Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-07-01
The B1azed
Trail q . $ ;s$$:s
Copyright 1902 by Stewart Edward White
Copyright 1902, by Stewart Edward White

pressure on that same lower end. By
Jove, look here! See those logs up-end.
l believe you're going to have a jam
right here in your own booms."
! Il don't know" hesitated Wallace.
81 never heard Of its happening"
You'd better let some one know"
II hate to bother Harry or any of
the river men. I'll just step down to
1 the mill. Mason-he's our mill fore
I man-he'll know"
\ Mason came to the edge of the high
4 trestle and took one look.
jumping tishhooks!' he cried. "Why,
the rivers up six inches and still
a-comin'! Here you, Tomw he called
to one of the yard hands You tell
Solly to get steam on that tug dou-
bic quick and have Dave hustle to-
gether his driver crew.
What are you going to do?' asked
Wallace.
II got to strengthen the booms,' ex-
planned the mill foreman. We'll drive
some piles across the cribs"
rs there any danger?"
"Oh. no. The river would have to
rise good deal higher than she is now
to make current enough to hurt.
They've had hard rain up above.
This will go down In few hours"
After time the tug pulled up to the
booms. escorting the pile driver. The
latter towed little raft Of long, sharp
ened piles, which it at once began to
drive In such positions as would most
effectually strengthen the booms. In
the meantime the thunder heads had
slyly climbed the heavens, so that a
sudden deluge of rain surprised the
workmen. For an hour 1T poured down
in torrents, then settled to a steady
gray beat. Immediately the aspect
had changed.
Solly, the tug captain, looked at his
mooring hawsers and then ut the near
est crib.
"She's riz two inches in tn last two
hours" he announced, land she's run
min like mill race" Solly was
typical north country tug captain, short
and broad. with brown, clear face
and the steadiest and calmest of steel
blue eyes. when she begins to feel
tn pressure behind" he went on.
there's goin' to be trouble"
Toward dusk she began to feel that
pressure. Through the rainy twilight
the logs could be seen raising their
ghostly arms of protest. Slowly, with
%1o 10
rear they pressed in were sucked I'M
der in the swift water and came to
rest at the bottom of the river The
current of the river began to protest.
pressing It's hydraulics through the mar
rowing crevices. The situation demand
ed attention.
A breeze began to pull ofshore In
the body of rain. Little by little it In
creased, sending the water by in gusts,
ruffling the already hurrying river into
greater haste, raising far from the
shore dimly perceived whitecaps. Be
tween the roaring of the wind. the
dash of rain and the rush Of the stream
men had to shout to make themselves
heard
''Guess you'd better rout out the
boss" screamed Solly to Wallace Car
penter. This waters comm up an
inch an hour right along. When she
backs up once she'll push this jam out
sure"
Wallace ran to the boarding house
and reused his partner from heavy
sleep. The latter understood the situa-
ton at a word While dressing he ex-
planned to the younger man wherein
lay the danger.
IF the jam breaks once,' said he.
nothing top of earth can prevent it
from going out into the lake. and there