freckles-第10部分

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early　in　the　season；　and　so　skilfully　the　work　had　been　done　that

not　a　frond　drooped　because　of　the　change。　　Opposite；　he　cleared　a

space　and　made　a　flower　bed。　　He　filled　one　end　with　every　delicate；

lacy　vine　and　fern　he　could　transplant　successfully。　　The　body　of

the　bed　was　a　riot　of　color。　　Here　he　set　growing　dainty

blue…eyed…Marys　and　blue…eyed　grass　side　by　side。　　He　planted

harebells；　violets；　blue；　white；　and　yellow；　wild　geranium；

cardinal…flower；　columbine；　pink　snake's　mouth；　buttercups；　painted

trilliums；　and　orchis。　　Here　were　blood…root；　moccasin…flower；

hepatica；　pitcher…plant；　Jack…in…the…pulpit；　and　every　other　flower

of　the　Limberlost　that　was　in　bloom　or　bore　a　bud　presaging　a

flower。　　Every　day　saw　the　addition　of　new　specimens。　　The　place

would　have　driven　a　botanist　wild　with　envy。



On　the　line　side　he　left　the　bushes　thick　for　concealment；　entering

by　a　narrow　path　he　and　Duncan　had　cleared　in　setting　up　the　case。

He　called　this　the　front　door；　though　he　used　every　precaution　to

hide　it。　　He　built　rustic　seats　between　several　of　the　trees；

leveled　the　floor；　and　thickly　carpeted　it　with　rank；　heavy；

woolly…dog　moss。　　Around　the　case　he　planted　wild　clematis；

bittersweet；　and　wild…grapevines；　and　trained　them　over　it　until　it

was　almost　covered。　　Every　day　he　planted　new　flowers；　cut　back

rough　bushes；　and　coaxed　out　graceful　ones。　　His　pride　in　his　room

was　very　great；　but　he　had　no　idea　how　surprisingly　beautiful　it

would　appear　to　anyone　who　had　not　witnessed　its　growth　and　construction。



This　morning　Freckles　walked　straight　to　his　case；　unlocked　it；　and

set　his　apparatus　and　dinner　inside。　　He　planted　a　new　specimen　he

had　found　close　the　trail；　and；　bringing　his　old　scrap…bucket　from

the　corner　in　which　it　was　hidden；　from　a　near…by　pool　he　dipped

water　to　pour　over　his　carpet　and　flowers。



Then　he　took　out　the　bird　book；　settled　comfortably　on　a　bench；　and

with　a　deep　sigh　of　satisfaction　turned　to　the　section　headed。　　〃V。〃　

Past　〃veery〃　and　〃vireo〃　he　went；　down　the　line　until　his　finger；

trembling　with　eagerness；　stopped　at　〃vulture。〃



〃‘Great　black　California　vulture；'〃　he　read。



〃Humph！　　This　side　the　Rockies　will　do　for　us。〃



〃‘Common　turkey…buzzard。'〃



〃Well；　we　ain't　hunting　common　turkeys。　　McLean　said　chickens；　and

what　he　says　goes。〃



〃‘Black　vulture　of　the　South。'〃



〃Here　we　are　arrived　at　once。〃



Freckles'　finger　followed　the　line；　and　he　read　scraps　aloud。



〃‘Common　in　the　South。　　Sometimes　called　Jim　Crow。　　Nearest

equivalent　to　C…a…t…h…a…r…t…e…s　A…t…r…a…t…a。'〃



〃How　the　divil　am　I　ever　to　learn　them　corkin'　big　words　by　mesel'？〃



〃‘the　Pharaoh's　Chickens　of　European　species。　　Sometimes　stray

north　as　far　as　Virginia　and　Kentucky'〃



〃And　sometimes　farther；〃　interpolated　Freckles；　〃'cos　I　got　them

right　here　in　Indiana　so　like　these　pictures　I　can　just　see　me　big

chicken　bobbing　up　to　get　his　ears　boxed。　　Hey？〃



〃‘Light…blue　eggs'〃



〃Golly！　　I　got　to　be　seeing　them！〃



〃‘big　as　a　common　turkey's；　but　shaped　like　a　hen's；　heavily

splotched　with　chocolate'〃



〃Caramels；　I　suppose。　　And〃



〃‘in　hollow　logs　or　stumps。'〃



〃Oh；　hagginy！　　Wasn't　I　barking　up　the　wrong　tree；　though？　　Ought　to

been　looking　close　the　ground　all　this　time。　　Now　it's　all　to　do

over；　and　I　suspect　the　sooner　I　start　the　sooner　I'll　be　likely　to

find　them。〃



Freckles　put　away　his　book；　dampened　the　smudge…fire；　without　which

the　mosquitoes　made　the　swamp　almost　unbearable；　took　his　cudgel

and　lunch；　and　went　to　the　line。　　He　sat　on　a　log；　ate　at

dinner…time　and　drank　his　last　drop　of　water。　　The　heat　of　June　was

growing　intense。　　Even　on　the　west　of　the　swamp；　where　one　had　full

benefit　of　the　breeze　from　the　upland；　it　was　beginning　to　be

unpleasant　in　the　middle　of　the　day。



He　brushed　the　crumbs　from　his　knees　and　sat　resting　awhile　and

watching　the　sky　to　see　if　his　big　chicken　were　hanging　up　there。　

But　he　came　to　the　earth　abruptly；　for　there　were　steps　coming　down

the　trail　that　were　neither　McLean's　nor　Duncan'sand　there　never

had　been　others。　　Freckles'　heart　leaped　hotly。　　He　ran　a　quick　hand

over　his　belt　to　feel　if　his　revolver　and　hatchet　were　there；

caught　up　his　cudgel　and　laid　it　across　his　kneesthen　sat　quietly；

waiting。　　Was　it　Black　Jack；　or　someone　even　worse？　　Forced　to　do

something　to　brace　his　nerves；　he　puckered　his　stiffening　lips　and

began　whistling　a　tune　he　had　led　in　his　clear　tenor　every　year　of

his　life　at　the　Home　Christmas　exercises。



　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Who　comes　this　way；　so　blithe　and　gay；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　Upon　a　merry　Christmas　day？〃





His　quick　Irish　wit　roused　to　the　ridiculousness　of　it　until　he

broke　into　a　laugh　that　steadied　him　amazingly。



Through　the　bushes　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　oncoming　figure。　　His

heart　flooded　with　joy；　for　it　was　a　man　from　the　gang。　　Wessner　had

been　his　bunk…mate　the　night　he　came　down　the　corduroy。　　He　knew　him

as　well　as　any　of　McLean's　men。　　This　was　no　timber…thief。　　No　doubt

the　Boss　had　sent　him　with　a　message。　　Freckles　sprang　up　and　called

cheerily；　a　warm　welcome　on　his　face。



〃Well；　it's　good　telling　if　you're　glad　to　see　me；〃　said　Wessner；

with　something　very　like　a　breath　of　relief。　　〃We　been　hearing　down

at　the　camp　you　were　so　mighty　touchy　you　didn't　allow　a　man　within

a　rod　of　the　line。〃



〃No　more　do　I；〃　answered　Freckles；　〃if　he's　a　stranger；　but　you're

from　McLean；　ain't　you？〃



〃Oh；　damn　McLean！〃　said　Wessner。



Freckles　gripped　the　cudgel　until　his　knuckles　slowly　turned　purple。



〃And　are　you　railly　saying　so？〃　he　inquired　with　elaborate　politeness。



〃Yes；　I　am；〃　said　Wessner。　　〃So　would　every　man　of　the　gang　if　they

wasn't　too　big　cowards　to　say　anything；　unless　maybe　that　other

slobbering　old　Scotchman；　Duncan。　　Grinding　the　lives　out　of　us！　

Working　us　like　dogs；　and　paying　us　starvation　wages；　while　he

rolls　up　his　millions　and　lives　like　a　prince！〃



Green　lights　began　to　play　through　the　gray　of　Freckles'　eyes。



〃Wessner；〃　he　said　impressively；　〃you'd　make　a　fine　pattern　for　the

father　of　liars！　　Every　man　on　that　gang　is　strong　and　hilthy；　paid

all　he　earns；　and　treated　with　the　courtesy　of　a　gentleman！　　As　for

the　Boss　living　like　a　prince；　he　shares　fare　with　you　every　day　of

your　lives！〃



Wessner　was　not　a　born　diplomat；　but　he　saw　he　was　on　the　wrong

tack；　so　he　tried　another。



〃How　would　you　like　to　make　a　good　big　pile　of　money；　without　even

lifting　your　hand？〃　he　asked。



〃Humph！〃　said　Freckles。　　〃Have　you　been　up　to　Chicago　and　cornered

wheat；　and　are　you　offering　me　a　friendly　tip　on　the　invistment　of

me　fortune？〃



Wessner　came　close。



〃Freckles；　old　fellow；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　let　me　give　you　a　pointer；

I　can　put　you　on　to　making　a　cool　five　hundred　without　stepping　out

of　your　tracks。〃



Freckles　drew　back。



〃You　needn't　be　afraid　of　speaking　up；〃　he　said。　　〃There　isn't　a

soul　in　the　Limberlost　save　the　birds　and　the　beasts；　unless　some

of　your　sort's　come　along　and's　crowding　the　privileges　of　the

legal　tinints。〃



〃None　of　my　friends　along；〃　said　Wessner。　　〃Nobody　knew　I　came　but

Black；　II　mean　a　friend　of　mine。　　If　you　want　to　hear　sense　and

act　with　reason；　he　can　see　you　later；　but　it　ain't　necessary。　　We

can　make　all　the　plans　needed。　　The　trick's　so　dead　small　and　easy。〃



〃Must　be　if　you　have　the　engineering　of　it；〃　said　Freckles。　　But　he

heard；　with　a　sigh　of　relief；　that　they　were　alone。



Wessner　was　impervious。　　〃You　just　bet　it　is！　　Why；　only　think；

Freckles；　slavin'　away　at　a　measly　little　thirty　dollars　a　month；

and　here　is　a　chance　to　clear　five　hundred　in　a　day！　　You　surely

won't　be　the　fool　to　miss　it！〃



〃And　how　was　you　proposing　for　me　to　stale　it？〃　inquired　Freckles。

〃Or　am　I　just　to　find　it　laying　in　me　path　beside　the　line？〃



〃That's　it；　Freckles；〃　blustered　the　Dutchman；　〃you're　just　to

find　it。　　You　needn't　do　a　thing。　　You　needn't　know　a　thing。　

You　name　a　morning　when　you　will　walk　up　the　west　side　of　the

swamp　and　then　turn　round　and　walk　back　down　the　same　side　again

and　the　money　is　yours。　　Couldn't　anything　be　easier　than　that；

could　it？〃



〃Depinds　entirely　on　the　man；〃　said　Freckles。　　The　lilt　of　a　lark

hanging　above　the　swale　beside　them　was　not　sweeter　than　the

sweetness　of　his　voice。　　〃To　some　it　would　seem　to　come　aisy　as

breathing；　and　to　some；　wringin'　the　last　drop　of　their　heart's

blood　couldn't　force　thim！　　I'm　not　the　man　that　goes　into　a　scheme

like　that　with　the　blindfold　over　me　eyes；　for；　you　see；　it　manes

to　break　trust　with　the　Boss；　and　I've　served　him　faithful　as　I　knew。　

You'll　have　to　be　making　the　thing　very　clear　to　me　understanding。〃



〃It's　so　dead　easy；〃　repeated　Wessner；　〃it　makes　me　tired　of　the

simpleness　of　it。　　You　see　there's　a　few　trees　in　the　swamp　that's

real　gold　mines。　　There's　three　especial。　　Two　are　back　in；　but　one's

square　on　the　line。　　Why；　your　pottering　old　Scotch　fool　of　a　Boss

nailed　the　wire　to　it　with　his　own　hands！　　He　never　noticed　where

the　bark　had　been　peeled；　or　saw　what　it　was。　　If　you　will　stay　on

this　side　of　the　trail　just　one　day　we　can　have　it　cut；　loaded；　and

ready　to　drive　out　at　night。　　Next　morning　you　can　find　it；　report；

and　be　the　busiest　man　in　the　search　for　us。　　We　know　where　to　fix

it　all　safe　and　easy。　　Then　McLean　has　a　bet　up　with　a　couple　of

the　gang　that　there　can't　be　a　raw　stump　found　in　the　Limberlost。

There's　plenty　of　witnesses　to　swear　to　it；　and　I　know　three　that　will。　

There's　a　cool　thousand；　and　this　tree　is　worth　all　of　that；　raw。　

Say；　it's　a　gold　mine；　I　tell　you；　and　just　five　hundred　of　it

is　yours。　　There's　no　danger　on　earth　to　you；　for　you've　got　McLean

that　bamboozled　you　could　sell　out　the　whole　swamp　and　he'd　never

mistrust　you。　　What　do　you　say？〃



Freckles'　soul　was　satisfied。　　〃I