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speculated Orde； watching the smooth； swift； but burdened waters of
the chute。
And in this work the men distinguished easily the new white blaze…
marks on Heinzman's logs； so they were able without hesitation to
shunt them one side into the smoother water； as Orde had commanded。
About two o'clock the last log shot through。
〃Now； boys；〃 said Orde； 〃tear out the booms。〃
The chute to the dam was approached； as has been earlier explained；
by two rows of booms arranged in a V； or funnel； the apex of which
emptied into the sluice…way； and the wide； projecting arms of which
embraced the width of the stream。 The logs； floating down the pond；
were thus concentrated toward the sluice。 Also； the rivermen；
walking back and forth the length of the booms； were able easily to
keep the drive moving。
Now； however； Orde unchained these boom logs。 The men pushed them
ashore。 There as many as could find room on either side the boom…
poles clamped in their peavies； and； using these implements as
handles； carried the booms some distance back into the woods。 Then
everybody tramped back and forth； round and about； to confuse the
trail。 Orde was like a mischievous boy at a school prank。 When the
last timber had been concealed； he lifted up his deep voice in a
roar of joy； in which the crew joined。
Now let's turn in for a little sleep；〃 said be。
This situation； perhaps a little cloudy in the reader's mind； would
have cleared could he have looked out over the dam pond the
following morning。 The blazed logs belonging to Heinzman； drifting
slowly； had sucked down into the corner toward the power canal
where； caught against the grating； they had jammed。 These logs
would have to be floated singly； and pushed one by one against the
current across the pond and into the influence of the sluice…gate。
Some of them would be hard to come at。
〃I guess that will keep them busy for a day or two；〃 commented Orde；
as he followed the rear down to where it was sacking below the dam。
This； as Orde had said； would be sufficiently annoying to Heinzman；
but would have little real effect on the main issue； which was that
the German was getting down his logs with a crew of less than a
dozen men。 Nevertheless； Orde； in a vast spirit of fun； took
delight in inventing and executing practical jokes of the general
sort just described。 For instance； at one spot where he had boomed
the deeper channel from the rocks on either side； he shunted as many
of Heinzman's logs as came by handily through an opening he had made
in the booms。 There they grounded on the shallowsmore work for
the men following。 Many of the logs in charge of the latter；
however； catching the free current； overtook the rear； so that the
number of the 〃H〃 logs in the drive was not materially diminished。
At first； as has been hinted； these various tactics had little
effect。 One day； however； the chore boy； who had been over to
Spruce Rapids after mail； reported that an additional crew of twenty
had been sent in to Heinzman's drive。 This was gratifying。
〃We're making him scratch gravel； boys； anyway；〃 said Orde。
The men entered into the spirit of the thing。 In fact； their
enthusiasm was almost too exuberant。 Orde had constantly to
negative new and ingenious schemes。
〃No； boys；〃 said he； 〃I want to keep on the right side of the law。
We may need it later。〃
Meanwhile the entire length of the river was busy and excited。
Heinzman's logs were all blazed inside a week。 The men passed the
hatchets along the line； and slim chance did a marked log have of
rescue once the poor thing fell into difficulties。 With the strange
and interesting tendency rivermen and woodsmen have of personifying
the elements of their daily work； the men addressed the helpless
timbers in tones of contempt。
〃Thought you'd ride that rock； you ；〃 said they； 〃and
got left； did you？ Well； lie there and be to you！〃
And if chance offered； and time was not pressing； the riverman would
give his helpless victim a jerk or so into a more difficult
position。 Times of rising waterwhen the sluice…gates above had
been openedwere the most prolific of opportunities。 Logs rarely
jam on rising water； for the simple reason that constantly the
surface area of the river is increasing； thus tending to separate
the logs。 On the other hand； falling water； tending to crowd the
drive closer together； is especially prolific of trouble。
Therefore； on flood water the watchers scattered along the stretches
of the river had little to dosave strand Heinzman's logs for him。
And when flood water had passed； some of those logs were certainly
high and dry。
Up to a certain point this was all very well。 Orde took pains not
to countenance it officially； and caused word to be passed about；
that while he did not expect his men to help drive Heinzman's logs；
they must not go out of their way to strand them。
〃If things get too bad； he'll have spies down here to collect
evidence on us；〃 said Orde； 〃and he'll jug some of us for
interference with his property。 We don't own the river。〃
〃How about them booms？〃 asked the Rough Red。
〃I did own them；〃 explained Orde； 〃and I had a right to take them up
when I had finished with them。〃
This hint was enough。 The men did not cease from a labour that
tickled them mightily； but they adopted a code of signals。
Strangers were not uncommon。 Spectators came out often from the
little towns and from the farms round…about。 When one of these
appeared the riverman nearest raised a long falsetto cry。 This was
taken up by his next neighbour and passed on。 In a few minutes all
that section of the drive knew that it would be wise to 〃lie low。〃
And inside of two weeks Orde had the great satisfaction of learning
that Heinzman was workingand working harda crew of fifty men。
〃A pretty fair crew； even if he was taking out his whole drive；〃
commented Orde。
The gods of luck seemed to be with the new enterprise。 Although
Orde had； of course； taken the utmost pains to foresee every
contingency possible to guard against； nevertheless； as always when
dealing with Nature's larger forces； he anticipated some of those
gigantic obstacles which continually render uncertain wilderness
work。 Nothing of the kind happened。 There formed none of the
tremendous white…water jams that pile up several million feet of
logs； tax every resource of men； horses； and explosives； and require
a week or so to break。 No men were killed； and only two injured。
No unexpected floods swept away works on which the drive depended。
The water held out to carry the last stick of timber over the
shallowest rapids。 Weather conditions were phenomenaland perfect。
All up and down the river the work went with that vim and dash that
is in itself an assurance of success。 The Heinzman affair； which
under auspices of evil augury might have become a serious menace to
the success of the young undertaking； now served merely to add a
spice of humour to the situation。 Among the men gained currency a
half…affectionate belief in 〃Orde's luck。〃
After this happy fashion the drive went； until at last it entered
the broad； deep； and navigable stretches of the river from Redding
to the lake。 Here； barring the accident of an extraordinary flood；
the troubles were over。 On the broad； placid bosom of the stream
the logs would float。 A crew； following； would do the easy work of
sacking what logs would strand or eddy in the lazy current； would
roll into the faster waters the component parts of what were by
courtesy called jams； but which were in reality pile…ups of a few
hundred logs on sand bars mid…stream； and in the growing tepid
warmth of summer would tramp pleasantly along the river trail。 Of
course； a dry year would make necessary a larger crew and more
labour； of course； a big flood might sweep the logs past all
defences into the lake for an irretrievable loss。 But such floods
come once in a century； and even the dryest of dry years could not
now hang the drive。 As Orde sat in his buckboard； ready to go into
town for a first glimpse of Carroll in more than two months； he
gazed with an immense satisfaction over the broad river moving brown
and glacier…like as though the logs that covered it were viscid and
composed all its substance。 The enterprise was practically assured
of success。
For a while now Orde was to have a breathing spell。 A large number
of men were here laid off。 The remainder； under the direction of
Jim Denning； would require little or no actual supervision。 Until
the jam should have reached the distributing booms above Monrovia；
the affair was very simple。 Before he left； however； he called
Denning to him。
〃Jim；〃 said he； 〃I'll be down to see you thr