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out quite a hole in the top layer。 The river rushed through the
opening。 Immediately the logs in the wings were tumbled in from
either side。 At first the men had to do all of the work； but soon
the river itself turned to their assistance。 Timbers creaked and
settled； or rose slightly buoyant as the water loosened the tangle。
Men trod on the edge of expectation。 Constantly the logs shifted；
and as constantly the men shifted also； avoiding the upheavals and
grindings together； wary eyes estimating the correlation of the
forces into whose crushing reach a single misstep would bring them。
The movement accelerated each instant； as the music of the play
hastens to the climax。 Wood fibres smashed。 The whole mass seemed
to sink down and forward into a boiling of waters。 Then； with a
creak and a groan； the jam moved； hesitated； moved again； finally；
urged by the frantic river； went out in a majestic crashing and
battering of logs。
At the first movement Newmark expected the rivermen to make their
escape。 Instead； they stood at attention； their peavies poised；
watching cat…eyed the symptoms of the break。 Twice or thrice
several of the men； observing something not evident to Newmark's
unpractised eye； ran forward； used their peavies vigorously for a
moment or so； and stood back to watch the result。 Only at the very
last； when it would seem that some of them must surely he caught；
did the river…jacks； using their peavy…shafts as balancing poles；
zigzag calmly to shore across the plunging logs。 Newmark seemed
impressed。
〃That was a close shave；〃 said he to the last man ashore。
〃What？〃 inquired the riverman。 〃Didn't see it。 Somebody fall
down？〃
〃Why； no；〃 explained Newmark； 〃getting in off those logs without
getting caught。〃
〃Oh！〃 said the man indifferently； turning away。
The going out of the jam drained the water from the lower floors of
the mill； the upp haven't lost much。 Now get
a move on you and bail out。 You've got to get over the shallows
while this head is on。〃
〃That's all the thanks you get；〃 grumbled Charlie to himself and the
other three as Orde moved away。 〃Work； slave； get up in the night；
drownd yourself〃
He happily discovered that the pails under the forward thwart had
not been carried away； and all started in to bail。 It was a back…
breaking job； and consumed the greater part of two hoursed
below the gunwale。 Zeke and his companion pulled spasmodically on
the sweeps。 Charlie； having regaineer stories and the grain were still safe。
By evening the sluice…gate had been roughly provided with pole
guides down which to slide to the bed of the river。 The following
morning saw the work going on as methodically as ever。 During the
night a very good head of water had gathered behind the lowered
gate。 The rear crew brought down the afterguard of logs to the
pond。 The sluicers with their long pike…poles thrust the logs into
the chute。 The jam crew； scattered for many miles along the lower
stretches； kept the drive going； running out over the surface of the
river like water…bugs to thrust apart logs threatening to lock；
leaning for hours on the shafts of their peavies watching
contemplatively the orderly ranks as they drifted by； sleepy； on the
bosom of the river； occasionally gathering； as the filling of the
river gave warning； to break a jam。 By the end of the second day
the pond was clear； and as Charlie's wanigan was drifting toward the
chute； the first of Johnson's drive floated into the head of the
pond。
V
Charlie's wanigan； in case you do not happen to know what such a
thing may be； was a scow about twenty feet long by ten wide。 It was
very solidly constructed of hewn timbers； square at both ends； was
inconceivably clumsy； and weighed an unbelievable number of pounds。
When loaded； it carried all the bed…rolls； tents； provisions；
cooking utensils； tools； and a chest of tobacco； clothes； and other
minor supplmisunderstanding； they worked against each other。 Then
Charlie； raging from one to the other of his satellites； frothed and
roared commands and vituperations。 His voice rose to a shriek。 The
cookees； bewildered by so much violence； lost their heads
completely。 Then Charlie abruptly fell to an exaggerated calm。 He
sat down amidships on a pile of bags； and gazed with ostentatious
indifference out over the pond。 Finally； in a voice fallen almost
to a whisper； and with an elaborate politeness； Charlie proffered a
request that his assistants acquire the sense God gave a rooster。
Newmark； who had elected to accompany the wanigan on its voyage；
evidently found it vastly amusing； for his eyes twinkled behind his
glasses。 As the wanigan neared the sluice through which it must
shoot the flood…water； the excitement mounted to fever pitch。 The
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