on the frontier-第23章

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miles　of　this　place；　like　as　not　crossing　the　Ridge。　　It's　always

my　luck　to　happen　out　just　at　such　times。　　I　don't　see　the

necessity　anyhow　of　trapesing　round　the　claim　now；　if　we　calculate

to　leave　it　to…night。〃



Both　men　waited　to　observe　if　the　suggestion　was　taken　up　by　the

Right　and　Left　Bower　moodily　plodding　ahead。　　No　response

following；　the　Judge　shamelessly　abandoned　his　companion。



〃You　wouldn't　stand　snoopin'　round　instead　of　lettin'　the　Old　Man

get　used　to　the　idea　alone？　　No；　I　could　see　all　along　that　he　was

takin'　it　in；　takin'　it　in；　kindly　but　slowly；　and　I　reckoned　the

best　thing　for　us　to　do　was　to　git　up　and　git　until　he'd　got　round

it。〃　　The　Judge's　voice　was　slightly　raised　for　the　benefit　of　the

two　before　him。



〃Didn't　he　say；〃　remarked　the　Right　Bower；　stopping　suddenly　and

facing　the　others；　〃didn't　he　say　that　that　new　trader　was　goin'　to

let　him　have　some　provisions　anyway？〃



Union　Mills　turned　appealingly　to　the　Judge；　that　gentleman　was

forced　to　reply；　〃Yes；　I　remember　distinctly　he　said　it。　　It　was

one　of　the　things　I　was　particular　about　on　his　account；〃　responded

the　Judge；　with　the　air　of　having　arranged　it　all　himself　with　the

new　trader。　　〃I　remember　I　was　easier　in　my　mind　about　it。〃



〃But　didn't　he　say；〃　queried　the　Left　Bower；　also　stopping　short；

〃suthin'　about　it's　being　contingent　on　our　doing　some　work　on　the

race？〃



The　Judge　turned　for　support　to　Union　Mills；　who；　however；　under

the　hollow　pretense　of　preparing　for　a　long　conference；　had

luxuriously　seated　himself　on　a　stump。　　The　Judge　sat　down　also；

and　replied；　hesitatingly；　〃Well；　yes！　　Us　or　him。〃



〃Us　or　him；〃　repeated　the　Right　Bower；　with　gloomy　irony。　　〃And　you

ain't　quite　clear　in　your　mind；　are　you；　if　YOU　haven't　done　the

work　already？　　You're　just　killing　yourself　with　this　spontaneous；

promiscuous；　and　premature　overwork；　that's　what's　the　matter　with

you。〃



〃I　reckon　I　heard　somebody　say　suthin'　about　it's　being　a

Chinaman's　three…day　job；〃　interpolated　the　Left　Bower；　with　equal

irony；　〃but　I　ain't　quite　clear　in　my　mind　about　that。〃



〃It'll　be　a　sorter　distraction　for　the　Old　Man；〃　said　Union　Mills；

feebly〃kinder　take　his　mind　off　his　loneliness。〃



Nobody　taking　the　least　notice　of　the　remark；　union　Mills　stretched

out　his　legs　more　comfortably　and　took　out　his　pipe。　　He　had

scarcely　done　so　when　the　Right　Bower；　wheeling　suddenly；　set　off

in　the　direction　of　the　creek。　　The　Left　Bower；　after　a　slight

pause；　followed　without　a　word。　　The　Judge；　wisely　conceiving　it

better　to　join　the　stronger　party；　ran　feebly　after　him；　and　left

Union　Mills　to　bring　up　a　weak　and　vacillating　rear。



Their　course；　diverging　from　Lone　Star　Mountain；　led　them　now

directly　to　the　bend　of　the　creek；　the　base　of　their　old

ineffectual　operations。　　Here　was　the　beginning　of　the　famous　tail…

race　that　skirted　the　new　trader's　claim；　and　then　lost　its　way　in

a　swampy　hollow。　　It　was　choked　with　debris；　a　thin；　yellow　stream

that　once　ran　through　it　seemed　to　have　stopped　work　when　they　did；

and　gone　into　greenish　liquidation。



They　had　scarcely　spoken　during　this　brief　journey；　and　had

received　no　other　explanation　from　the　Right　Bower；　who　led　them；

than　that　afforded　by　his　mute　example　when　he　reached　the　race。

Leaping　into　it　without　a　word；　he　at　once　began　to　clear　away　the

broken　timbers　and　driftwood。　　Fired　by　the　spectacle　of　what

appeared　to　be　a　new　and　utterly　frivolous　game；　the　men　gayly

leaped　after　him；　and　were　soon　engaged　in　a　fascinating　struggle

with　the　impeded　race。　　The　Judge　forgot　his　lameness　in　springing

over　a　broken　sluice…box；　Union　Mills　forgot　his　whistle　in　a　happy

imitation　of　a　Chinese　coolie's　song。　　Nevertheless；　after　ten

minutes　of　this　mild　dissipation；　the　pastime　flagged；　Union　Mills

was　beginning　to　rub　his　leg　when　a　distant　rumble　shook　the　earth。

The　men　looked　at　each　other；　the　diversion　was　complete；　a　languid

discussion　of　the　probabilities　of　its　being　an　earthquake　or　a

blast　followed；　in　the　midst　of　which　the　Right　Bower；　who　was

working　a　little　in　advance　of　the　others；　uttered　a　warning　cry

and　leaped　from　the　race。　　His　companions　had　barely　time　to　follow

before　a　sudden　and　inexplicable　rise　in　the　waters　of　the　creek

sent　a　swift　irruption　of　the　flood　through　the　race。　　In　an

instant　its　choked　and　impeded　channel　was　cleared；　the　race　was

free；　and　the　scattered　debris　of　logs　and　timber　floated　upon　its

easy　current。　　Quick　to　take　advantage　of　this　labor…saving

phenomenon；　the　Lone　Star　partners　sprang　into　the　water；　and　by

disentangling　and　directing　the　eddying　fragments　completed　their

work。



〃The　Old　Man　oughter　been　here　to　see　this；〃　said　the　Left　Bower；

〃it's　just　one　o'　them　climaxes　of　poetic　justice　he's　always

huntin'　up。　　It's　easy　to　see　what's　happened。　　One　o'　them　high…

toned　shrimps　over　in　the　Excelsior　claim　has　put　a　blast　in　too

near　the　creek。　　He's　tumbled　the　bank　into　the　creek　and　sent　the

back　water　down　here　just　to　wash　out　our　race。　　That's　what　I　call

poetical　retribution。〃



〃And　who　was　it　advised　us　to　dam　the　creek　below　the　race　and　make

it　do　the　thing？〃　asked　the　Right　Bower；　moodily。



〃That　was　one　of　the　Old　Man's　ideas；　I　reckon；〃　said　the　Left

Bower；　dubiously。



〃And　you　remember；〃　broke　in　the　Judge　with　animation；　〃I　allus

said；　'Go　slow；　go　slow。　　You　just　hold　on　and　suthin'　will

happen。'　　And；〃　he　added；　triumphantly；　〃you　see　suthin'　has

happened。　　I　don't　want　to　take　credit　to　myself；　but　I　reckoned　on

them　Excelsior　boys　bein'　fools；　and　took　the　chances。〃



〃And　what　if　I　happen　to　know　that　the　Excelsior　boys　ain't

blastin'　to…day？〃　said　the　Right　Bower；　sarcastically。



As　the　Judge　had　evidently　based　his　hypothesis　on　the　alleged　fact

of　a　blast；　he　deftly　evaded　the　point。　　〃I　ain't　saying　the　Old

Man's　head　ain't　level　on　some　things；　he　wants　a　little　more　sabe

of　the　world。　　He's　improved　a　good　deal　in　euchre　lately；　and　in

pokerwell！　he's　got　that　sorter　dreamy；　listenin'…to…the…angels

kind　o'　way　that　you　can't　exactly　tell　whether　he's　bluffin'　or

has　got　a　full　hand。　　Hasn't　he？〃　he　asked；　appealing　to　Union

Mills。



But　that　gentleman；　who　had　been　watching　the　dark　face　of　the

Right　Bower；　preferred　to　take　what　he　believed　to　be　his　cue　from

him。　　〃That　ain't　the　question；〃　he　said　virtuously；　〃we　ain't

takin'　this　step　to　make　a　card　sharp　out　of　him。　　We're　not　doin'

Chinamen's　work　in　this　race　to…day　for　that。　　No；　sir！　　We're

teachin'　him　to　paddle　his　own　canoe。〃　　Not　finding　the　sympathetic

response　he　looked　for　in　the　Right　Bower's　face；　he　turned　to　the

Left。



〃I　reckon　we　were　teachin'　him　our　canoe　was　too　full；〃　was　the

Left　Bower's　unexpected　reply。　　〃That's　about　the　size　of　it。〃



The　Right　Bower　shot　a　rapid　glance　under　his　brows　at　his　brother。

The　latter；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　stared　unconsciously　at

the　rushing　waters；　and　then　quietly　turned　away。　　The　Right　Bower

followed　him。　　〃Are　you　goin'　back　on　us？〃　he　asked。



〃Are　you？〃　responded　the　other。



〃No！〃



〃NO；　then　it　is；〃　returned　the　Left　Bower　quietly。　　The　elder

brother　hesitated　in　half…angry　embarrassment。



〃Then　what　did　you　mean　by　saying　we　reckoned　our　canoe　was　too

full？〃



〃Wasn't　that　our　idea？〃　returned　the　Left　Bower；　indifferently。

Confounded　by　this　practical　expression　of　his　own　unformulated

good　intentions；　the　Right　Bower　was　staggered。



〃Speakin'　of　the　Old　Man；〃　broke　in　the　Judge；　with　characteristic

infelicity；　〃I　reckon　he'll　sort　o'　miss　us；　times　like　these。　　We

were　allers　runnin'　him　and　bedevilin'　him；　after　work；　just　to　get

him　excited　and　amusin'；　and　he'll　kinder　miss　that　sort　o'

stimulatin'。　　I　reckon　we'll　miss　it　too；　somewhat。　　Don't　you

remember；　boys；　the　night　we　put　up　that　little　sell　on　him　and

made　him　believe　we'd　struck　it　rich　in　the　bank　of　the　creek；　and

got　him　so　conceited；　he　wanted　to　go　off　and　settle　all　our　debts

at　once？〃



〃And　how　I　came　bustin'　into　the　cabin　with　a　pan　full　of　iron

pyrites　and　black　sand；〃　chuckled　Union　Mills；　continuing　the

reminiscences；　〃and　how　them　big　gray　eyes　of　his　nearly　bulged　out

of　his　head。　　Well；　it's　some　satisfaction　to　know　we　did　our　duty

by　the　young　fellow　even　in　those　little　things。〃　　He　turned　for

confirmation　of　their　general　disinterestedness　to　the　Right　Bower；

but　he　was　already　striding　away；　uneasily　conscious　of　the　lazy

following　of　the　Left　Bower；　like　a　laggard　conscience　at　his　back。

This　movement　again　threw　Union　Mills　and　the　Judge　into　feeble

complicity　in　the　rear；　as　the　procession　slowly　straggled　homeward

from　the　creek。



Night　had　fallen。　　Their　way　lay　through　the　shadow　of　Lone　Star

Mountain；　deepened　here　and　there　by　the　slight；　bosky　ridges　that；

starting　from　its　base；　crept　across　the　plain　like　vast　roots　of

its　swelling　trunk。　　The　shadows　were　growing　blacker　as　the　moon

began　to　assert　itself　over　the　rest　of　the　valley；　when　the　Right

Bower　halted　suddenly　on　one　of　these　ridges。　　The　Left　Bower

lounged　up　to　him；　and　stopped　also；　while　the　two　others　came　up

and　completed　the　group。



〃There's　no　light　in　the　shanty；〃　said　the　Right　Bower　in　a　low

voice；　half　to　himself　and；　half　in　answer　to　their　inquiring

attitude。　　The　men　followed　the　direction　of　his　finger。　　In　the

distance　the　black　outline　of　the　Lone　Star　cabin　stood　out

distinctly　in　the　illumined　space。　　There　was　the　blank；　sightless；

external　glitter　of　moonlight　on　its　two　windows　that　seemed　to

reflect　its　dim　vacancy；　empty　alike　of　light；　and　warmth；　and

motion。



〃That's　sing'lar；〃　said　the　Judge　in　an　awed　whisper。



The　Left　Bower；　by　simply　altering　the　position　of　his　hands　in　his

trousers'　pockets；　managed　to　suggest　that　he　knew　perfectly　the

meaning　of　it；　had　always　known　it；　but　that　being　now；　so　to

speak；　in　the　hands　of　Fate；　he　was　callous　to　it。　　This　much；　at

least；　the　elder　brother　read　in　his　attitude。　　But　anxiety　at　that

moment　was　the　controlling　impulse　of　the　Right　Bower；　as　a　certain

superstitious　remorse　was　the　instinct　of　the　two　others；　and

without　heeding　the　cynic；　the　three　started　at　a　rapid　pace　for

the　cabin。



They　reached　it　silently；　as　the　moon；　now　riding　high　in　the

heavens；　seemed　to　touch　it　with　the　tender　grace　and　hushed　repose

of　a　tomb。　　It　was　with　something　of　this　feeling　that　the　Right

Bower　softly　pushed　open　the　door；　it　was　with　something　of　this

dread　that　the　two　others　lingered　on　the　threshold；　until　the

Right　Bower；　after　vainly　trying　to　stir　the　dead　embers　on　the

hearth　into　life　with　his　foot；　struck　a　match　and　lit　their

solitary　candle。　　Its　flickering　light　revealed　the　familiar

interior　unchanged　in　aught　but　one　thing。　　The　bunk　that　the　Old

Man　had