jam single
logs could be seen popping suddenly into the air, propelled as an apple
seed is projected from between a boy's thumb and forefinger. Some of
the fifteen-inch cables stretched to the shore parted. One, which passed
once around an oak tree before reaching its shore anchorage, actually
buried itself out of sight in the hard wood. Bunches of piles bent,
twisted, or were cut off as though they had been but shocks of Indian
corn. The current had become so swift that the tugs could not hold the
drivers against it; and as a consequence, before commencing operations,
special mooring piles had to be driven. Each minute threatened to bring
an end to the jam, yet it held; and without rest the dogged little
insects under its face toiled to gain an inch on the waters.

XXXIX

All that day and the next night the fight was hand to hand, without the
opportunity of a breathing space. Then Orde, bareheaded and dishevelled,
strung to a high excitement, but cool as a veteran under fire, began to
be harassed by annoyances. The piles provided for the drivers gave out.
Newmark left, ostensibly to purchase more. He did not return. Tom North
and Jim Denning, their eyes burning deep in their heads for lack of
sleep, came to Orde holding to him symbolically their empty hands.

"No more piles," they said briefly.

"Get 'em," said Orde with equal brevity. "Newmark will have enough here
shortly. In the meantime, get them."

North and his friend disappeared, taking with them the crews of the
drivers and the two tugs. After an interval they returned towing small
rafts of the long timbers. Orde did not make any inquiries; nor until
days later did he see a copy of the newspaper telling how a lawless gang
of rivermen had driven away the railroad men and stolen the railroad's
property. These piles lasted five or six hours. Tom North placed and
drove them accurately and deliberately, quite unmindful of the constant
danger. A cold fire seemed to consume the man, inflaming his courage and
his dogged obstinacy. Once a wing of the jam broke suddenly just as his
crew had placed a pile in the carrier. The scow was picked up, whirled
around, carried bodily a hundred feet, and deposited finally with a
crash. The instant the craft steadied and even before any one could tell
whether or no the danger was past, Tom cut loose the hammer and drove
that pile!

"I put you in that carrier to be DROVE!" he shouted viciously, "and
drove you'll be, i