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escaped easily from the destructive power he had loosed。 Once in
the stream the logs ran their appointed course； watched by the men
who herded them on their way。 And below； from the tributaries； from
the other rollways a never…ending procession of recruits joined this
great brown army on its way to the lake； until for miles and miles
the river was almost a solid mass of logs。
The crews on the various beats now had their hands full to keep the
logs running。 The slightest check at any one point meant a jam； for
there was no way of stopping the unending procession。 The logs
behind floated gently against the obstruction and came to rest。 The
brown mass thickened。 As far as the eye could reach the surface of
the water was concealed。 And then； as the slow pressure developed
from the three or four miles of logs forced against each other by
the pushing of the current； the breast of the jam began to rise。
Timbers up…ended； crossed； interlocked； slid one over the other；
mounted higher and higher in the formidable game of jack…straws the
loss of which spelled death to the players。
Immediately； and with feverish activity； the men nearest at hand
attacked the work。 Logs on top they tumbled and rolled into the
current below。 Men beneath the breast tugged and pried in search of
the key logs causing all the trouble。 Others 〃flattened out the
wings；〃 hoping to get a 〃draw〃 around the ends。 As the stoppage of
the drive indicated to the men up and down stream that a jam had
formed； they gathered at the scenethose from above over the logs；
those from below up the river trail。
Rarely； unless in case of unusual complications； did it take more
than a few hours at most to break the jam。 The breast of it went
out with a rush。 More slowly the wings sucked in。 Reluctantly the
mass floating on the surface for miles up stream stirred； silently
moved forward。 For a few minutes it was necessary to watch
carefully until the flow onward steadied itself； until the
congestion had spaced and ordered as before。 Then the men moved
back to their posts； the drive was resumed。 At night the river was
necessarily left to its own devices。 Rivermen； with the touch of
superstition inseparably connected with such affairs； believe
implicitly that 〃logs run free at night。〃 Certainly； though it
might be expected that each morning would reveal a big jam to break；
such was rarely the case。 The logs had usually stopped； to be sure；
but generally in so peaceful a situation as easily to be started on
by a few minutes' work。 Probably this was because they tended to
come to rest in the slow； still reaches of the river； through which；
in daytime； they would be urged by the rivermen。
Jams on the river； contrary to general belief； are of very common
occurrence。 Throughout the length of the drive there were probably
three or four hang…ups a day。 Each of these had to be broken； and
in the breaking was danger。 The smallest misstep； the least
slowness in reading the signs of the break； the slightest lack of
promptness in acting on the hint or of agility in leaping from one
to the other of the plunging timbers； the faintest flicker from
rigid attention to the antagonist crouching on the spring； would
mean instant death to the delinquent。 Thus it was literally true
that each one of these men was called upon almost daily to wager his
personal skill against his destruction。
In the meantime the rear was 〃sacking〃 its way as fast as possible；
moving camp with the wanigan whenever necessary； working very hard
and very cold and very long。 In its work； however； beyond the
breaking of the rollways； was little of the spectacular。
Orde； after the rear was well started； patrolled the length of the
drive in his light buckboard。 He had a first…class team of young
horseshigh…spirited； somewhat fractious； but capable on a pinch of
their hundred miles in a day。 He handled them well over the rough
corduroys and swamp roads。 From jam to rear and back again he
travelled； pausing on the river banks to converse earnestly with one
of the foremen； surveying the situation with the bird's…eye view of
the general。 At times he remained at one camp for several days
watching the trend of the work。 The improvements made during the
preceding summer gave him the greatest satisfaction； especially the
apron at the falls。
〃We'd have had a dozen bad jams here before now with all these logs
in the river；〃 said he to Tim Nolan； who was in charge of that beat。
〃And as it is；〃 said Tim； 〃we've had but the one little wing jam。〃
The piers to define the channel along certain shallows also saved
the rear crew much labour in the matter of stranded logs。
Everything was very satisfactory。 Even old man Reed held to his
chastened attitude； and made no trouble。 In fact； he seemed glad to
turn an honest penny by boarding the small crew in charge of
sluicing the logs。
No trouble was experienced until Heinzman's rollways were reached。
Here Orde had； as he had promised his partner； boomed a free channel
to prevent Heinzman from filling up the entire river…bed with his
rollways。 When the jam of the drive had descended the river as far
as this； Orde found that Heinzman had not yet begun to break out。
Hardly had Orde's first crew passed； however； when Heinzman's men
began to break down the logs into the drive。 Long before the rear
had caught up； all Heinzman's drive was in the water； inextricably
mingled with the sixty or eighty million feet Orde had in charge。
The situation was plain。 All Heinzman now had to do was to retain a
small crew； which should follow after the rear in order to sack what
logs the latter should leave stranded。 This amounted practically to
nothing。 As it was impossible in so great a mass of timbers； and in
the haste of a pressing labour； to distinguish or discriminate
against any single brand； Heinzman was in a fair way to get his logs
sent down stream with practically no expense。
〃Vell； my boy；〃 remarked the German quite frankly to Orde as they
met on the road one day； 〃looks like I got you dis time； eh？〃
Orde laughed； also with entire good…humour。
〃If you mean your logs are going down with ours； why I guess you
have。 But you paste this in your hat： you're going to keep awful
busy； and it's going to cost you something yet to get 'em down。〃
To Newmark； on one of his occasional visits to the camps； Orde
detailed the situation。
〃It doesn't amount to much；〃 said he； 〃except that it complicates
matters。 We'll make him scratch gravel； if we have to sit up nights
and work overtime to do it。 We can't injure him or leave his logs；
but we can annoy him a lot。〃
The state of affairs was perfectly well known to the men； and the
entire river entered into the spirit of the contest。 The drivers
kept a sharp lookout for 〃H〃 log