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water boiled under the strokes of the long steering oars。 The air
swirled with the multitude and vigour of Charlie's commands。 As
many of the driving crew as were within distance gathered to watch。
It was a supreme moment。 As Newmark looked at the smooth rim of the
water sucking into the chute； he began to wonder why he had come。
However； the noble ship was pointed right at last； and caught the
faster water head…on。 Even Charlie managed to look cheerful for an
instant； and to grin at his passenger as he wiped his forehead with
a very old； red handkerchief。
〃All right now；〃 he shouted。
Zeke and his mate took in the oars。 The wanigan shot forward below
the gate
WHACK！ BUMP！ BANG！ and the scow stopped so suddenly that its four
men plunged forward in a miscellaneous heap； while Zeke narrowly
escaped going overboard。 Almost immediately the water； backed up
behind the stern； began to overflow into the boat。 Newmark；
clearing his vision as well as he could for lack of his glasses； saw
that the scow had evidently run her bow on an obstruction； and had
been brought to a standstill square beneath the sluice…gate。 Men
seemed to be running toward them。 The water was beginning to flow
the entire length of the boat。 Various lighter articles shot past
him and disappeared over the side。 Charlie had gone crazy and was
grabbing at these； quite uselessly； for as fast as he had caught one
thing he let it go in favour of another。 The cookees； retaining
some small degree of coolness； were pushing uselessly with pike…
poles。
Newmark had an inspiration。 The more important matters； such as the
men's clothes…bags； the rolls of bedding； and the heavier supplies
of provisions； had not yet cut loose from their moorings； although
the rapid backing of the water threatened soon to convert the
wanigan into a chute for nearly the full volume of the current。 He
seized one of the long oars； thrust the blade under the edge of a
thwart astern laid the shaft of the oar across the cargo； and by
resting his weight on the handle attempted to bring it down to bind
d his equanimity together with
his old brown derby； which he came upon floating sodden in an eddy；
marched up and down the broad gunwale with his pike…pole； thrusting
away such logs as threatened interference。
〃Well；〃 said he at last； 〃we better make camp。 We'll be down in the
jam pretty soon。〃
The cookees abandoned the sweeps in favour of more pike…poles。 By
pushing and pulling on the logs floating about them； they managed to
work the wanigan in close tthe contents of the wanigan to their places。 The
cookees saw what
he was about； and came to his assistance。 Together they succeeded
in bending the long hickory sweep far enough to catch its handle…end
under another； forward； thwart。 The second oar was quickly locked
alongside the first； and not a moment too soon。 A rush of water
forced them all to cling for their lives。 The poor old wanigan was
almost buried by the river。
But now help was at hand。 Two or three rivermen appeared at the
edge of the chute。 A moment later old man Reed ran up； carrying a
rope。 This； after some difficulty； was made fast to the bow of the
wanigan。 A dozen men ran with the end of it to a position of
vantage from which they might be able to pull the bow away from the
sunken obstruction； but Orde； appearing above； called a halt。 After
consultation with Reed； another rope was brought and the end of it
tossed down to the shipwrecked crew。 Orde pointed to the stern of
the boat； revolving his hands in pantomime to show that the wanigan
would be apt to upset if allowed to get side…on when freed。 A short
rope led to the top of the dam allowed the bow to be lifted free of
the obstruction； a cable astern prevented the current from throwing
her broadside to the rush of waters； another cable from the bow led
her in the way she should go。 Ten minutes later she was pulled
ashore out of the eddy below； very much water…logged； and manned by
a drenched and disgruntled crew。
But Orde allowed them little chance for lamentation。
〃Hard luck！〃 he said briefly。 〃Hope you。 Even at
the end of that time the wanigan； though dry of loose water； floated
but sluggishly。
〃'Bout two ton of water in them bed…rolls and turkeys；〃 grumbled
Charlie。 〃Well； get at it！〃
Newmark soon discovered that the progress of the wanigan was looked
upon in the light of a side…show by the rivermen。 Its appearance
was signal for shouts of delighted and ironic encouragement； its
tribulationswhich at first； in the white…water； were manythe
occasion for unsympathetic and unholy joy。 Charlie looked on all
spectators as enemies。 Part of the time he merely glowered。 Part
of the time he tried to reply in kind。 To his intense disgust； he
was taken seriously in neither case。
In a couple of hours' run the wanigan had overtaken and left far
behind the rear of the drive。 All about floated the logs； caroming
gently one against the other； shifting and changing the pattern of
their brown against the blue of the water。 The current flowed
strongly and smoothly； but without obstruction。 Everything went
well。 The banks slipped by silently and mysteriously； like the
unrolling of a panoramalittle strips of marshland； stretches of
woodland where the great trees leaned out over the river； thickets
of overflowed swampland with the water rising and draining among
roots in a strange regularity of its own。 The sun shone warm。
There was no wind。 Newmark wrung out his outer garments； and basko the bank。
Charlie； a coil of rope in
his hand； surveyed the prospects。
〃We'll stop right down there by that little knoll；〃 he announced。
He leaped ashore； made a turn around a tree； and braced himself to
snub the boat； but unfortunately he had not taken into consideration
the 〃two ton〃 of water soaked up by the cargo。 The weight of the
craft relentlessly dragged him forward。 In vain he braced and
struggled。 The end of the rope came to the tree； he clung for a
moment； then let go； and ran around the tree to catch it before it
should slip into the water。
By this time the wanigan had caught the stronger current at the bend
and was gathering momentum。 Charlie tried to snub at a sapling； and
broke the sapling； on a stub； and uprooted the stub。 Down the banks
and through the brush he tore at the end of his rope； clinging
desperately； trying at every solid tree to stop the career of his
runaway； but in every instance being forced by the danger of jamming
his hands to let go。 Again he lost his derby。 The landscape was a
blur。 Dimly he made out the howls of laughter as the outfit passed
a group of rivermen。 Then abruptly a ravine yawned before him； and
he let go just in time to save himself a fall。 The wanigan；
trailing her rope； drifted away。
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