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！
around the bend where she was snubbed by the safety line already
mentioned。
Immediately the tug churned forward to accomplish the last duty；
that of binding the defences together by means of chains and cables。
Two men leaped to the floating booms and moved her fore and aft。
Orde and the Rough Red set about the task。 Methodically they worked
from either end toward the middle。 When they met finally； Orde
directed his assistant to get aboard the tug。
〃I'll tie this one； Jimmy；〃 said he。
Aboard the tug all was tense preparation。 Marsh grasped alertly the
spokes of the wheel。 In the engine…room Harvey； his hand on the
throttle； stood ready to throw her wide open at the signal。 Armed
with sharp axes two men prepared to cut the mooring lines on a sign
from the Rough Red。 They watched his upraised hand。 When it should
descend； their axes must fall。
〃Look out；〃 the Rough Red warned Orde； who was methodically tying
the last cumbersome knot； 〃she's getting ready！〃
Orde folded the knot over without reply。 Up stream the jam creaked；
groaned； settled deliberately forward； cutting a clump of piles like
straw。
〃She's coming！〃 cried the Rough Red。
〃Give me every second you can；〃 said Orde； without looking up。 He
was just making the last turns。
The mass toppled slowly； fell into the swift current； and leaped
with a roar。 The Rough Red watched with cat…like attention。rew worked as though
mad。 Excepting them； no one ventured on the
river； for to be caught in the imminent break meant to die。 Old
spars； refuse timbers of all sortsanything and everything was
requisitioned that might help form an obstruction above or below
water。 Piles were taken where they could be found。 Farmer's trees
were cut down。 Pines belonging to divers and protesting owners were
felled and sharpened。 Some were brought in by rail。 Even the
inviolate Government supply was commandeered。 The Railroad Company
had a fine lot which； with remarkable shortsightedness and lack of
public spirit； they refused to sell at any price。 The crew took
them by force。 Once Captain Marsh was found up to his waist in
water； himself felling the trees of a wood； and dragging them to the
river by a cable attached to the winch of his tug。 Night followed
day； and da
〃Jump！〃 he cried at last； and his right arm descended。
With the shout and the motion several things happened
simultaneously。 Orde leaped blindly for the rail； where he was
seized and dragged aboard by the Rough Red； the axes fell； Marsh
whirled over the wheel； Harvey threw open his throttle。 The tug
sprang from its leash like a hound。 And behind the barrier the
logs； tossing and tumbling； the white spray flying before their
onslaught； beat in vain against the barrier； like raging wild beasts
whose prey has escaped。
〃Close call；〃 said Orde briefly。
〃Bet you；〃 replied Marsh。
Neither referred to the tug's escape； but to the fortunate closing
of the opening。
XLI
Orde now took steps to deflect into the channel recently dredged to
Stearn's Bayou the mass of the logs racing down stream from Redding。
He estimated that he had still two hours or so in which to do the
work。 In this time he succeeded by the severest efforts in
establishing a rough shunt into the new channel。 The logs would
come down running free。 Only the shock of their impact against the
tail of the jam already formed was to be feared。 Orde hoped to be
able to turn the bulk of them aside。
This at first he succeeded in doing； and very successfully as
affecting the pressure on the jam below。 The first logs came
scattering。 Then in a little while the surface of the river was
covered with them； they shouldered each other aside in their
eagerness to outstrip the rushing water； finally they crowded down
more slowly； hardly able to make their way against the choking of
the river banks； but putting forth in the very effort to proceed a
tremendous power。 To the crew working in the channel dredged
through to Steam's Bayou the affair was that of driving a rather
narrow and swift stream； only exaggerated。 By quick and skilful
work they succeeded in keeping the logs in motion。 A large
proportion of the timbers found their way into the bayou。 Those
that continued on down the river could hardly have much effect on
the jam。
The work was breathless in its speed。 From one to another sweat…
bathed； panting man the logs were handed on。 As yet only the
advance of the big jam had arrived at the dredged channel。
Orde looked about him and realised this。
〃We can't keep this up when the main body hits us；〃 he panted to his
neighbour； Jim Denning。 〃We'll have to do some more pile…driver
work。〃
He made a rapid excursion to the boom camp； whence he returned with
thirty or forty of the men who had given up work on the jam below。
〃Here； boys；〃 said he； 〃you can at least keep these logs moving in
this channel for a couple of hours。 This isn't dangerous。〃
He spoke quite without sarcastic intent； but the rivermen； already
over their first panic； looked at each other a trifle shamefacedly。
〃I'll tie into her wherever you say；〃 said one big fellow。 If you
fellows are going back to the jam； I'm with you。〃
Two or three more volunteered。 The remainder said nothing； but in
silence took charge of the dredged channel。
Orde and his men now returned to the jam where； on the pile…driver；
the tugs； and the booms； they set methodically to strengthening the
defences as well as they were able。
〃She's holding strong and dandy；〃 said Orde to Tom North； examining
critically the clumps of piles。 〃That channel helps a lot in more
ways than one。 It takes an awful lot of water out of the river。 As
long as those fellows keep the logs moving； I really believe we're
all right。〃
But shortly the water began to rise again； this time fairly by
leaps。 In immediate response the jam increased its pressure。 For
the hundredth time the frail wooden defences opposed to millions of
pounds were tested to the very extreme of their endurance。 The
clumps of piles sagged outward； the network of chains and cables
tightened and tightened again； drawing ever nearer the snapping
point。 Suddenly； almost without warning； the situation had become
desperate。
And for the first time Orde completely lost his poise and became
fluently profane。 He shook his fist against the menacing logs； he
apostrophised the river； the high water； the jam； the deserters；
Newmark and his illness； ending finally in a general anathema
against any and all streams； logs； and floods。 Then he stormed away
to see if anything had gone wrong at the dredged channel。
〃Well；〃 said Tom North； 〃they've got the old man real good and mad
this time。〃
The crew went on driving piles； stringiy night again。 None of the crews realised
the fact。 The
men were caught in the toils of a labour ceaseless and eternal。
Never would it end； just as never had it begun。 Always were they to
handle piles； steam hammeng cables； binding chains；
although； now that the inspiration of Orde's combative spirit was
withdrawn the labours seemed useless； futile； a mere filling in of
the time before the supreme moment when they would be called upon to
pay the sacrifice their persistence and loyalty had proffered for
the altar of self…respect and the invincibility of the human Soul。
At the dredged channel Orde saw the rivermen standing idle； and；
half…blind with anger he burst upon them demanding by this； that and
the other what they meant。 Then be stopped short and stared。
Square across the dredged channel and completely blocking it lay a
single span of an iron bridge。 Although twisted and misshapen； it
was still intact； the framework of its overhead truss…work retaining
its cage…like shape。 Behind it the logs had of course piled up in a
jam； which； sinking rapidly to the bed of the channel； had dammed
back the water。
〃Where in hell did that drop from？〃 cried Orde。
〃Come down on top the jam；〃 explained a riverman。 Must have come
way from Redding。 We just couldn't SCARE her out of here。〃
Orde； suddenly fallen into a cold rage； stared at the obstruction；
both fists clenched at his side。
〃Too bad； boy；〃 said Welton at his elbow。 〃But don't take it too
hard。 You've done more than any of the rest of us could。 And we're
all losers together。〃
Orde looked at him strangely。
〃That about settles it；〃 repeated Welton。
〃Settle！〃 cried Orde。 〃 I should think not。〃
Welton smiled quaintly。
〃Don't you know when you're licked？〃
〃Licked； hell！〃 said Orde。 〃We've just begun to fight。〃
〃What can you do？〃
〃Get that bridge span out of there； of course。〃
〃How？〃
〃