The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-03-07

nSufcS which even at that ,.;..;.,;=,
me oN'! rs ca->- eves en.,d ,r,,q
'ti'o ZANZIBAR shapes. IN b.,r and
'he Terms wer" plainly visible. IN
"'';ef- '.'d the drive WAS opposite. VII
me owner and his daughter upon the
Dahk. trying to distinguish what :..1.
foreman near the other shore VIZ
shouting to them.
10 the girl it was only succession
OF hoarse sounds. But her father lis
tened eagerly and from time to time
nodded his head approvingly, shaking
IL only once in dissent. At that time
ne 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, ''or was it some sort Of sig
nal!'
Her father smiled. down at her in
diligently.
Mae was telling me about the
drive. he answered. land how tfez
managed so far to keep the bulk OF
the logs in 4 compact mass. OF course
there are Il good many laggards and
fastaWiys 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 Lot.scc,
about them until after he passed the
long rapids. forty miles below. then t.
send Il ili:;9 hack to tiiSlot1@e all the
grounded and snacced logs and start
them aficst after the main bodr Be
yonG the long rapids the river will be
clearer. ani Mac can easily spare 2
man. u only the water will keep up
long enough I think we can get them
all down to market. and then with
an odd note Of wondering anticipation
in his voice. we will start off on our
long vacation. l haven't taken 4 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 q could
spare them without feeling it. but last
spring the logs failed to run. and l
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, I do not want to take any chances.
The number of stray logs will likely
run into hundreds and their value into
thousands. 1t will be several days be-
fore a man can be sent back. of course.
but If the water stays up ten days
longer he can float them all in
"Wil it?''
"rhope 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 fer 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. and not waste so much
time waiting
Her father laughed.
You don't knew the country at this
season. Florence" he said. L am not
the only man taking advantage Of this
high water. | couldn't hire Il man, or
boy even, at any price. They are ali
engaged
Then I'll start the logs loose my
self" sturdily. Il 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 afioat perhaps, and every
one will count. A few weeks ago l
could have done the Job myself, but l
would not dare to attempt it now.
So the next morning they were again
ont with the light and rowing slowly
nm 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
|
for 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
bend. a mile CT so up, D. Il. 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
readv floating around and past their
boat. Then a 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 a young
man standing upright in boat and
oazing toward them. For an instant
81 n. Jones stared, then his face dark
ened.
"It IS the son Of cook l discharged
two winters ago for stealing" he said.
- <1,o fnromaO had before