freckles-第2部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



to　the　point　of　falling。



〃You　are　looking　for　work？〃　questioned　McLean。



〃Yis；〃　answered　Freckles。



〃I　am　very　sorry；〃　said　the　Boss　with　genuine　sympathy　in　his　every

tone；　〃but　there　is　only　one　man　I　want　at　presenta　hardy；　big

fellow　with　a　stout　heart　and　a　strong　body。　　I　hoped　that　you　would

do；　but　I　am　afraid　you　are　too　young　and　scarcely　strong　enough。〃



Freckles　stood；　hat　in　hand；　watching　McLean。



〃And　what　was　it　you　thought　I　might　be　doing？〃　he　asked。



The　Boss　could　scarcely　repress　a　start。　　Somewhere　before　accident

and　poverty　there　had　been　an　ancestor　who　used　cultivated　English；

even　with　an　accent。　　The　boy　spoke　in　a　mellow　Irish　voice；　sweet

and　pure。　　It　was　scarcely　definite　enough　to　be　called　brogue；　yet

there　was　a　trick　in　the　turning　of　the　sentence；　the　wrong　sound

of　a　letter　here　and　there；　that　was　almost　irresistible　to　McLean；

and　presaged　a　misuse　of　infinitives　and　possessives　with　which　he

was　very　familiar　and　which　touched　him　nearly。　　He　was　of　foreign

birth；　and　despite　years　of　alienation；　in　times　of　strong　feeling

he　committed　inherited　sins　of　accent　and　construction。



〃It's　no　child's　job；〃　answered　McLean。　　〃I　am　the　field　manager　of

a　big　lumber　company。　　We　have　just　leased　two　thousand　acres　of

the　Limberlost。　　Many　of　these　trees　are　of　great　value。　　We　can't

leave　our　camp；　six　miles　south；　for　almost　a　year　yet；　so　we　have

blazed　a　trail　and　strung　barbed　wires　securely　around　this　lease。　

Before　we　return　to　our　work；　I　must　put　this　property　in　the　hands

of　a　reliable；　brave；　strong　man　who　will　guard　it　every　hour　of

the　day；　and　sleep　with　one　eye　open　at　night。　　I　shall　require　the

entire　length　of　the　trail　to　be　walked　at　least　twice　each　day；　to

make　sure　that　our　lines　are　up　and　that　no　one　has　been　trespassing。〃



Freckles　was　leaning　forward；　absorbing　every　word　with　such

intense　eagerness　that　he　was　beguiling　the　Boss　into　explanations

he　had　never　intended　making。



〃But　why　wouldn't　that　be　the　finest　job　in　the　world　for　me？〃

he　pleaded。　　〃I　am　never　sick。　　I　could　walk　the　trail　twice；

three　times　every　day；　and　I'd　be　watching　sharp　all　the　while。〃



〃It's　because　you　are　scarcely　more　than　a　boy；　and　this　will　be　a

trying　job　for　a　work…hardened　man；〃　answered　McLean。　　〃You　see；　in

the　first　place；　you　would　be　afraid。　　In　stretching　our　lines；　we

killed　six　rattlesnakes　almost　as　long　as　your　body　and　as　thick　as

your　arm。　　It's　the　price　of　your　life　to　start　through　the

marshgrass　surrounding　the　swamp　unless　you　are　covered　with

heavy　leather　above　your　knees。



〃You　should　be　able　to　swim　in　case　high　water　undermines　the

temporary　bridge　we　have　built　where　Sleepy　Snake　Creek　enters

the　swamp。　　The　fall　and　winter　changes　of　weather　are　abrupt　and

severe；　while　I　would　want　strict　watch　kept　every　day。　　You　would

always　be　alone；　and　I　don't　guarantee　what　is　in　the　Limberlost。　

It　is　lying　here　as　it　has　lain　since　the　beginning　of　time；　and　it

is　alive　with　forms　and　voices。　　I　don't　pretend　to　say　what　all　of

them　come　from；　but　from　a　few　slinking　shapes　I've　seen；　and

hair…raising　yells　I've　heard；　I'd　rather　not　confront　their　owners

myself；　and　I　am　neither　weak　nor　fearful。



〃Worst　of　all；　any　man　who　will　enter　the　swamp　to　mark　and　steal

timber　is　desperate。　　One　of　my　employees　at　the　south　camp；　John

Carter；　compelled　me　to　discharge　him　for　a　number　of　serious　reasons。　

He　came　here；　entered　the　swamp　alone；　and　succeeded　in　locating

and　marking　a　number　of　valuable　trees　that　he　was　endeavoring

to　sell　to　a　rival　company　when　we　secured　the　lease。　　He　has

sworn　to　have　these　trees　if　he　has　to　die　or　to　kill　others　to

get　them；　and　he　is　a　man　that　the　strongest　would　not　care　to　meet。〃



〃But　if　he　came　to　steal　trees；　wouldn't　he　bring　teams　and　men

enough：　that　all　anyone　could　do　would　be　to　watch　and　be　after

you？〃　queried　the　boy。



〃Yes；〃　replied　McLean。



〃Then　why　couldn't　I　be　watching　just　as　closely；　and　coming　as

fast；　as　an　older；　stronger　man？〃　asked　Freckles。



〃Why；　by　George；　you　could！〃　exclaimed　McLean。　　〃I　don't　know　as

the　size　of　a　man　would　be　half　so　important　as　his　grit　and

faithfulness；　come　to　think　of　it。　　Sit　on　that　log　there　and　we

will　talk　it　over。　　What　is　your　name？〃



Freckles　shook　his　head　at　the　proffer　of　a　seat；　and　folding　his

arms；　stood　straight　as　the　trees　around　him。　　He　grew　a　shade

whiter；　but　his　eyes　never　faltered。



〃Freckles！〃　he　said。



〃Good　enough　for　everyday；〃　laughed　McLean；　〃but　I　scarcely　can

put　‘Freckles'　on　the　company's　books。　　Tell　me　your　name。〃



〃I　haven't　any　name；〃　replied　the　boy。



〃I　don't　understand；〃　said　McLean。



〃I　was　thinking　from　the　voice　and　the　face　of　you　that　you

wouldn't；〃　said　Freckles　slowly。　　〃I've　spent　more　time　on　it　than

I　ever　did　on　anything　else　in　all　me　life；　and　I　don't　understand。　

Does　it　seem　to　you　that　anyone　would　take　a　newborn　baby　and　row

over　it；　until　it　was　bruised　black；　cut　off　its　hand；　and　leave　it

out　in　a　bitter　night　on　the　steps　of　a　charity　home；　to　the　care

of　strangers？　　That's　what　somebody　did　to　me。〃



McLean　stared　aghast。　　He　had　no　reply　ready；　and　presently　in　a　low

voice　he　suggested：　　〃And　after？〃



〃The　Home　people　took　me　in；　and　I　was　there　the　full　legal　age　and

several　years　over。　　For　the　most　part　we　were　a　lot　of　little

Irishmen　together。　　They　could　always　find　homes　for　the　other

children；　but　nobody　would　ever　be　wanting　me　on　account　of　me　arm。〃



〃Were　they　kind　to　you？〃　McLean　regretted　the　question　the　minute

it　was　asked。



〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　Freckles。　　The　reply　sounded　so　hopeless；

even　to　his　own　ears；　that　he　hastened　to　qualify　it　by　adding：　

〃You　see；　it's　like　this；　sir。　　Kindnesses　that　people　are　paid　to

lay　off　in　job　lots　and　that　belong　equally　to　several　hundred

others；　ain't　going　to　be　soaking　into　any　one　fellow　so　much。〃



〃Go　on；〃　said　McLean；　nodding　comprehendingly。



〃There's　nothing　worth　the　taking　of　your　time　to　tell；〃

replied　Freckles。　　〃The　Home　was　in　Chicago；　and　I　was　there　all

me　life　until　three　months　ago。　　When　I　was　too　old　for　the

training　they　gave　to　the　little　children；　they　sent　me　to　the

closest　ward　school　as　long　as　the　law　would　let　them；　but　I　was

never　like　any　of　the　other　children；　and　they　all　knew　it。　

I'd　to　go　and　come　like　a　prisoner；　and　be　working　around　the

Home　early　and　late　for　me　board　and　clothes。　　I　always　wanted

to　learn　mighty　bad；　but　I　was　glad　when　that　was　over。



〃Every　few　days；　all　me　life；　I'd　to　be　called　up；　looked　over；

and　refused　a　home　and　love；　on　account　of　me　hand　and　ugly　face；

but　it　was　all　the　home　I'd　ever　known；　and　I　didn't　seem　to

belong　to　any　place　else。



〃Then　a　new　superintendent　was　put　in。　　He　wasn't　for　being　like

any　of　the　others；　and　he　swore　he'd　weed　me　out　the　first　thing

he　did。　　He　made　a　plan　to　send　me　down　the　State　to　a　man　he　said

he　knew　who　needed　a　boy。　　He　wasn't　for　remembering　to　tell　that　man

that　I　was　a　hand　short；　and　he　knocked　me　down　the　minute　he　found

I　was　the　boy　who　had　been　sent　him。　　Between　noon　and　that　evening；

he　and　his　son　close　my　age　had　me　in　pretty　much　the　same　shape　in

which　I　was　found　in　the　beginning；　so　I　lay　awake　that　night　and

ran　away。　　I'd　like　to　have　squared　me　account　with　that　boy　before

I　left；　but　I　didn't　dare　for　fear　of　waking　the　old　man；　and　I

knew　I　couldn't　handle　the　two　of　them；　but　I'm　hoping　to　meet　him

alone　some　day　before　I　die。〃



McLean　tugged　at　his　mustache　to　hide　the　smile　on　his　lips；　but　he

liked　the　boy　all　the　better　for　this　confession。



〃I　didn't　even　have　to　steal　clothes　to　get　rid　of　starting　in　me

Home　ones；〃　Freckles　continued；　〃for　they　had　already　taken　all　me

clean；　neat　things　for　the　boy　and　put　me　into　his　rags；　and　that

went　almost　as　sore　as　the　beatings；　for　where　I　was　we　were　always

kept　tidy　and　sweet…smelling；　anyway。　　I　hustled　clear　into　this

State　before　I　learned　that　man　couldn't　have　kept　me　if　he'd

wanted　to。　　When　I　thought　I　was　good　and　away　from　him；　I

commenced　hunting　work；　but　it　is　with　everybody　else　just　as　it

is　with　you；　sir。　　Big；　strong；　whole　men　are　the　only　ones　for

being　wanted。〃



〃I　have　been　studying　over　this　matter；〃　answered　McLean。　　〃I　am　not

so　sure　but　that　a　man　no　older　than　you　and　similar　in　every　way

could　do　this　work　very　well；　if　he　were　not　a　coward；　and　had　it

in　him　to　be　trustworthy　and　industrious。〃



Freckles　came　forward　a　step。



〃If　you　will　give　me　a　job　where　I　can　earn　me　food；　clothes；　and

a　place　to　sleep；〃　he　said；　〃if　I　can　have　a　Boss　to　work　for　like

other　men；　and　a　place　I　feel　I've　a　right　to；　I　will　do　precisely

what　you　tell　me　or　die　trying。〃



He　spoke　so　convincingly　that　McLean　believed；　although　in　his

heart　he　knew　that　to　employ　a　stranger　would　be　wretched　business

for　a　man　with　the　interests　he　had　involved。



〃Very　well；〃　the　Boss　found　himself　answering；　〃I　will　enter　you　on

my　pay　rolls。　　We'll　have　supper；　and　then　I　will　provide　you　with

clean　clothing；　wading…boots；　the　wire…mending　apparatus；　and

a　revolver。　　The　first　thing　in　the　morning；　I　will　take　you　the

length　of　the　trail　myself　and　explain　fully　what　I　want　done。　

All　I　ask　of　you　is　to　come　to　me　at　once　at　the　south　camp　and

tell　me　as　a　man　if　you　find　this　job　too　hard　for　you。　　It　will　not

surprise　me。　　It　is　work　that　few　men　would　perform　faithfully。　

What　name　shall　I　put　down？〃



Freckles'　gaze　never　left　McLean's　face；　and　the　Boss　saw　the

swift　spasm　of　pain　that　swept　his　lonely；　sensitive　features。



〃I　haven't　any　name；〃　he　said　stubbornly；　〃no　more　than　one

somebody　clapped　on　to　me　when　they　put　me　on　the　Home　books；　with

not　the　thought　or　care　they'd　name　a　house　cat。　　I've