The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-11-30
U snort. square man,

 Up in two minutes" he answered. Harvey. fire her up,''
 Captain Marsh guided his energetic charge among the logs floating in the stream with the marvellous second in- stinct of the expert tugpoat man. orde noted with satisfaction that many of the logs had found lodgment among the reeds ard in the bayous and inlcts. One at a time. md painfully, these would have to be salvaged-
 Shortly Orilc. standing by the wheel in the pflofhouse. could see down the stretches of the river a crowd of men working. antlilSe.
 They've got em stopped" comment ed Orde. Look at that gang working from boats-'
 'what do you want me to do?' asked Captain Marsh.
 This is a navigable river, isn't itY" replied orde. Run throughr' | The tug headed straight for the slender lire of booms stretching quite across the rirer.
 Orde looked at his watch.
 wen be late for the mail unless we hurry" said he.
 MdTS4 TduS lue7 engine IoOIu DtIl- The water chprned white behind.
 Wat you do? Stopw cried Heinzman from boat
 You're obstructing navigahonr' yelled Orde. i've got to go to town to buy postage stamp"
 The prov of the tug. accurately aimed by Marsh. hit square in the junction of two of the booms. There ensued a moment of strain: then the links snapped. and the Sprite plunged l joyously through the opening The booms. swept aside by the current. noated to either shore. The river was open. a.
 slow down, Marsh" said Orde. Let's see the show" Up river all the small boats gathered in e line. connected one to the other by a rope. The tug passed over to them the cable attached to the boom Evidently the combined efforts of the rowboats were counted on to hold the half boom across the current while the | tug brought out the other half. When the tug dropped the cable Orde laughed. Nobody but a Dutchman would have thought of thatr' he cried. ''Now for the funr'
 Immediately the weight fell on the small boats they were dragged ire sistfbly backward. Marsh lowered his telescope, the tears of laughter stream | ing down his face They'll have to have two tugs be- fore they can close the break that way" commented Orde Sure thing replied Captain Marsh But at that moment black smoke rolled up over the marshes, and shortly around the bend from above came the Lucy Belle.
 The Lucy Belle was the main excuse fOr calling the river navigable. In ap- pearance she was two storied, with twin smokestacks. an iron Indian on her top and a "spIutter behind" paddle wheel.
 There comes his help.- said Orde. Sure enough, the Lucy Belle stopped. After a short conference she steamed ciumsily over to get hold of one end of the booms. The tug took the other. Tn time and by dint of much plashing. some collisions and several attempts the ends of the booms were united By this lime. however, nearly all the logs had escaped. The tug. towing a string of rowboats. set out in pursuit. The Lucy Belle turned in toward the tug.
 "she's going to speak us." mnrveled Orde
 Tug ahoy- beloved a red faced in- dividuai from the upper deck He was dressed In blue and brass buttons and was literally festooned with gold braid and embroidered anchors
 Hello there commodore, What is it7" replied Marsh
 'They want tug up there at Heinz- mans. Can you gof''
 "surer' cried Marsh, choking.
 The Lucy Belle sheered of rnagnin- gently.
 -what do you think of thatr Marsh asked Orde-
 Head upstream again.r
 Heinzman saw the Sprite coming and rowed out frantically. splashing at every stroke and yelling with every breath
 Don't you go through there! Wait a minute, Stop. tell your
 Hold up," said Orde to Marsh
 Heinzman 'rowed alongside.
 ~.A lIrmI