Burt L. Standish

“ The surprise of discovering that Schaeffer could box scientifically was undoubtedly what checked Bob, and gave the fellow a chance to get in that second foul kick. The touch of those spikes, the realization that a man who could fight fairly and squarely was low enough to resort to such disgraceful tactics, made Bainbridge see red. Whether the Indian interfered again in his behalf he could not tell. He only knew that he was on his feet once more, fighting instinctively, and fairly overwhelming his opponent with a series of rushes which there was no withstanding. ”

“ Bainbridge took a single step forward, bringing his flushed and angry face close to Schaeffer.
Don’t think for a minute you can bluff me with that sort of rot, Schaeffer, he said, in a voice which held in it the essence of concentrated fury. I’ve been standing here for ten minutes watching what’s going on out there. I never yet had a man who was fool enough to let a drive hang up at this bend unless he wanted to. Get me? I’m wise to everything, and the sooner you pack your duffle bag and beat it out of here the better it’ll be for you. ”

“ The juncture was scarcely passed before Bainbridge became aware of the slackening current, and unnaturally low level of water in the stream. Something was holding it back, and that something could be nothing less than a jam of unusual size and extent.
Bob’s eyes narrowed ominously, and three deep, vertical lines flashed suddenly into view above the straight nose. Downstream there were several spots which had always been more or less dreaded by river drivers. There all the skill and care in the world could not always prevent trouble. ”

“ In a twinkling Crane had acted. With amazing agility he bent forward over the desk. A buzzer sounded. A drawer popped open. A second later he had snatched from it a revolver, which he leveled swiftly at Bob. Last of all, doors at either end of the office opened noiselessly to admit a pair of stalwart attendants.
Bainbridge, pausing in the middle of the floor, surveyed these maneuvers with interest and frank amusement.
Very clever and effective, he murmured slowly, exhaling a whiff of smoke. Plainly no one’s ever going to catch you napping. ”

“ Why should there be a jam? The stream’s straight and wide enough, with a fine head of water. The hard parts come farther down. With a boss on the job, and halfway attending to business, the drive ought to be down as far as Loon Lake by this time.
Still frowning, he gave a wide, powerful sweep of his paddle, which headed the canoe upstream.
Besides, he went on, as the craft danced along under the impetus of their sturdy, practiced strokes, Schaeffer’s had time to break up half a dozen ordinary jams. He’s no fool, and he knows his business as well as any man in the country. ”

“ Bainbridge flung back a long lock of black hair with a quick jerk of his head, and glared around the circle with fiercely blazing eyes.
Is that so? he jeered. Who’s running this game? I didn’t hear any talk like that when I was getting the worst of it. You were ready enough to let him do what he liked with me, so keep out of this now while he takes his medicine.
His glance veered swiftly to Schaeffer’s face, looking like a chalky mask dabbled with crimson, and he thrust his head forward.
Well? he sneered. Scared, are you? I thought you were yellow down at the bottom. Put up your hands! ”

“ Bainbridge was quite aware that under ordinary conditions such a proceeding would have been foolhardy to a degree. For all he knew the jam might be started at any moment; the swirling, tumbling logs might sweep down upon them with irresistible force, overwhelming them before they could even reach the shore. But these were not ordinary conditions. Having allowed the jam to form with malicious intent, there was not one chance in a hundred of Schaeffer’s doing anything to break it unless absolutely forced to. ”

“ The stout man fairly choked in the excess of his fury, thrusting a purpling face close to Bainbridge’s.
It’s sixty thousand dollars as good as thrown into the gutter, he sputtered. For the love of Heaven, Bobby, can’t you wake up and say something?
The young man’s gaze turned slowly from where it had been resting thoughtfully on that last wrecked boom with the shadowy masses of logs sprawling behind it, and he moved his shoulders impatiently.
What’s the use in saying anything until there’s something to say? he inquired, with some tartness. I’m not quite a fool, John. ”

“ Griggs was at one elbow, Tweedy at the other, both puffing a little, but moving with unexpected ease and agility. Behind, at a lope, came the throng of husky woodsmen.
At the foot of the hill Bainbridge swerved sharply to the left along the narrow stream. A space had been cleared through the undergrowth for a rough road diversified by protruding roots and bowlders, bog holes and stretches of corduroy leading across swampy places. The rush of water sounded clearer now, and more distinct, and presently, unable longer to restrain himself, Bob broke into a run. ”

“ He looked for Schaeffer, but at first he could see nothing of the person who was supposed to have charge of operations. There were in sight some seventy or eighty men, fully half of whom were gathered on the near bank, lounging in groups, laughing; talking, smoking, or sprawling at full length in the sun, luxuriating in its increasing warmth. Scattered over the jam were the remainder of the crew, making a half-hearted pretense at working which could not possibly deceive any one. ”

“ Mebbe him no care about making hurry, remarked the Indian coolly, without even glancing around. Mebbe him like to see drive hang up.
The extraordinary manner in which the guide’s comment chimed in with his own mental process fairly took Bob’s breath away. He hesitated for an instant, wondering whether the Indian knew anything special or whether his remark had been prompted by mere guesswork. Knowing Moose for many years, Bainbridge had never been quite able to determine whether the man was attached to him personally, as sometimes in his stolid, self-restrained manner he seemed to be. ”

“ Curly could not help admiring the manner in which Bainbridge had handled the crowd that was trying to hold up the drive. It was exactly the sort of thing he would like to have done himself, and his heart warmed toward the man with the courage and ability to act in that fashion. Moreover, Jack Joyce was an old enemy of his, and the sight of the fellow’s humiliation had inclined the riverman even more strongly toward the man who had brought it about. ”

“ Curly Kollock’s interest and liking for his boss grew stronger day after day. There was something about Bob Bainbridge which stirred the finer qualities in his nature, and brought twinges of shame to the young riverman whenever he thought how near he had come to throwing his lot with his brother. If Bill ever showed up he resolved to tell him just what he thought of him, too. ”

“ Bainbridge was shot at from the bushes—shot at deliberately with an intent to kill which was defeated only by the miracle of chance which made him bend over to tighten a shoe lace at the precise moment of firing.
Wild with fury, the men who were present dashed in pursuit of the would-be assassins, but to no purpose. They were in the land of civilization now, where there were motor cars. ”

“ Wolcott Sears, of Boston. Now do you understand? Instead of ruining us by cutting rates, you’ve played straight into our hands. Timber values can’t go down. We’ll sell at market prices what we bought from you and clean up a cool half million on the deal.
With an inarticulate cry of fury, Crane leaped to his feet, and stood glaring at Bainbridge with flaming, maddened eyes. The mask of inscrutability had vanished from his face. One saw the real man now, stripped of the veneer of temperament and civilization.
It’s a plot! he raved, shaking a skinny fist in Bob’s face. It’s a vile conspiracy. ”

“ With an agility surprising in one so bulky, he fairly flung himself at the pile of outer garments lying on a near-by box, and when Bainbridge, a couple of minutes later, jerked open the door to plunge forth into the night, the stout man was close at his heels.
Quickly as they had acted, there were others equally swift. The windows of the big bunk house across the clearing glowed faintly, and they had no more than reached the open before the door was flung wide to eject a crowd of men fully dressed in the garb of the lumber country. They were headed by Griggs, foreman of the drive. ”

“ Peters grinned, and snapped out some orders to the men which sent them flying along the bank and even out on the stream over the tumbling logs. But as they went they cast glances of open, unadulterated admiration at the young man coolly brushing a bit of mud from one shoulder, and their comments to each other left no trace of doubt of their thorough approval of everything he had said and done.
Bob heard some of them, and when the men had gone on he smiled a bit. To get that drive down successfully he knew he must have the men with him. ”

“ It seemed certain that Bainbridge would soon let up and take things easier, and then it would be possible for the tricky riverman to use some of the other fouls of which he seemed to be a master.
The moment Bob came to his senses he did cut down his steam considerably. No human being could keep up that speed for any length of time and hope for victory, and Bainbridge meant to be victorious in this struggle. Even though Schaeffer possessed the skill of a champion, he must be beaten in some way, for the thought of succumbing to a treacherous cur like this was intolerable. ”

“ Bainbridge sat on the arm of the adjoining chair, one leg lightly swinging back and forth.
That’s true enough, he nodded, feeling for his cigarette case. I’ve always contended, though, that with proper equipment, the mill at Colport could turn out a third more cut lumber than the Lancaster mill.
Tweedy groaned, and cast up his eyes. What if it could? he demanded. How in creation are we going to find out? We’re broke—busted—cleaned out! Even in the stress of his emotion he remembered to lower his voice cautiously. We’ve hardly an asset left except the drive. We’ve no credit. ”

“ Disagreeable, even serious, as all those other persecutions had been, not one of them held the weight of this last culminating effort to put Bob Bainbridge out of the running. That Bill was mixed up in it Curly had no doubt, and the realization frightened him. He had always looked up to his older brother with admiration and a little awe, and he could not bear now to think of him mixed up in anything so contemptible. There was the danger involved, too, and altogether the youngster felt as if he must see Bill at once and try to make him cut the gang and get away. ”

“ After all, the fellow was not to blame for possessing the characteristic Indian quality of reticence. Knowing his habit of wandering all over the northern part of the state, Bob should have questioned him the instant the Indian set foot in Chebargo camp the day before.
But questioned him for what purpose? Up to five minutes ago not the slightest suspicion of Pete Schaeffer had ever entered his employer’s head. The man had worked for them a number of years. He was quiet and taciturn, sometimes almost sullen; but few woodsmen have much to say for themselves. ”

“ Bob raised his eyebrows. Why so? he inquired coldly.
Kollock shrugged his shoulders with an exaggerated nonchalance and ease which defeated its purpose.
I don’t reckon you’re very keen about having a Kollock on your drive, he retorted.
That’s where you guess wrong, returned Bainbridge, with a sudden bland indifference. If you want to quit, of course, that’s your own affair; but as for laying you off, I never fire a good workman because his family doesn’t happen to be to my liking. ”

“ He was not overscrupulous, but he disliked doing up a man in cold blood without giving him even a ghost of a show. Still, Bill had done him good turns more than once when he was out of work; and, last but not least, there was the financial side of the affair. Curly had never been told who or what was back of these attacks on the independent lumber company, but he knew there was plenty of money in it.
All this he had been thinking over as he sat smoking that cigarette. In the end he decided to have nothing to do with it. Bainbridge had trusted him and played square. ”