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！
saw against the sky…line of the bristling jam the lank； flapping
figure with the old plug hat pushing frantically against the
immovable statics of a mighty power。 The exasperation of delay； the
anxiety lest success be lost through the mulish and narrow…minded
obstinacy of one man； the resentment against another obstacle not to
be foreseen and not to be expected in a task redundantly supplied
with obstacles of its ownthese found relief at last。
〃By Jove！〃 breathed Newmark softly to himselft up。 You'll kill yourself。〃
Reed turned to him； a wild light in his eye。
〃Break it！〃 he pleaded。 〃You're ruining me。 I've got all my money
in that mill。〃
〃Well；〃 said Orde； 〃we've got a lot of money in our logs too。 You
haven't treated us quite right。〃
Reed glanced frantically toward the flood up stream。
〃Come；〃 said Orde； taking him gently by the arm。 〃There's no reason
you and I shouldn't get along together all right。 Maybe we're both
a little hard…headed。 Let's talk it over。〃
He led the old man ashore； and out of earshot of the rivermen。
At the end of ten minutes he returned。
〃War's over； boys！〃 he shouted cheerfully。 〃Get in and break that
jam。〃
At once the crew swarmed across the log barrier to a point above the
centre pier。 This they attacked with their peavies；。
Charlie's temperament was pessimistic at best。 When the wanigan was
to be moved； he rose fairly to the heights of what might be called
destructive prophecy。
The packing began before the men had finished breakfast。 Shortly
after daylight the wanigan； pushed strongly from shore by the pike…
poles； was drifting toward the chute。 When the heavy scow
threatened to turn side…on； the sweeps at either end churned the
water frantically in an endeavour to straighten her out。 Sometimes；
by a rolling the top
logs off into the current below。 In less than no time they had torn
out quite a hole in the top layer。 The river rushed through the
opening。 Immediately the logs in the wings were tumbled in from
either side。 At first the men had to do all of the work； but soon
the river itself turned to their assistance。 Timbers creaked and
settled； or rose slightly buoyant as the water loosened the tangle。
Men trod on the edge of expectation。 Constantly the logs shifted；
and as constantly the men shifted also； avoiding the upheavals and
grindings together； wary eyes estimating the correlation of the
forces into whose crushing reach a single misstep would bring them。
The movement accelerated each instant； as the music of the play
hastens to the climax。 Wood fibres smashed。 The whole mass seemed
to sink down and forward into a boiling of waters。 Then； with a
creak and a groan； the jam moved； hesitated； moved again； finally；
urged by the frantic river； went out in a majestic crashing and
battering of logs。
At the first movement Newmark expected the rivermen to make their
escape。 Instead； they stood at attention； their peavies poised；
watching cat…eyed the symptoms of the break。 Twice or thrice
several of the men； observing something not evident to Newmark's
unpractised eye； ran forward； used their peavies vigorously for a
moment or so； and stood back to watch the result。 Only at the very
last； when it would seem that some of them must surely he caught；
did the river…jacks； using their peavy…shafts as balancing poles；
zigzag calmly to shore across the plunging logs。 Newmark seemed
impressed。
〃That was a close shave；〃 said he to the last man ashore。
〃What？〃 inquired the riverman。 〃Didn't see it。 Somebody fall
down？〃
〃Why； no；〃 explained Newmark； 〃getting in off those logs without
getting caught。〃
〃Oh！〃 said the man indifferently； turning away。
The going out of the jam drained the water from the lower floors of
the mill； the upp haven't lost much。 Now get
a move on you and bail out。 You've got to get over the shallows
while this head is on。〃
〃That's all the thanks you get；〃 grumbled Charlie to himself and the
other three as Orde moved away。 〃Work； slave； get up in the night；
drownd yourself〃
He happily discovered that the pails under the forward thwart had
not been carried away； and all started in to bail。 It was a back…
breaking job； and consumed the greater part of two hoursed
below the gunwale。 Zeke and his companion pulled spasmodically on
the sweeps。 Charlie； having regaineer stories and the grain were still safe。
By evening the sluice…gate had been roughly provided with pole
guides down which to slide to the bed of the river。 The following
morning saw the work going on as methodically as ever。 During the
night a very good head of water had gathered behind the lowered
gate。 The rear crew brought down the afterguard of logs to the
pond。 The sluicers with their long pike…poles thrust the logs into
the chute。 The jam crew； scattered for many miles along the lower
stretches； kept the drive going； running out over the surface of the
river like water…bugs to thrust apart logs threatening to lock；
leaning for hours on the shafts of their peavies watching
contemplatively the orderly ranks as they drifted by； sleepy； on the
bosom of the river； occasionally gathering； as the filling of the
river gave warning； to break a jam。 By the end of the second day
the pond was clear； and as Charlie's wanigan was drifting toward the
chute； the first of Johnson's drive floated into the head of the
pond。
V
Charlie's wanigan； in case you do not happen to know what such a
thing may be； was a scow about twenty feet long by ten wide。 It was
very solidly constructed of hewn timbers； square at both ends； was
inconceivably clumsy； and weighed an unbelievable number of pounds。
When loaded； it carried all the bed…rolls； tents； provisions；
cooking utensils； tools； and a chest of tobacco； clothes； and other
minor supplmisunderstanding； they worked against each other。 Then
Charlie； raging from one to the other of his satellites； frothed and
roared commands and vituperations。 His voice rose to a shriek。 The
cookees； bewildered by so much violence； lost their heads
completely。 Then Charlie abruptly fell to an exaggerated calm。 He
sat down amidships on a pile of bags； and gazed with ostentatious
indifference out over the pond。 Finally； in a voice fallen almost
to a whisper； and with an elaborate politeness； Charlie proffered a
request that his assistants acquire the sense God gave a rooster。
Newmark； who had elected to accompany the wanigan on its voyage；
evidently found it vastly amusing； for his eyes twinkled behind his
glasses。 As the wanigan neared the sluice through which it must
shoot the flood…water； the excitement mounted to fever pitch。 The
water boiled under the strokes of the long steering oars。 The air
swirled with the multitude and vigour of Charlie's c