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！
But Black Hugh only shook his head in silence。
Before they came to the door； Macdonald Bhain said； with seeming
indifference； 〃You have not been to church since you got up； Hugh。
You will be going to…morrow； if it is a fine day？〃
〃It is too long a walk； I doubt；〃 answered his brother。
〃That it is； but Yankee will drive you in his buckboard；〃 said
Macdonald Bhain。
〃In the buckboard？〃 said Macdonald Dubh。 〃And； indeed； I was never
in a buckboard in my life。〃
〃It is not too late to begin to…morrow；〃 said his brother； 〃and it
will do you good。〃
〃I doubt that；〃 said Black Hugh； gloomily。 〃The church will not be
doing me much good any more。〃
〃Do not say such a thing； and Yankee will drive you in his
buckboard to…morrow。〃
His brother did not promise； but next day the congregation received
a shock of surprise to see Macdonald Dubh walk down the aisle to
his place in the church。 And through all the days of the spring
and summer his place was never empty； and though the shadow never
lifted from his face； the minister's wife felt comforted about him；
and waited for the day of his deliverance。
CHAPTER XIII
THE LOGGING BEE
Macdonald Bhain's visit to his brother was fruitful in another way。
After taking counsel with Yankee and Kirsty； he resolved that he
would speak to his neighbors and make a 〃bee；〃 to attack the brule。
He knew better than to consult either his brother or his nephew；
feeling sure that their Highland pride would forbid accepting any
such favor； and all the more because it seemed to be needed。 But
without their leave the bee was arranged； and in the beginning of
the following week the house of Macdonald Dubh was thrown into a
state of unparalleled confusion； and Kirsty went about in a state
of dishevelment that gave token that the daily struggle with dirt
had reached the acute stage。 From top to bottom； inside and
outside； everything that could be scrubbed was scrubbed； and then
she settled about her baking； but with all caution； lest she should
excite her brother's or her nephew's suspicion。 It was a good
thing that little baking was required； for the teams that brought
the men with their axes and logging…chains for the day's work at
the brule brought also their sisters and mothers with baskets of
provisions。 A logging bee without the sisters and mothers with
their baskets would hardly be an unmixed blessing。
The first man to arrive with his team was Peter McGregor's Angus；
and with him came his sister Bella。 He was shortly afterward
followed by other teams in rapid successionthe Rosses； the
McKerachers； the Camerons； both Don and Murdie； the Rory McCuaigs；
the McRaes； two or three families of them； the Frasers； and others
till some fifteen teams and forty men； and boys； who thought
themselves quite men； lined up in front of the brule。
The bee was a great affair； for Macdonald Bhain was held in high
regard by the people； and besides this； the misfortune that had
befallen his brother； and the circumstances under which it had
overtaken him； had aroused in the community a very deep sympathy
for him； and people were glad of the opportunity to manifest this
sympathy。 And more than all； a logging bee was an event that
always promised more or less excitement and social festivity。
Yankee was 〃boss〃 for the day。 This position would naturally have
fallen to Macdonald Bhain； but at his brother's bee； Macdonald
Bhain shrank from taking the leading place。
The men with the axes went first； chopping up the half…burned logs
into lengths suitable for the burning…piles； clearing away the
brushwood； and cutting through the big roots of the fire…eaten
stumps so that they might more easily be pulled。 Then followed the
teams with their logging…chains； hauling the logs to the piles；
jerking out and drawing off the stumps whose huge roots stuck up
high into the air； and drawing great heaps of brush…wood to aid in
reducing the heavy logs to ashes。 At each log…pile stood a man
with a hand…spike to help the driver to get the log into position；
a work requiring strength and skill； and above all； a knowledge of
the ways of logs which comes only by experience。 It was at this
work that Macdonald Bhain shone。 With his mighty strength he could
hold steady one end of a log until the team could haul the other
into its place。
The stump…pulling was always attended with more or less interest
and excitement。 Stumps； as well as logs； have their ways； and it
takes a long experience to understand the ways of stumps。
In stump…hauling； young Aleck McGregor was an expert。 He rarely
failed to detect the weak side of a stump。 He knew his team； and
what was of far greater importance； his team knew him。 They were
partly of French…Canadian stock； not as large as Farquhar
McNaughton's big； fat blacks； but 〃as full of spirit as a bottle of
whisky；〃 as Aleck himself would say。 Their first tentative pulls
at the stump were taken with caution； until their driver and
themselves had taken the full measure of the strength of the enemy。
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 st