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handle a lot of drunken river…hogs as well as go against a game。〃
〃All right；〃 agreed Nolan； 〃I'm with you。〃
The thirty or so men of the rear crew then in camp signified their
intention to stay by the procession。
〃You can't make those sharps disgorge；〃 counselled Newmark。 〃At the
first look of trouble they will light out。 They have it all fixed。
Force won't do you much goodand may get some of you shot。〃
〃I'm not going to use force；〃 denied Orde。 〃I'm just going to play
their game。 But I bet I can make it go。 Only I sort of want the
moral support of the boys。〃
〃I tell you； you CAN'T win！〃 cried Newmark disgustedly。 〃It's a
brace game pure and simple。〃
〃I don't know about it's being pure；〃 replied Orde drolly； 〃but it's
simple enough； if you know how to make the wheels go 'round。 How is
it； boyswill you back my play？〃
And such was their confidence that； in face of Newmark's
demonstration； they said they would。
VII
After the men had been paid off； perhaps a dozen of them hung around
the yards awaiting evening and the rendezvous named by Orde。 The
rest drifted away full of good intentions； but did not show up
again。 Orde himself was busy up to the last moment； but finally
stamped out of the office just as the boarding…house bell rang for
supper。 He surveyed what remained of his old crew and grinned。
〃Well； boys； ready for trouble？〃 he greeted them。 〃Come on。〃
They set out up the long reach of Water Street； their steel caulks
biting deep into the pitted board…walks。
For nearly a mile the street was flanked solely by lumber…yards；
small mills； and factories。 Then came a strip of unimproved land；
followed immediately by the wooden； ramshackle structures of Hell's
Half…Mile。
In the old days every town of any size had its Hell's Half…Mile； or
the equivalent。 Saginaw boasted of its Catacombs； Muskegon； Alpena；
Port Huron； Ludington； had their 〃Pens；〃 〃White Rows；〃 〃River
Streets；〃 〃Kilyubbin；〃 and so forth。 They supported row upon row of
saloons； alike stuffy and squalid； gambling hells of all sorts；
refreshment 〃parlours；〃 where drinks were served by dozens of
〃pretty waiter…girls；〃 and huge dance…halls。
The proprietors of these places were a bold and unscrupulous lot。
In their everyday business they had to deal with the most dangerous
rough…and…tumble fighters this country has ever known； with men
bubbling over with the joy of life； ready for quarrel if quarrel
also spelled fun； drinking deep； and heavy…handed and fearless in
their cups。 But each of these rivermen had two or three hundred
dollars to 〃blow〃 as soon as possible。 The pickings were good。 Men
got rich very quickly at this business。 And there existed this
great advantage in favour of the dive…keeper： nobody cared what
happened to a riverman。 You could pound him over the head with a
lead pipe； or drug his drink； or choke him to insensibility； or rob
him and throw him out into the street； or even drop him tidily
through a trap…door into the river flowing conveniently beneath。
Nobody botheredunless； of course； the affair was so bungled as to
become public。 The police knew enough to stay away when the drive
hit town。 They would have been annihilated if they had not。 The
only fly in the divekeeper's ointment was that the riverman would
fight back。
And fight back he did； until from one end of his street to the other
he had left the battered evidences of his skill as a warrior。 His
constant heavy lifting made him as hard as nails and as strong as a
horse； the continual demand on his agility in riding the logs kept
him active and prevented him from becoming muscle…bound； in his wild
heart was not the least trace of fear of anything that walked；
crawled； or flew。 And he was as tireless as machinery； and
apparently as indifferent to punishment as a man cast in iron。
Add to this a happy and complete disregard of consequencesto
himself or othersof anything he did； and； in his own words； he was
a 〃hard man to nick。〃
As yet the season was too early for much joy along Hell's Half…Mile。
Orde's little crew； and the forty or fifty men of the drive that had
preceded him； constituted the rank and file at that moment in town。
A little later； when all the drives on the river should be in； and
those of its tributaries； and the men still lingering at the woods
camps； at least five hundred woods…weary men would be turned loose。
Then Hell's Half…Mile would awaken in earnest from its hibernation。
The lights would blaze from day to day。 From its opened windows
would blare the music； the cries of men and women； the shuffle of
feet； the noise of fighting； the shrieks of wild laughter； curses
deep and frank and unashamed； songs broken and interrupted。 Crews
of men； arms locked； would surge up and down the narrow sidewalks；
their little felt hats cocked one side； their heads back； their
fearless eyes challenging the devil and all his worksand getting
the challenge accepted。 Girls would flit across the lit windows
like shadows before flames； or stand in the doorways hailing the men
jovially by name。 And every few moments； above the roar of this
wild inferno； would sound the sudden crash and the dull blows of
combat。 Only； never was heard the bark of the pistol。 The fighting
was fierce； and it included kicking with the sharp steel boot…
caulks； biting and gouging； but it barred knives and firearms。 And
when Hell's Half…Mile was thus in full eruption； the citizens of
Redding stayed away from Water Street after dark。 〃Drive's in；〃
said they； and had business elsewhere。 And the next group of
rivermen； hurrying toward the fun； broke into an eager dog…trot。
〃Taking the old town apart to…night；〃 they told each other。 〃Let's
get in the game。〃
To…night； however； the street was comparatively quiet。 The saloons
were of modified illumination。 In many of them men stood drinking；
but in a sociable rather than a hilarious mood。 Old friends of the
two drives were getting together for a friendly glass。 The
barkeepers were listlessly wiping the bars。 The 〃pretty waiter…
girls〃 gossiped with each other and yawned behind their hands。 From
several doorways Orde's little compact group was accosted by the
burly saloonkeepers。
〃Hullo； boys！〃 said they invariably； 〃glad to see you back。 Come in
and have a drink on me。〃
Well these men knew that one free drink would mean a dozen paid for。
But the rivermen merely shook their heads。
〃Huh！〃 sneered one of the girls。 〃Them's no river…jacks！ Them's
just off the hay trail； I bet！〃
But even this time…honoured and generally effective taunt was
ignored。
In the middle of the third block Orde wheeled sharp to the left down
a dark and dangerous…looking alley。 Another turn to the right
brought him into a very narrow street。 Fac