Vandemarks Folly | Page 6

the boys driving the mules or horses drawing the boats could
almost strike me with their whips, which they often tried to do as they
went by. Then I would scuttle back into the brush and hide. There was
a lock just below, but I seldom went to it because all the drivers were
egged on to fight each other during the delay at the locks, and the
canallers would have been sure to set them on me for the fun of seeing
a fight.
On the most eventful evening of my life, perhaps. I sat on this stump,
watching a boat which, after passing me, was slowing down and
stopping. I heard the captain swearing at some one, and saw him come
ashore and start back along the tow-path toward me as if looking for
something. He was a tall man whom I had seen pass at other times, and

I was wondering whether he would speak to me or not, when I felt
somebody's hand snatch at my collar, and a whip came down over my
thin shirt with a cut which as I write I seem to feel yet. It was John
Rucker, coming home when we were not expecting him, and mad at
finding me out of the factory.
"I'll learn yeh to steal my time!" he was saying. "I'll learn your mother
to lie to me about your workin'. A great lubber like you traipsin' around
idle, and my woman bringin' a doctor's bill on me by workin' night an'
day to make up your wages to me--and lyin' to her husband! I'll track
you by the blood! Take that--and that--and that!"
I had never resisted him: and even now I only tried to wiggle away
from him. He held me with one hand, though; and at every pause in his
scolding he cut me with the whip. Weeks after the welts on my back
and shoulders turned dark along the line of the whip, and greenish at
the edges. I did not cry. I felt numbed with fright and rage. Suddenly,
however, the tall canal-boat captain, coming back along the tow-path,
put in his oar by striking the whip out of John Rucker's hand; and
snatched me away from him.
"I'll have the law on you!" snarled Rucker.
"The devil you will!" said the captain.
"I'll put you through!" screamed Rucker.
The captain eased himself forward by advancing his left foot, and with
his right fist he smashed Rucker somewhere about the face. Rucker
went down, and the captain picked up the whip, and carefully laying
Rucker on his face stripped up his shirt and revenged me, lash for lash;
and counting each cut stopped when he reached ten.
"I guess that's the number," said he, taking a look at my bloody back;
"but for fear of fallin' short, here's another!" And he drew the whip
back, and brought it down with a quick, sharp, terrible whistle that
proved its force. "Now," said he, "you've got somethin' to put me
through fer!"

Then he started back toward the boat, after picking up a clevis which it
seems the driver-boy had dropped. I looked at Rucker a moment
wondering what to do. He was slowly getting on his feet, groaning,
bloody of face and back, miserable and pitiable. But when he saw me
his look of hatred drove out of my mind my first impulse to help him. I
turned and ran after the captain. That worthy never looked at me; but
when he reached the boat he said to some one on board: "Bill, I call you
to bear witness that I refused Bubby here a chance to run away."
"Ay, ay, sir," responded a voice from the boat.
The captain took me gently by the hand and helped me over the
gunwale.
"Get out o' here," he shouted, "an' go back to your lovin' father!"
I sought to obey, but he winked at me and motioned me into the little
cabin forward.
"An' now, my buck," said he, "that you've stowed yourself away and
got so far from home that to put you ashore would be to maroon you in
the wilderness, do you want to take a job as driver? That boy I've got
lives in Salina, and we'll take you on if you feel like a life on the ocean
wave. Can you drive?"
"I do' know!" said I.
"Have you ever worked?" he asked.
"I've worked ever since I was six," I answered.
"Would you like to work for me?" said he.
I looked him in the face for a moment, and answered confidently,
"Yes."
"It's a whack," said he. "Maybe we'd better doctor that back o' your'n a
little, and git yeh heartened up for duty."

And so, before I knew it,