The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-12-06
sA The Riverman
By
 Stewart Edward White

| Nortn ana the 6ough Red In a breath.
 ~Goodr' cried Orde -You, too.
 Johnny Sims and Purdy and Jimmy Powers? Bully boys"'
 'I reckon you'n need the tug" said Marsh
 A dozen more of Orde's personal fol- lowing volunteered
 We've got to close that opening first
 thing" said he. Marsh. tow the pile
 driver up there"
 The opening was to be closed by
 piles driven in groups of sixteen bound
 together by chains The clumps were
 connected one to tho other by a system
 of boom logs and ropes to interpose a continuous barrier. The pile driver placed the clumpS, while the tug at tended to the connecting defeases.
 Now, boys" said Orde as his last word, "if she starts to go save your selves the best way you can. Never mind the driver. Stay on top"
 Slowly the tug and her consort nosed up through the boiling water.
 Work fastr' Orde called to the men on the pile driver. "If we can close the orening 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 1t would in very few mo- ments, the probabilities were that both pile driver and tug would be destroy ed Every man knew that already.
 Tom North ordered a pile placed ir the carriage. The hammer descended. The work went forward as rapidly ax rsr, 4r.<.4 4o-- -r.~ and settled, but four times 1t 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 piler' breathed Orde.
 The hammer ran smoothly to the top | and fen. A half dozen times more it l ripped Then heavy chains were | thrown around the winch, and the | steam power began to draw the clumps | together.
 "Doner' cried Tom North.
 North unmoored,r and the driver dropped back with the current. The tug churned forward to accomplish the | last duty Of binding the defenses to- gether by means of chains and cables. Two men Ieaped to the floating looms. 0rde and the Rough Red set about the task. They worked from either end to- ward the middle When they met Orde ordered Red aboard the tug.
 ''I'll tie this one. Jimmy" said he.
 Aboard the tug all was tense prepa- -ation- In the engine room Harvey, his hand on the throttle. stood ready Q throw her wide open at the signal 4 Armed with sharp axes. two men pre- ,ared to cut the mooring lines on dgn from the Rough Red They watch d his upraised hand When it should lescend their axes must fall.
 Orde folded a knot. Upstream the am settled deliberately forward, cut Ing clump of piles like straw. ''She's comingr' cried the Rough Red. -Give me every second you can,- aid Orde. making the last turns. The mass toppled slowly. fell into be swift current and Ieaped with . oar. -Jumpr' the Rough Red cried, and Is arm descended orde leaped blindly for the ran, there he was seized and dragged , board by the Rough Red. The axes , III: Marsh whirled over the wheel: larvey threw open his throttle. The lg sp-ang from its leash like a hound. nd behind the barrier the logs. toss g and tumbling. the white spray ny- ! 6 before their onslaught, beat in 1. lin against the barrier, like raging , i'd beasts whose prey has escaped. !