The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-02-15

others above them.
Butler spat. "That d-n beech butts
In tight" he said, tapping the log with
his peavey pick. "Try her, Jim; now
be careful When she comes, the whole
deck1l move in a hurry"
They heaved to no result. With a
sharp "Nowi" they heaved again, but
the beech, nesting In the face Of the
deck at the height Of a mans hip. re-
fused to bulge.
"Hold onI Give you hand" Ben
picked up a peavey and approached.
Here, take this end, Elliott" the
foreman said. moving in toward the
center which was under the towering
facade of the deck.
"No. go on back. I'll do the risk
taking for this layout for a WHILE"
Butler made no reply but grinned
The pond man looked at Ben approx
'ngly and spat on his hands. Peavey
hooks bit the logs ends again; a pea.
vey point. with all Ben Elliott's
strength bearing on it, pried beneath
the center of the reluctant beech. j.
Now. +. Together"
He lifted his weight from the ground.
His peavey handle bent.
Look out" Buffers voice was shrill
on the warning as lovement sent Ben
Elliott swinging to the right. The key
stick popped out all but upon Ben.
The logs above settled with a heavy
mutter and then with that thunderous,
ringing, booming sound of hardwood
in motion, they rolled upon him.
Elliott had dropped his peavey,
leaped nimbly over the beech as 1t
struck the ground and bounced on its
way to the water. He hoped to the
first log and spurned 1t with his one
foot, landed on the following with
both, hesitated a split instant and
stepped to yet another. Arms spread,
balancing carefully watching those
logs as boxer watches his opponc nt's
blows, he went up that looming, BOOM
ing avalanche as 1t came down. He
danced to the left as the end of one
stick swung out to clout him to pulp.
He ran rapidly over three that lum-
bered down beneath him and paused.
Two came riding together, one atop
the other, moving barrier as high as
his waist. Butler opened his lips in a
cry of warning but thrusting out one
hand, touching the topmost of the pair
ever so lightly, Ben vaulted over, land
ing on another that rolled and grum-
bled behind the two. CrevasSeS be-
tween logs opened and closed before
him. Sticks popped out of the tremen-
dous pressure and rolled down slant
wise. imperiling him. He did not run
rapidly. At times he seemed to move
with painful, with dangerous delibera-
ton. But he was watching the logs
and his chances and did not make a
move until he was certain of where
he was going.
Slowly the deck settled. Half of
what had been piled logs now bobbed
and swayed and rolled in the pond.
The rest, reduced from the height to
which 1t had lowered a few seconds
before, came to rest. And Ben Elliott,
on its lowered crest, stood still mo-
ment until certain the movement was
ended and then came slowly down,
looking not at the men who gaped at
him but at the logs over which he
walked with critical, appraising eye.
Alta boy!" an unidentified voice
yelled above the roar of the carriage
exhaust, but if Elliott heard this he
gave no Indication
snow. If Butler can't get that loco
motive going by noon." he said to the
pale and visibly shaken Able, well
telegraph for a new spider. No use
taking more chances. Come on. Butler,
let's look at the stuff you've got piled"
Blinking, the millwright followed
him.
"'Y Cd" murtered the pond man.
"Slick shod, he went over that face
Slick shod! Y Cdr
An hour later the mill stood silent
for five minutes while a broken con-
veyor chain was repaired. In that In
terval every man on the job had heard
the story.
"'Y Cd! Slick shod!" the pond
man said again and again. "Cool?
Like a watermelon on ice"
When they started the head sawyer
was grinning and it seemed as though
the saw stayed in the log more con-
stantly than it had before. as If the
mill functioned with greater smooth.
ness, as If something in the nature of
enthusiasm went into the labor along
with Drawn and experience.