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！
Monrovia in the Company's distributing booms。 The second and
largest section of a hundred million came from the main river and
its largest tributaries。 It too made a safe drive； and was brought
to rest in the main booms and in a series of temporary or emergency
booms built along the right bank and upstream from the main works。
The third section containing a remainder of about seventy million
had by the twenty…sixth of June reached the slack water above the
city of Redding。
XXXVIII
The morning of June twenty…sixth dawned clear。 Orde was early on
the road before the heat of the day。 He drove his buckboard rapidly
over the twelve miles that separated his home from the distributing
booms； for he wanted at once to avoid the heat of the first sun and
to arrive at the commencement of the day's work。 After a glance at
the river； he entered the tiny office and set about the examination
of the tally sheets left by the foreman。 While he was engaged in
this checking； the foreman； Tom North； entered。
〃The river's rising a little〃？ he remarked conversationally as he
reached for the second set of tally boards。
〃You're crazy；〃 muttered Orde； without looking up。 〃It's clear as a
bell； and there have been no rains reported from anywhere。〃
〃It's rising a little； just the same；〃 insisted North； going out。
An hour later Orde； having finished his clerical work； walked out
over the booms。 The water certainly had risen； and considerably at
that。 A decided current sucked through the interstices in the
piling。 The penned logs moved uneasily。
〃I should think it was rising！〃 said Orde to himself； as he watched
the slowly moving water。 〃I wonder what's up。 It can't be merely
those rains three days ago。〃
He called one of the younger boys to him； Jimmy Powers by name。
〃Here； Jimmy；〃 said he； 〃mark one of these piles and keep track of
how fast the water rises。〃
For some time the river remained stationary； then resumed its slow
increase。 Orde shook his head。
〃I don't like June floods；〃 he told Tom North。 〃A fellow can
understand an ordinary spring freshet； and knows about how far it
will go； but these summer floods are so confounded mysterious。 I
can't figure out what's struck the old stream； unless they're having
almighty heavy rains up near headwaters。〃
By three o'clock in the afternoon Jimmy Powers reported a rise since
morning of six inches。 The current had proportionately increased in
power。
〃Tom；〃 said Orde to the old riverman； 〃I'm going to send Marsh down
for the pile…drivers and some cable。 The barge company has some
fifteen inch manilla。〃
North laughed。
〃What in blazes do you expect to do with that？〃 he inquired。
〃We may need them；〃 Orde stated with conviction。 〃Everything's safe
enough now； and probably will continue so； but I can't afford to
take chances。 If those logs ever break through they'll go on out to
Lake Michigan and there they wouldn't be worth the salvage。〃
Tom North stared at his principal in surprise。
〃That's a mighty long chance；〃 he commented。 〃Never knew you to
come so near croaking before； Jack。〃
〃If this drive goes out； it surely busts me；〃 replied Orde； 〃and I'm
not taking even long chances。〃
Captain Marsh； returning with the SPRITE； brought an evening paper
and news from the telegraph offices。 A cloudburst in the China
Creek district followed by continued heavy rains was responsible for
the increased water。 The papers mentioned this only incidentally；
and in explanation。 Their columns were filled with an account of
the big log jam that had formed above the iron railroad bridge。 The
planing mill's booms had given way under pressure and the contents
had piled down stream against the buttresses。 Before steps could be
taken to clear the way； the head of the drive； hurried by the excess
water； had piled in on top。 Immediately a jam formed； increasing in
weight each moment； until practically the entire third section had
piled up back of the bridge。
The papers occupied themselves with the picturesque side of the
affair。 None expressed any anxiety as to the bridge。 It was a new
structure； each of whose bents weighed over a hundred tons。 A fall
of a few inches only would suffice to lock the jam solidly； thus
relieving whatever pressure the mass exerted against the iron
bridge。 That the water would shortly go down was of course
inevitable at this time of year。 It would be a big jam for the
rivermen to break； however。
〃Do you think you'll go up there？〃 asked North。
Orde shook his head。
〃They're in a nice pickle；〃 he acknowledged； 〃but Nolan's in charge
and will do his best。 I think we may have troubles of our own right
here at home。〃
He slept that night at the booms。 The water； contrary to all
expectation； rose steadily。 By morning it had crept so far up the
piles that there began to be danger that it would overflow their
tops。 In that case； of course； the logs in the booms would also run
out。
〃Guess it's time we did a little work；〃 remarked Orde。
He set a crew of men to raising the height of the piling by tying
logs firmly to the bolted timbers atop。 This would take care of an
extra two feet of water； a two feet beyond all previous records。
Another crew stretched the fifteen inch manilla cables across the
field of logs in order to segregate them into several units of mass；
and so prevent them from piling up at the down…stream end of the
enclosure。 The pile…driver began to drop its hammer at spots of
weakness。 In spite of the accelerated current and the increased
volume of the river； everything was soon shipshape and safe。
〃We're all right now；〃 said Orde。 〃The only thing I'm a little
uneasy about is those confounded temporary booms upstream。 Still
they're all right unless they get to piling up。 Then we'll have to
see what we can do to hold them。 I think as soon as the driver is
through down at the sorting end； she'd better drive a few clumps of
piles to strengthen the swing when it is shut。 Then if the logs
pile down on us from above； we can hold them there。〃
About two hours later the pile…driver moved up。 The swing was
opened； and the men began to drive clumps of piles in such a
position as to strengthen the swing when the latter should be shut。
It was a slow job。 Each pile had to be taken from the raft at the
stern of the scow； erected in the 〃carrier；〃 and pounded into place
by the heavy hammer raised and let drop in the derrick at the bow。
Long before the task was finished； the logs in the temporary booms
had begun to slide atop one another； to cross and tangle； until at
last the river bed inside the booms was filled with a jam of
formidable dimensions。 From beneath it the water boiled in eddies。
Orde； looking at it； roused himself to sudden