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himself； he added： 〃I've got to！〃
XXXVII
The duel had now come to grapples。 Orde was fighting for his very
life。 The notes given by Newmark and Orde would come due by the
beginning of the following summer。 Before that time Orde must be
able to meet them personally； or； as by the agreement with Newmark；
his stock in the Boom Company would be turned in to the firm。 This
would； of course； spell nearly a total loss of it； as far as Orde
was concerned。
The chief anxiety under which the riverman laboured； however； was
the imminent prospect of losing under the mortgage all the Northern
Peninsula timber。 He had thought that the firm would be able to
step in for its redemption； even if he personally found himself
unable to meet the obligation。 Three hundred million feet would
seem to be too important a matter to let go under so small a
mortgage。 Now as the time approached； he realised that if he could
not pay the notes； the firm would certainly be unable to do so。
What with the second mortgage； due two years later； and to be met by
Newmark； with the outstanding obligations； with the new enterprise
of the vessels ordered from Duncan McLeod； Newmark and Orde would be
unable to raise anything like the necessary amount。 To his personal
anxieties Orde added a deep and bitter self…reproach at having
involved his partner in what amounted to a total loss。
Spurred doubly by these considerations； then； he fell upon the woods
work with unparalleled ferocity。 A cut and sale of the forty
million feet remaining of the firm's up…river holdings； together
with the tolls to be collected for driving the river that spring
would； if everything went right and no change in the situation took
place； bring Orde through the venture almost literally by 〃the skin
of his teeth。〃 To cut forty million feet； even in these latter days
of improvements then unknown； would be a task to strain to the
utmost every resource of energy； pluck； equipment and organisation。
In 1880…81 the operators on the river laughed good…humouredly over
an evident madness。
Nevertheless Orde accomplished the task。 To be sure he was largely
helped by a favourable winter。 The cold weather came early and
continued late。 Freezing preceded the snow； which was deep enough
for good travoying and to assure abundant freshet water in the
spring； but not too deep to interfere with the work。 Orde increased
his woods force； and； contrary to his custom； he drove them
mercilessly。 He was that winter his own walking…boss； and lived
constantly in the woods。 The Rough Red had charge of the banking；
where his aggressive； brutal personality kept the rollways free from
congestion。 For congestion there means delay in unloading the
sleighs； and that in turn means a drag in the woods work near the
skidways at the other end of the line。 Tom North and Tim Nolan and
Johnny Sims and Jim Denning were foremen back in the forest。 Every
one had an idea； more or less vague； that the Old Fellow had his
back to the wall。 Late into the night the rude torches； made quite
simply from brown stone jugs full of oil and with wicks in their
necks； cast their flickering glare over the ice of the haul…roads。
And though generally in that part of Michigan the thaws begin by the
first or second week in March； this year zero weather continued even
to the eighth of April。 When the drive started； far up toward
headwaters； the cut was banked for miles along the stream； forty
million feet of it to the last timber。
The strain over； Orde slept the clock around and awoke to the
further but familiar task of driving the river。 He was very tired；
but his spirit was at peace。 As always after the event； he looked
back on his anxieties with a faint amusement over their futility。
From Taylor he had several communications。 The lawyer confessed
himself baffled as to the purpose and basis of the Land Office
investigation。 The whole affair appeared to be tangled in a maze of
technicalities and a snarl of red…tape which it would take some time
to unravel。 In the meantime Taylor was enjoying himself； and was
almost extravagant in his delight over the climate and attractions
of Southern California。
Orde did not much care for this delay。 He saw his way clear to
meeting his obligations without the necessity of hypothecating the
California timber； and was the better pleased for it。 With the
break…up of spring he started confidently with the largest drive in
the history of the river； a matter of over two hundred million feet。
This tremendous mass of timber moved practically in three sections。
The first； and smallest； comprised probably thirty millions。 It
started from the lowermost rollways on the river； drove rapidly
through the more unobstructed reaches； and was early pocketed above
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； un