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at about the same volume。 Until the water should subside； the
danger could not be considered completely over with。
In these few days of comparative leisure Orde had time to look about
him and to receive news。 The jam had been successfully held at the
iron railroad bridge above Redding； but only by the most strenuous
efforts。 Braces of oak beams had been slanted where they would do
the most good； chains strengthened the weaker spots； and on top of
all ton after ton of railroad iron held the whole immovably。 Nolan
had enjoyed the advantage of a 〃floating〃 jam； of convenient
facilities incident to a large city； and of an aroused public
sentiment that proffered him all the help he could use。 Monrovia；
little village that it was； had not grasped the situation。 Redding
saw it clearly。 The loss of the timber alonerepresenting some
millions of dollars' worth of the sawed productwould mean failure
of mill companies； of banks holding their paper； and so of firms in
other lines of business； and besides would throw thousands of men
out of employment。 Furthermore； what was quite as serious； should
the iron bridge give way； the wooden bridges below could hardly fail
to go out。 Railroad communication between eastern and western
Michigan would be entirely cut off。 For a season industry of every
description would be practically paralysed。 Therefore Nolan had all
the help he required。 Every device known was employed to strengthen
the jam。 For only a few hours was the result in doubt。 Then as the
CLARION jubilantly expressed it； 〃It's a hundred dollars to an old
hat she holds！〃
Orde received all this with satisfaction； but with a slight
scepticism。
〃It's a floating jam； and it gets a push from underneath；〃 he
pointed out。 〃It's probably safe； but another flood might send it
out。〃
〃The floods are going down；〃 said North。
〃Good Lord； I hope so！〃 said Orde。
Newmark sent word that a sudden fit of sickness had confined him to
the house。
〃Didn't think of a little thing like piles；〃 said Orde to himself。
〃Well； that's hardly fair。 Joe couldn't have realised when he left
here just how bad things were。〃
For two days； as has been said； nothing happened。 Then Orde decided
to break out a channel through the jam itself。 This was a necessary
preliminary to getting the logs in shape for distribution。 An
opening was made in the piles； and the rivermen； with pike…pole and
peavy； began cautiously to dig their way through the tangled
timbers。 The Government pile…driver； which had finally been sent up
from below； began placing five extra booms at intervals down stream
to capture the drift as fast as it was turned loose。 From the mills
and private booms crews came to assist in the labour。 The troubles
appeared to be quite over； when word came from Redding that the
waters were again rising。 Ten minutes later Leopold Lincoln Bunn；
the local reporter； came flapping in on Randall's old white horse；
like a second Paul Revere； crying that the iron bridge had gone； and
the logs were racing down river toward the booms。
〃It just went out！〃 he answered the eager exclamations of the men
who crowded around him。 〃That's all I know。 It went out！ And the
other bridges！ Sure！ All but the Lake Shore！ Don't know why that
didn't go out。 No； the logs didn't jam there； just slid right
under！〃
〃That settles it；〃 said Welton； turning away。
〃You aren't going to quit！〃 cried Orde。
〃Certainly。 You're crazy！〃 said Welton with some asperity。 〃If
they can't stop a little jam with iron； what are your wooden
defences going to amount to against the whole accumulation？ When
those logs hit the tail of this jam； she'll go out before you can
wink。〃
He refused to listen to argument。
〃It's sure death；〃 said he； 〃and I'm not going to sacrifice my men
for nothing； even if they'd stay。〃
Other owners among the bystanders said the same thing。 An air of
profound discouragement had fallen on them all。 The strain of the
fight was now telling。 The utmost that human flesh and blood was
capable of had been accomplished； a hard…won victory had been gained
by the narrowest of narrow margins。 In this new struggle the old
odds were still against them； and in addition the strength that had
pushed aside Redding's best effort； augmented by the momentum of a
powerful current。 It was small wonder they gave up。
Already the news was spreading among the workers on the jams。 As
man shouted to man； each shouldered his peavy and came running
ashore； eager question on his lips。 Orde saw the Government driver
below casting loose from her moorings。 A moment later her tug towed
her away to some side bayou of safety out of the expected rush to
the Lake。
〃But we can hold her！〃 cried Orde in desperation。 〃Have a little
nerve with you。 You aren't going to quit like that！〃
He swept them with his eye； then turned away from them with a
gesture of despair。 They watched him gravely and silently。
〃It's no use； boy；〃 said old Carlin； 〃it's sure death。〃
〃Sure death！〃 Orde laughed bitterly。 〃All right； sure death； then。
Isn't there a man in this crowd that will tackle this sort of sure
death with me？〃
〃I'm with you。〃
〃And me；〃 said North and the Rough Red in a breath。
〃Good！〃 cried Orde。 〃You； too； Johnny Sims？ and Purdy？ and Jimmy
Powers？ Bully boys！〃
〃I reckon you'll need the tug；〃 said Marsh。
A dozen more of Orde's personal following volunteered。 At once his
good humour returned； and his easy leisurely confidence in himself。
〃We've got to close that opening； first thing；〃 said he。 〃Marsh；
tow the pile…driver up there。〃
He caused a heavy line to be run from a tree； situated around the
bend down stream； to the stern of the driver。
〃Now if you have to；〃 he told North； who had charge； 〃let go all
holds； and the line will probably swing you around out of danger。
We on the tug will get out as best we can。〃
The opening was to be closed by piles driven in groups of sixteen
bound together by chains。 The clumps were connected one to the
other by a system of boom logs and ropes to interpose a continuous
barrier。 The pile…driver placed the clumps； while the tug attended
to the connecting defences。
〃Now； boys；〃 said Orde as his last word； 〃if she starts to go； save
yourselves the best way you can。 Never mind the driver。 STAY ON
TOP！〃
Slowly the tug and her consort nosed up through the boiling water。
〃She's rising already；〃 said Orde to Marsh； watching the water
around the piles。
〃Yes； and that jam's going out before many minutes；〃 supplemented
the tugboat captain grimly。
Both these statements were only too true。 Although not fifteen
minutes before； the jam had lain locked in perfect safety； now the
slight rise of the waters had lifted and loosened the mass until it
rose fairly on the quiver。
〃Work fast！〃 Orde called to the men on the pile…driver。 〃If we can
close the opening before those Redding logs hit us； we may be able
to turn them into our new channel。〃
He did not add that if the opening were not closed before the jam
broke； as break it would in a very few moments； the probabilities
were that both pile…driver and tug would be destroyed。 Every man
knew that already。
Tom North ordered a pile placed in the carriage； the hammer
descended。 At once； like battering rams logs began to shoot up from
the depths of the river end foremost all about them。 These timbers
were projected with tremendous force； leaping sometimes half their
length above the surface of the water。 If any of them had hit
either the tug or the pile…driver squarely； it would have stove and
sunk the craft。 Fortunately this did not happen； but Marsh hastily
towed the scow back to a better position。 The pile had evidently
been driven into the foot of the jam itself； thus loosening timbers
lying at the bottom of the river。
The work went forward as rapidly as possible。 Four times the jam
shrugged and settled； but four times it paused on the brink of
discharge。 Three of the clumps had been placed and bound； and
fifteen piles of the last clump had been driven。
〃One more pile！〃 breathed Orde； his breath quickening a trifle as he
glanced up stream。
The hammer in the high derrick ran smoothly to the top； paused； and
fell。 A half dozen times more it ripped。 Then without delay the
heavy chains were thrown around the winch； and the steam power began
to draw the clumps together。
〃Done！〃 cried Tom North； straightening his back。
〃And a job in time； too；〃 said Johnny Sims； indicating the creaking
and tottering jam。
North unmoored； and the driver dropped back with the current and
around the bend where she was snubbed by the safety line