Willmar tribune., 1909-06-09

were careful to keep near the shore,
however, and to avoid the swifter cur
rents. The old man was an expe-
rienced boatman. But neither expe-
rience nor strength nor skill could be
counted on as a safeguard against a
spring flood. The third morning they
were out almost with the light, and
now, as the river above them began to
clear, the old mans face lost its ex-
preston Of impatient anxiety. Far up
the stream, where It narrowed into
churning rapids, the water seemed
suddenly lost in solid wall of logs,
upon which were running and leaping
figures which even at that distance
the owners eager eyes could trace
into familiar shapes. An hour, and
the forms were plainly visible. An
other, and the drive was opposite, with
the owner and his daughter upon the
bank, trying to distinguish what the
foreman near the other shore Was
shouting to them.
To the girl it was only a succession
Of hoarse sounds. But her father lis
tened eagerly and from time to time
nodded his head approvingly, shaking
It only once in dissent. At that time
he threw his own followed palms to
his mouth in some hoarse answer or
explanation. Florence listened deri-
sively.
WAS that just a recognition yell,
like the boys make, father" she ques-
toned, cor was it some sort of sig
nal?"
Her father smiled down at her in
diligently.
'Alac was telling me about the
drive" he answered, land how they
managed so far to keep the bulk Of
the logs In a compact mass. OF course
there are good many laggards and
castaways on account Of the unusual
size Of the drive and the lack of men
to control it, but they are much fewer
than one might expect under the cir
cumstances. I told Mac not to bother
about them until after he passed the
long rapids, forty miles below, then to
send a man back to dislodge all the
grounded and snagged logs and start
them af1Oat after the main body. Be-
yond the long rapids the river will be
clearer, and Mac can easily spare a
man. If only the water will keep up
long enough l think we can get them
all down to market, and then,' with
an odd note of wondering anticipation
in his voice, 1--WE will start off on our
long vacation. I haven't taken a rest
from work in over thirty years, Flor
ence."
"But will these few stray logs make
any difference, father?' the girl asked,
her voice growing tender. '"They are
such a tiny, tiny part of the whole
lot?'
II know, and very likely could
spare them without feeling 1t, but last
spring the logs failed to run, and I
have two years. expenses to meet,
notes renewed for the mems wages,
payments for timber lands and many
other items of cost. The amount will
be very large, and, though that great
mass Of logs will far more than meet
It. do not want to take any chances.
The number Of stray logs will likely
run into hundreds and their value into
thousands. It will be several days be-
fore man can be sent back, of course,
but If the water stays up ten days
longer he can float them all in"
"Will it?"
"l-hope so," doubtfully. "At any
rate, it is all that can be done. The
logs cannot pass the long rapids under
three or four days, and it will take
another for the man to reach here;
then it will take time to loosen and
start the logs over such a distance"
'Hire another man, then, at once"
she advised, land not waste so much
time waiting"
Her father laughed.
"You don't know the country at this
season, Florence" he said. II am not
the only man taking advantage Of this
high water. l couldn't hire a man, or
boy even, at any price. They are all
engaged
'"rhen I'll start the logs loose my
SELF" sturdily. II can do it."
I'm the quieter water, yes, but not
in the rapids and swift currents. But
I'll tell you what we can do, Florence.
In the morning we will row up the
river as far as we can, keeping away
from the dangerous places. We can
start some afloat perhaps, and every
one will count. A few weeks ago
could have done the Job myself, but I
would not dare to attempt it now"
So the next morning they were again
out with the light and rowing slowly
up the river, this time keeping watch
full eyes on the bank, especially where
the water eddied in under overhang-
Ing boughs or the banks fell away
into quiet coves and shadows. The
far side was too distant, with too swift
intervening currents for them to ven-
ture across.
Several logs were found and released,
and then, just as they were passing a
bend, a mile or so up, D. H. Jones
suddenly paused on his oars with an
exclamation Of wonder. Logs were
coming down the river, dozens of
them-hundreds. it seemed, as his gaze
swept incredulously from side to side
and several Of the foremost were al
ready floating around and past their
boat. Then low warning from Flor
ence caused him to look toward mid
stream. and there, not more than three
or four rods away and being borne
swiftly by the current, was young
man standing upright in a boat and