Matters stood thus dependent on the efforts of Jack1 Orde, at Washington, when, one evening, Baker2 rode in to camp and dismounted before the low verandah of the sleeping quarters. Welton and Bob sat, chair-tilted, awaiting the supper gong.
"Thrice hail, noble chiefs!" cried Baker, cautiously stretching out first one sturdy leg, then the other. "Against which post can I lean my trusty charger?"
Baker was garbed3 to suit the role. His boots were very thick and very tall, and most bristly with hobnails; they laced with belt laces through forty-four calibre eyelets, and were strapped4 about the top with a broad piece of leather and two glittering buckles5. Furthermore, his trousers were of khaki, his shirt of navy blue, his belt three inches broad, his neckerchief of red, and his hat both wide and high.
In response to enthusiastic greetings, he struck a pose.
"How do you like it?" he inquired. "Isn't this the candy make-up for the simple life--surveyor, hardy6 prospector8, mountain climber, sturdy pedestrian? Ain't I the real young cover design for the Out-of-door number?"
He accepted their congratulations with a lofty wave.
"That's all right," said he; "but somebody take away this horse before I bite him. I'm sore on that horse. Joke! Snicker!"
Bob delivered over the animal to the stableman who was approaching.
"Come up to see the tall buildings?" he quoted Baker himself.
"Not so," denied that young man. "My errand is philanthropic. I'm robin9 redbreast. Leaves for yours."
"Pass that again," urged Bob; "I didn't get it."
"I hear you people have locked horns with Henry Plant," said Baker.
"Well, Plant's a little on the peck," amended10 Welton.
"Leaves for yours," repeated the self-constituted robin redbreast. "Babes in the Woods!"
Beyond this he would vouchsafe11 nothing until after supper when, cigars lighted, the three of them sprawled12 before the fireplace in quarters.
"Now," he began, "you fellows are up against it good and plenty. You can't wish your lumber13 out, and that's the only feasible method unless you get a permit. Why in blazes did you make this break, anyway?"
"What break?" asked Welton.
Baker looked at him and smiled slowly.
"You don't think I own a telephone line without knowing what little birdies light on the wires, do you?"
"Does that damn operator leak?" inquired Welton placidly14 but with a narrowing of the eyes.
"Not on your saccharine15 existence. If he did, he'd be out among the scenery in two jumps. But I'm different. That's my _business_."
"Mighty16 poor business," put in Bob quietly.
Baker turned full toward him.
"Think so? You'll never get any cigars in the guessing contest unless you can scare up better ones than that. Let's get back to cases. How did you happen to make this break, anyway?"
"Why," explained Welton, "it was simply a case of build a road and a flume down a worthless mountain-side. Back with us a man builds his road where he needs it, and pays for the unavoidable damage. My head was full of all sorts of details. I went and asked Plant about it, and he said all right, go ahead. I supposed that settled it, and that he must certainly have authority on his own job."
Baker nodded several times.
"Sure. I see the point. Just the same, he has you."
"For the time being," amended Welton. "Bob's father, here, is congressman17 from our district in Michigan, and he'll fix the matter."
Baker turned his face to the ceiling, blew a cloud of smoke toward it, and whistled. Then he looked down at Welton.
"I suppose you know the real difficulty?" he asked.
"One thousand dollars," replied Welton promptly--"to hire extra fire-fighters to protect my timber," he added ironically.
"Well?"
"Well!" the lumberman slapped his knee. "I won't be held up in any such barefaced18 fashion!"
"And your congressman will pull you out. Now let me drop a few pearls of wisdom in the form of conundrums19. Why does a fat man who can't ride a horse hold a job as Forest Supervisor20 in a mountain country?"
"He's got a pull somewhere," replied Welton.
"Bright boy! Go to the head. Why does a fat man who is hated by every mountain man, who grafts21 barefacedly22, whose men are either loafers or discouraged, _hold_ his job?"
"Same answer."
Baker leaned forward, and his mocking face became grave.
"That pull comes from the fact that old Gay is his first cousin, and that he seems to have some special drag with him."
"The Republican chairman!" cried Welton.
Baker leaned back.
"About how much chance do you think Mr. Orde has of getting a hearing? Especially as all they have to do is to stand pat on the record. You'd better buy your extra fire-fighters."
"That would be plain bribery23," put in Bob from the bed.
"Fie, fie! Naughty!" chided Baker. "Bribery! to protect one's timber against the ravages24 of the devouring25 element! Now look here," he resumed his sober tone and more considered speech; "what else can you do?"
"Fight it," said Bob.
"Fight what? Prefer charges against Plant? That's been done a dozen times. Such things never get beyond the clerks. There's a man in Washington now who has direct evidence of some of the worst frauds and biggest land steals ever perpetrated in the West. He's been there now four months, and he hasn't even _succeeded in getting a hearing_ yet. I tried bucking26 Plant, and it cost me first and last, in time, delay and money, nearly fifty thousand dollars. I'm offering you that expensive experience free, gratis27, for nothing."
"Make a plain statement of the facts public," said Bob. "Publish them. Arouse public sentiment."
"Such attacks are ascribed to soreheads," said he, "and public sentiment _isn't interested_. The average citizen wonders what all the fuss is about and why you don't get along with the officials, anyway, as long as they are fairly reasonable." He turned to Welton: "How much more of a delay can you stand without closing down?"
"A month."
"How soon must your deliveries begin?"
"July first."
"If you default this contract you can't meet your notes."
"What notes?"
"Don't do the baby blue-eyes. You can't start a show like this without borrowing. Furthermore, if you default this contract, you'll never get another, even if you do weather the storm."
"That's true," said Welton.
"Furthermore," insisted Baker, "Marshall and Harding will be considerably29 embarrassed to fill their contracts down below; and the building operations will go bump for lack of material, if they fail to make good. You can't stand or fall alone in this kind of a game."
Welton said nothing, but puffed30 strongly on his cigar.
"You're still doing the Sister Anne toward Washington," said Baker, pleasantly. "This came over the 'phone. I wired Mr. Orde in your name, asking what prospects31 there were for a speedy settlement. There's what he says!" He flipped32 a piece of scratch paper over to Welton.
"Deadlock," read the latter slowly. "No immediate33 prospect7. Will hasten matters through regular channels. Signed, Orde."
"Mr. Orde is familiar with the whole situation?" asked Baker.
"He is."
"Well, there's what he thinks about it even there. You'd better see to that fire protection. It's going to be a dry year."
"What's all your interest in this, anyway?" asked Bob.
Baker did not answer, but looked inquiringly toward Welton.
"Our interests are obviously his," said Welton. "We're the only two business propositions in this country. And if one of those two fail, how's the other to scratch along?"
"Correct, as far as you go," said Baker, who had listened attentively34. "Now, I'm no tight wad, and I'll give you another, gratis. It's strictly35 under your hats, though. If you fellows bust36, how do you think I could raise money to do business up here at all? It would hoodoo the country."
Silence fell on the three, while the fire leaped and fell and crackled. Welton's face showed still a trace of stubbornness. Suddenly Baker leaned forward, all his customary fresh spirits shining in his face.
"Don't like to take his na'ty medicine?" said he. "Well, now, I'll tell you. I know Plant mighty well. He eats out of my hand. He just loves me as a father. If I should go to him and say; 'Plant, my agile37 sylph, these people are my friends. Give them their nice little permit and let them run away and play,' why, he'd do it in a minute." Baker rolled his eyes drolly38 at Welton. "Can this be the shadow of doubt! You disbelieve my power?" He leaned forward and tapped Welton's knee. His voice became grave: "I'll tell you what I'll do. _I'll bet you a thousand dollars I can get your permit for you!"_
The two men looked steadily39 into each other's eyes.
At last Welton drew a deep sigh.
"I'll go you," said he.
Baker laughed gleefully.
"It's a cinch," said he. "Now, honest, don't you think so? Do you give up? Will you give me a check now?"
"I'll give you a check, and you can hunt up a good stakeholder," said Welton. "Shall I make it out to Plant?" he inquired sarcastically40.
"Make the check out to me," said Baker. "I'll just let Plant hold the stakes and decide the bet."
He rose.
"Bring out the fiery41, untamed steed!" he cried. "I must away!"
"Not to-night?" cried Bob in astonishment42.
"Plant's in his upper camp," said Baker, "and it's only five miles by trail. There's still a moon."
"But why this haste?"
"Well," said Baker, spreading his sturdy legs apart and surveying first one and then the other. "To tell you the truth, our old friend Plant is getting hostile about these prods43 from Washington, and he intimated he'd better hear from me before midnight to-day."
"You've already seen him!" cried Bob.
But Baker merely grinned.
As he stood by his horse preparing to mount, he remarked casually44.
"Just picked up a new man for my land business--name Oldham."
"Never heard of him," said Welton.
"He isn't the _Lucky Lands_ Oldham, is he?" asked Bob.
"Same chicken," replied Baker; then, as Bob laughed, "Think he's phoney? Maybe he'll take watching--and maybe he won't. I'm a good little watcher. But I do know he's got 'em all running up the street with their hats in their hands when it comes to getting results."
收听单词发音 |
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jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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baker
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| n.面包师 | |
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garbed
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| v.（尤指某类人穿的特定）服装，衣服，制服( garb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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strapped
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| adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
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buckles
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| 搭扣，扣环( buckle的名词复数 ) | |
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hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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prospector
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| n.探矿者 | |
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robin
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| n.知更鸟，红襟鸟 | |
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Amended
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| adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词 | |
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vouchsafe
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| v.惠予，准许 | |
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sprawled
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| v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词)；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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lumber
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| n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动 | |
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placidly
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| adv.平稳地，平静地 | |
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saccharine
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| adj.奉承的，讨好的 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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Congressman
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| n.（美）国会议员 | |
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barefaced
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| adj.厚颜无耻的，公然的 | |
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conundrums
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| n.谜，猜不透的难题，难答的问题( conundrum的名词复数 ) | |
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supervisor
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| n.监督人，管理人，检查员，督学，主管，导师 | |
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grafts
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| 移植( graft的名词复数 )； 行贿； 接穗； 行贿得到的利益 | |
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barefacedly
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| adv.不戴面具； 不要脸； 无耻； 露骨 | |
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bribery
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| n.贿络行为，行贿，受贿 | |
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ravages
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| 劫掠后的残迹，破坏的结果，毁坏后的残迹 | |
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devouring
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| 吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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bucking
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| v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的现在分词 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃 | |
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gratis
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| adj.免费的 | |
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cynical
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| adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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flipped
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| 轻弹( flip的过去式和过去分词 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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bust
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| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
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agile
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| adj.敏捷的，灵活的 | |
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drolly
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| adv.古里古怪地；滑稽地；幽默地；诙谐地 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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sarcastically
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| adv.挖苦地，讽刺地 | |
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fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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prods
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| n.刺，戳( prod的名词复数 )；刺激；促使；（用手指或尖物）戳v.刺，戳( prod的第三人称单数 )；刺激；促使；（用手指或尖物）戳 | |
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casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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