's going to grow up big
and strong； just like his daddy。〃 She put her cheek against the
sleeping babe's and looked up sidewise at the two standing above
her。 〃But I know how you feel；〃 she said to her husband。 〃When
they first showed him to me； I thought he looked like a peanut a
thousand years old。〃
Grandma Orde fairly snorted with indignation。
〃Come to your old grandmother； whrather shortly。 〃Mrs。
Orde is doing well； I hope？〃
〃Fine； fine！〃 cried Orde。
Newmark dropped the subject and plunged into a business matter。
Orde's attention； however； was flighty。 After a little while he
closed his desk with another bang。
〃No use！〃 said he。 〃Got to make it a vacation。 I'm going to run
over to see how the family is。〃
Strangely enough； the young couple had not discussed before the
question of a name。 One evening at twilight； when Orde was perched
at the foot of the bed； Carroll brought up the subject。
〃He ought to be named for you；〃 she began timidly。 〃I know that；
Jack； and I'd love to have another Jack Orde in the family； but；
dear； I've been thinking about father。 He's a poor； forlorn old
man； who doesn't get much out of life。 And it would please him so
oh； more than you can imagine such a thing could please anybody！〃
She looked up at him doubtfully。 Orde said nothing； but walked
around the bed to where the baby lay in his little cradle。 He
leaned over and took the infant up in his gingerly awkward fashion。
〃How are you to…day； Bobby Orde？〃 he inquired of the blinking mite。
XXVIII
The first season of the Boom Company was most successful。 Its
prospects for the future were bright。 The drive had been delivered
to its various owners at a price below what it had cost them
severally； and without the necessary attendant bother。 Therefore；
the loggers were only too willing to renew their contracts for
another year。 This did not
