the man from glengarry-第25章

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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。

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