The Riverman

nd not unmusical cry. The men at once began slowly to drift in the direction of the camp. There, when the tin plates had

fuses to give, lend, or sell us the right to cut her out. I've made him every reasonable proposition, but all I get back is quotations from the prophets. Now, we've got to ge

grinned Johnn

t her out. But, my son, it's against the la

intent that its only reception cons

n't work more than six or eight men at it at a time. We got

Spruce Rapids," commente

," said Orde. "We ought to b

across to a vacant place. Here

young man, "fixed it wi

s! I think I ought to tell you that the sheriff is not a

hen broke into a

handy. I guess he sort of expected we'd be thinking of

to jail, unless he had an army with

e?" inquired O

illage that the governor had been advised to

ewhat truculent discussion full of lawless and bloodthirsty suggestion. Some sugg

ld sheriff, then?" they inq

rown into space. At last his face cleared, and he slapped down his ti

t!" he cr

ucted a half-dozen men to provide themselves with saws, axes, p

he lank, black figure of the mill owner flap into sight, astride a bony old hors

. Lively!" He rapidly designated ten men of his crew. "You boys get to work

County to get me," commented one of

o!" sai

ssive gesture. "When that sheriff comes, with or wit

ot much!" c

ersation that lasted several minutes. When he had finished he clapp

without orders. Understand? If there's going

he pond above had been drawn low by the morning's work, none overflowed the gate, so the men were enabled to work dry. Below the apron, of course, had been

hour when Orde commanded the fi

ff will be here pretty quick now, and I

lone? Guess not!" grumbled a tall,

y walked direct

s drive, or am I

an growled

p, but immediately rebounded to his feet as though made of rubber. But Orde had se

strength of his great voice. "Want fight, do you? Well, you w

d Orde, his ruddy face congested, held his threatening

turkey and hit the hay trail. Y

der his breath. Orde watched him from sight, then turn

" he d

working at the sluice. When well within the fringe of the brush, O

thing all figured out? If fight would do any good, you know mighty well I'd fight. And the boys won't

t in a current bearing the rotten ice of the first break-up, or endures the drenching of an early spring rain, or battles the rigours of a belated snow with apparent indifference. You or I would be exceedingly uncomfortable; would require an effort of fortitude to make the plunge. Yet these men, absorbed in the mighty problems of their task, have little attention to spare to such things. The cold, the wet, the discomfort, the hunger, the weariness, all pass as shadows on the background. In like manner the softer moods of the spring ra

freshness impossible for the city dweller to realise. The surroundings are accustomed, but they bring new messages. To most of them, these impressions never

hen Tom North's friend Jim, who had gathered his long figure on the top

some recognised as the sheriff of the county, approach the edge of the dam. A moment later the working crew mounted to

ent broke from the

ime I ever see one lonesome sheriff gather in ten river-hogs without the aid of a

til they had disappeared in the fringe of the

you, get to work on that dam. And remember this, if you are ar

of Orde's plan reached them. They streamed back to the dam, where they

was out, his eyes blazing

"quit that! I'll

d," replied

for a moment, then departe

e better get back in the brush, or he may try to take in

other boys?"

o send to Daly," replied Orde. "

violently, and a number of times pointed up river; but the sheriff went ahead stolidly to the dam, summoned those working below, and departed up

ade considerable progress in weakening the heavy supports. As soon as these should be cut out and the

eriff brings a posse and sits down to lay for us, of

mented Sims in an aggrieved way. "He was a

rrant when it's issued, of course," repl

time to four o'clock, the sheriff made his t

said Orde, "and hear what's going o

e," spoke up Newma

r you!" a

worn and wrinkled condition of his garments, they retained something of a city hang and smartness that sharply differentiated their wearer fro

d evidently gone almost to the point of violence in his insistence, and the sheriff had shaken him off rudely. Finally, Morris and his six prisoners had trailed away. The sheriff and No

duced to a scant dozen, rushed down

emanded, crowd

ften as Reed got out warrants, he'd serve them. Reed said, then, he should get a posse and hunt up Orde and the rest of them. Sheriff replied that as far as he could see,

e her cut through before he gets that injunction, and I guess I've got m

y well. But now he's gone to telegra

stled a

The next train out from Redding--They'll be here by

you do?" as

road, and report if Morris comes back. I reckon this time we'll have to scatter if he comes after us.

cate outlines against a pale, translucent green sky. Two straight, thin columns of

me coffee right off, and bring it down. Get the lanterns f

orked up to their knees in swift water. They could not see, and the strokes of axe or pick lost much of their force against the liquid. Dusk fell. The fringe of the forest became mysterious in its velvet dark. Silver streaks, of a supernal calm, suggested the reaches

deep for effective work, and a half hour's flow would reduce the pressure. The time was occup

d, boys?"

was hi

he inquired, wit

y qu

he night silence of the whisperi

ke death to a dead nig

rom the bag he had brought with him as far as the mil

f blows, the gurgle and trickle of the water, the occasional grunt or brief comment of a riverman alone broke the calm of evening. Now that the sluice-gate was down and the w

ng to his feet with a curse at the boy on watch, heard the sound of wheels.

where his principal st

o!" s

ied Daly angrily. "What

s," replied

is overcoat pocket, and finally producing

the campfire. It was an extra, screaming w

A

eadli

BLOODSHED

ND DAM OWN

vermen, in spite of the sheriff and a large posse, but that troops were being rushed to the spot, and that this "high-handed defiance

the paper and

y had been saying. "Do you want to bring us up for good here? Don't you realis

acidly. "Come along here til

as standing by the fire drinking hot coffee and

did not reappear. Reed evidently now

rm's-length to deliver their axe-strokes against the middle of the sill-timbers of the sluice itself, notching each heavy beam deeply that the force of the current might finally break it in two. The night was very dark, and very still. Even the night creatures had fallen into the q

. A brief instant later the snapping of wood fibres began like the rapid explosions of infantry fire; a crash and bang of timbers smote the air; and then the river, exultant, roaring with joy, rushed from

stream, his eyes bright, his

ed out their shifts earlier in the night. "Roll out, you web

sleepily by the fire, began to hunt around for the bed-roll

e. "Just a case of run logs no

alf-way to his lips, had frozen in

!" sa

ning breeze bore to their ears a sound whose difference fro

ps!" excl

down the trail, followed eagerly

ing!" said

quite distinctly the clink of metal against metal. A man rode out of the shadow and reined up by the fire. "Halt!" commanded a harsh voice. The rivermen

here?" inquired th

ed Orde, step

have gone mad to counsel your

civil authority," rep

n otherwise

is county has arrested about twenty of my men s

cried the of

plied the

this man

little fuss arrestin' ri

k-red. For a moment he said nothing,

anyway? Don't you know," he roared at Reed, who that moment swung within his range of vision, "that I have no stan

ng, but was immediately cut

And what's more, you'll have something yourself to

he gray light as tho

pon the men, which was broken by Ord

ance and twice

ill, and then ma

urst into his deep

up a row, what we'd have got into. No blue-coats in mine, thank you. Well, pu

ered from his astonish

ned, shaking his bony forefinger in Orde's face.

to. You can't get at it any too quick to suit us. But just now you get out of this camp, and you stay out. You'

ng arms about, flail-like, as

but you can't expect to hang up a riverful of logs just on a notion. And we're si

nce at the two huge rivermen approaching, beat a

"I'll just get along and bail the boys out of that village c

ndreds of birds of all kinds sang in an ecstasy. Another day had begun. Alre