the riverman-第67章

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examined　the　supports　of　the　derrick　on　deck。



〃That　was　lucky；〃　said　Orde　briefly　to　Aspinwall。　　〃How's　the　

damage？　　Stove　you　in？〃



〃II　don't　think　so；〃　replied　the　captain；　turning　a　rather　

perturbed　face　to　Orde。



〃That's　good。　　I'll　send　over　the　tug　to　help　get　her　afloat。　　We've　

got　our　work　cut　out　for　us　now。　　As　soon　as　you're　afloat；　blow　

your　whistle　and　I'll　come　over　to　tell　you　what　to　do。〃



〃You　don't　expect　me　to　work　my　driver　under　the　face　of　that　jam！〃　

cried　the　captain。



〃Certainly；〃　snapped　Orde；　wheeling。



〃Not　me！〃　said　Aspinwall　positively。　　〃I　know　when　I've　got　enough！〃



〃What's　the　matter？〃　asked　Orde。



〃It　isn't　safe；〃　replied　the　captain；　〃and　I　don't　intend　to　risk　my　

men　or　my　driver。〃



Orde　stood　for　a　moment　stock…still；　then　with　a　snort　of　anger　he　

leaped　to　the　deck；　seized　the　man　by　the　neck　and　thrust　him　bodily　

over　the　side　to　the　bank。



Safe；　you　white…livered　skunk！〃　he　roared。　　〃Safe！　　Go　over　in　the　

middle　of　that　ten…acre　lot　and　lie　down　on　your　face　and　see　if　you　

feel　safe　there！　　Get　out；　the　whole　pack　of　you！　　I'm　in　charge　

here　now。〃



Captain　Aspinwall　picked　himself　up；　his　face　red　with　anger。



〃Get　off　my　driver；〃　he　snarled。　　〃Put　that　man　off。〃



Orde　seized　a　short　heavy　bar。



〃This　driver　is　requisitioned；〃　said　he。　　〃Get　out！　　I　haven't　time　

to　fool　with　you。　　I've　got　to　save　my　logs。〃



They　hesitated；　and　while　they　did　so　Tom　North　and　some　others　of　

the　crew　came　running　across　the　jam。



〃Get　a　cable　to　the　winch；〃　Orde　shouted　at　these　as　soon　as　they　

were　within　hearing。　　〃And　get　Marsh　up　here　with　the　SPRITE。　　We've　

got　to　get　afloat。〃



He　paid　no　more　attention　to　the　ejected　crew。　　The　latter；　overawed　

by　the　rivermen；　who　now　gathered　in　full　force；　took　the　part　of　

spectators。



A　few　minutes'　hard　work　put　the　driver　afloat。　　Fortunately　its　

raft　of　piles　had　not　become　detached　in　the　upheaval。



〃Tom；〃　said　Orde　briskly　to　North；　〃you　know　the　pile…driver　

business。　　Pick　out　your　crew；　and　take　charge。〃



In　ten　seconds　of　time　the　situation　had　changed　from　one　of　

comparative　safety　to　one　of　extreme　gravity。　　The　logs；　broken　

loose　from　the　upper　temporary　booms；　now　jammed　against　the　swing　

and　against　the　other　logs　already　filling　the　main　booms。　　Already　

the　pressure　was　beginning　to　tell；　as　the　water　banked　up　behind　

the　mass。　　The　fifteen…inch　cables　tightened　slowly　but　mightily；　

some　of　the　piles　began　to　groan　and　rub　one　against　the　other；　here　

and　there　a　log　deliberately　up…ended　above　the　level。



Orde　took　charge　of　the　situation　in　its　entirety；　as　a　general　

might。　　He　set　North　immediately　to　driving　clumps　each　of　sixteen　

piles；　bound　to　solidity　by　chains；　and　so　arranged　in　angles　and　

slants　as　to　direct　the　enormous　pressure　toward　either　bank；　thus　

splitting　the　enemy's　power。　　The　small　driver　owned　by　the　Boom　

Company　drove　similar　clumps　here；　there　and　everywhere　that　need　

arose　or　weakness　developed。　　Seventy…five　men　opposed；　to　the　

weight　of　twenty　million　tons　of　logs　and　a　river　of　water；　the　

expedients　invented　by　determination　and　desperation。



As　in　a　virulent　disease；　the　symptoms　developed　rapidly　when　once　

the　course　of　the　malady　was　assured。　　After　the　first　rush；　when　

the　upper　booms　broke；　nothing　spectacular　occurred。　　Steadily　and　

relentlessly　the　logs；　packed　close　together　down　to　the　very　bed　of　

the　stream；　pressed　outward　against　the　frail　defences。　　Orde　soon　

found　himself　forced　from　the　consideration　of　definite　plans　of　

campaign。　　He　gave　over　formal　defences；　and　threw　his　energies　to　

saving　the　weak　places　which　rapidly　developed。　　By　the　most　

tremendous　exertions　he　seemed　but　just　able　to　keep　even。　　So　

closely　balanced　was　the　equilibrium　between　the　improvisation　of　

defence　and　the　increase　of　pressure　behind　the　jam　that　it　seemed　

as　if　even　a　moment's　breathing　spell　would　bring　the　deluge。　　Piles　

quivered；　bent　slowly　outwardimmediately；　before　the　logs　behind　

them　could　stir；　the　pile…driver　must　do　its　work。　　Back　and　forth　

darted　the　SPRITE　and　her　sister…tug　the　SPRAY　towing　the　pile…

drivers　or　the　strings　of　piles。　　Under　the　frowning　destruction　

that　a　breath　might　loosen；　the　crews　had　to　do　their　work。　　And　if　

ever　that　breath　should　come；　there　would　be　no　chance　for　escape。　　

Crushed　and　buried；　the　men　and　their　craft　alike　would　be　borne　

with　the　breaking　jam　to　an　unknown　grave　in　the　Lake。　　Every　man　

knew　it。



Darkness　came。　　No　one　stopped　for　food。　　By　the　light　of　lanterns　

the　struggle　went　on；　doubly　terrifying　in　the　mystery　of　night。　　By　

day　the　men；　practised　in　such　matters；　could　at　least　judge　of　the　

probabilities　of　a　break。　　At　night　they　had　to　work　blindly；　

uncertain　at　what　moment　the　forces　they　could　not　see　would　cut　

loose　to　overwhelm　them。



Morning　found　no　change　in　the　situation。　　The　water　rose　steadily；　

the　logs　grew　more　and　more　restive；　the　defences　weaker　and　more　

inadequate。　　Orde　brought　out　steaming　pails　of　coffee　which　the　men　

gulped　down　between　moments。　　No　one　thought　of　quitting。　　They　were　

afire　with　the　flame　of　combat；　and　were　set　obstinately　on　winning　

even　in　the　face　of　odds。　　About　ten　o'clock　they　were　reinforced　by　

men　from　the　mills　downstream。　　The　Owners　of　those　mills　had　no　

mind　to　lose　their　logs。　　Another　pile…driver　was　also　sent　up　from　

the　Government　work。　　Without　this　assistance　the　jam　must　surely　

have　gone　out。　　Spectators　marvelled　how　it　held　as　it　did。　　The　

mass　seemed　constantly　to　quiver　on　the　edge　of　motion。　　Here　and　

there　over　the　surface　of　the　jam　single　logs　could　be　seen　popping　

suddenly　into　the　air；　propelled　as　an　apple　seed　is　projected　from　

between　a　boy's　thumb　and　forefinger。　　Some　of　the　fifteen…inch　

cables　stretched　to　the　shore　parted。　　One；　which　passed　once　around　

an　oak　tree　before　reaching　its　shore　anchorage；　actually　buried　

itself　out　of　sight　in　the　hard　wood。　　Bunches　of　piles　bent；　

twisted；　or　were　cut　off　as　though　they　had　been　but　shocks　of　

Indian　corn。　　The　current　had　become　so　swift　that　the　tugs　could　

not　hold　the　drivers　against　it；　and　as　a　consequence；　before　

commencing　operations；　special　mooring　piles　had　to　be　driven。　　Each　

minute　threatened　to　bring　an　end　to　the　jam；　yet　it　held；　and　

without　rest　the　dogged　little　insects　under　its　face　toiled　to　gain　

an　inch　on　the　waters。







XXXIX





All　that　day　and　the　next　night　the　fight　was　hand　to　hand；　without　

the　opportunity　of　a　breathing　space。　　Then　Orde；　bareheaded　and　

dishevelled；　strung　to　a　high　excitement；　but　cool　as　a　veteran　

under　fire；　began　to　be　harassed　by　annoyances。　　The　piles　provided　

for　the　drivers　gave　out。　　Newmark　left；　ostensibly　to　purchase　

more。　　He　did　not　return。　　Tom　North　and　Jim　Denning；　their　eyes　

burning　deep　in　their　heads　for　lack　of　sleep；　came　to　Orde　holding　

to　him　symbolically　their　empty　hands。



〃No　more　piles；〃　they　said　briefly。



〃Get　'em；〃　said　Orde　with　equal　brevity。　　〃Newmark　will　have　enough　

here　shortly。　　In　the　meantime；　get　them。〃



North　and　his　friend　disappeared；　taking　with　them　the　crews　of　the　

drivers　and　the　two　tugs。　　After　an　interval　they　returned　towing　

small　rafts　of　the　long　timbers。　　Orde　did　not　make　any　inquiries；　

nor　until　days　later　did　he　see　a　copy　of　the　newspaper　telling　how　

a　lawless　gang　of　rivermen　had　driven　away　the　railroad　men　and　

stolen　the　railroad's　property。　　These　piles　lasted　five　or　six　

hours。　　Tom　North　placed　and　drove　them　accurately　and　deliberately；　

quite　unmindful　of　the　constant　danger。　　A　cold　fire　seemed　to　

consume　the　man；　inflaming　his　courage　and　his　dogged　obstinacy。　　

Once　a　wing　of　the　jam　broke　suddenly　just　as　his　crew　had　placed　a　

pile　in　the　carrier。　　The　scow　was　pi