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！
〃Onions！〃 he gasped； 〃and you love them？〃
〃Let us go along； then；〃 said Harry。 〃We will have a look at them；
anyway。〃
〃From the windward side； I hope；〃 said the lieutenant； gently。
〃I am going right on the raft；〃 declared Kate； stoutly； 〃if we can
only find Ranald。〃
〃Meaning who； exactly？〃 questioned De Lacy。
〃A lumberman whom Maimie adores。〃
〃How happy！〃 said De Lacy。
〃Nonsense； Lieutenant De Lacy；〃 said Maimie； impatiently and a
little haughtily； 〃he is a friend of my aunt's up in the county of
Glengarry。〃
〃No nonsense about it；〃 said Harry； indignant that his sister
should seem indifferent to Ranald。 〃He is a great friend of us
all； and you will seeshe will fly into his arms。〃
〃Heaven forbid！〃 ejaculated the lieutenant； much shocked。
〃Harry； how can you be so？〃 said Maimie； much annoyed。 〃What
will the lieutenant think of me？〃
〃Ah； if I only might tell！〃 said the lieutenant； looking at her
with languishing eyes。 But already Kate was downstairs and on her
way to the street。
As they neared the lower town； the narrow streets became more and
more crowded with men in the shantymen's picturesque dress； and
they had some difficulty in making their way through the jolly；
jostling crowds。 As they were nearing the river； they saw coming
along the narrow sidewalk a burly French…Canadian； dressed in the
gayest holiday garb of the shantymen。red shirt and sash； corduroys
tucked into red top…boots； a little round soft hat set upon the back
of his black curls； a gorgeous silk handkerchief around his neck；
and a big gold watch…chain with seals at his belt。 He had a bold；
handsome face； and swaggered along the sidewalk； claiming it all
with an assurance fortified by whisky enough to make him utterly
regardless of any but his own rights。
〃Hello！〃 he shouted； as he swaggered along。 〃Make way； I'm de boss
bully on de reever Hottawa。〃 It was his day of glory； and it
evidently pleased him much that the people stood aside to let him
pass。 Then he broke into song：
〃En roulant ma boule roulant；
En roulant me boule。〃
〃This； I suppose； is one of your beloved shantymen；〃 said the
lieutenant； turning to Kate； who was walking with Harry behind。
〃Isn't he lovely！〃 exclaimed Kate。
〃Oh；〃 cried Maimie； in terror； 〃let us get into a shop！〃
〃Quite unnecessary； I assure you；〃 said the lieutenant；
indifferently； 〃I have not the least idea that he will molest you。〃
The lumberman by this time had swaggered up to the party； expecting
them to make way； but instead； De Lacy stiffened his shoulder；
caught the Frenchman in the chest； and rolled him off into the
street。 Surprised and enraged； the Frenchman turned to demolish
the man who had dared to insult the 〃boss bully on de reever
Hottawa。〃
〃Vous n'avez pas remarque la demoiselle；〃 said the lieutenant； in a
tone of politeness。
The lumberman； who had swaggered up ready to strike； glanced at
Maimie； took off his hat； and made a ceremonious bow。
〃Eh bien！ Non！ Pardon； Mams'elle。〃
〃Bon jour；〃 said Lieutenant De Lacy； with a military salute； and
moved on； leaving the lumberman staring after them as if he had
seen a vision。
〃Beauty and the Beast；〃 murmured the lieutenant。 〃Thought I was in
for it； sure。 Really wonderful； don't you know！〃
〃Do you think we had better go on？〃 said Maimie； turning to Kate
and Harry。
〃Why not？ Why； certainly！〃 they exclaimed。
〃These horrid men；〃 replied Maimie。
〃Dear creatures！〃 said the lieutenant； glancing at Kate with a
mildly pathetic look。 〃Sweet； but not always fragrant。〃
〃Oh； they won't hurt us。 Let us go on。〃
〃Certainly； go on；〃 echoed Harry； impatiently。
〃Safe enough； Miss St。 Clair； but；〃 pulling out his perfumed
handkerchief； 〃rather trying。〃
〃Oh； get on； De Lacy；〃 cried Harry； and so they moved on。
The office of Raymond & St。 Clair stood near the wharves。 Harry
paused at the door； not quite sure whether to go in or not。 It was
easy to discover work in that office。
〃You might ask if Ranald has come；〃 said Kate。 〃Maimie is too
shy。〃
Harry returned in a few moments； quite excited。
〃The Macdonald gang are in； and the Big Macdonald was here not half
an hour ago； and Ranald is down at the raft beyond the last wharf。
I know the place。〃
〃Oh； do let us go on！〃 cried Kate； to whom Harry had been extolling
Ranald on the way down。 〃You really ought to inspect your timber；
Harry； shouldn't you？〃
〃Most certainly； and right away。 No saying what might happen。〃
〃Awful slush；〃 said the lieutenant； glancing at Maimie's face。 〃Do
you think the timber wouldn't keep for a week？〃
〃Oh； rubbish！ A week！〃 cried Harry。 〃He is thinking of his boots
again。〃
To be quite fair to the lieutenant； it was Maimie's doubtful face；
rather than his shiny boots； that made him hesitate。 She was
evidently nervous and embarrassed。 The gay； easy manner which was
her habit was gone。
〃I think perhaps we had better go； since we are here；〃 she said；
doubtfully。
〃Exactly； it is what I most desired；〃 said the lieutenant； gallantly。
Scores of rafts lay moored along the wharves and shore； and hundred
of lumbermen were to be seen everywhere； not only on the timber and
wharves； but crowding the streets and the doors of the little
saloons。
For half an hour they walked along； watching the men at work with
the timber on the river。 Some were loading the vessels lying at
anchor； some were shifting the loose timber about。 When they
reached the end of the last wharf； they saw a strapping young
lumberman； in a shanty costume that showed signs of the woods；
running some loose sticks of timber round the end of the raft。
With great skill he was handling his pike； walking the big sticks
and running lightly over the timber too small to carry him；
balancing himself on a single stick while he moved the timber to
the bit of open water behind the raft； and all with a grace and
dexterity that excited Kate's admiration to the highest degree。
〃Rather clever； that；〃 said the lieutenant； lazily。 〃Hello！ close
call； that； ha！ bravo！〃 It was not often the lieutenant allowed
himself the luxury of excitement； but the lumberman running his
timber slipped his pike pole and found himself balancing on the
edge of open water。 With a mighty spring he cleared the open
space； touched a piece of small timber that sank under him； and at
the next spring landed safe on the raft。 Maimie's scream sounded
with the lieutenant's 〃bravo。〃 At the cry the young fellow looked
up。 It was Ranald。
〃Hello； there！〃 cried Harry； and with an answering shout； Ranald；
using his pike as a jumping…pole； cleared the open space； ran
lightly over the floating sticks； and with another spring reached
the shore。 Without a moment's hesitation he dropped his pole and
came almost running toward them； his face radiant with delight。
〃Maimie！〃 he exclaimed； holding out his hand； wet and none too
clean。
〃How do you do？〃 said Maimie。 She had noticed the look of surprise
and mild disgust on the lieutenant's face； and she was embarrassed。
Ranald was certainly not lovely to look at。 His shirt was open at
the neck； torn； and dirty。