Once at the forefront of the drive, the men
began vigorously to urge the logs forward. This they accomplished
almost entirely by main strength, for the sluggish current gave them
little aid. Under the pressure of their feet as they pushed against
their implements, the logs dipped, rolled, and plunged.
Nevertheless, they worked as surely from the decks of these unstable
craft as from the solid earth itself.
In this manner the logs in the centre of the pond were urged forward
until, above the chute, they caught the slightly accelerated current
which should bring them down to the pike-pole men at the dam.
Immediately, when this stronger influence was felt, the drivers
zigzagged back up stream to start a fresh batch. In the meantime a
great many logs drifted away to right and left into stagnant water,
where they lay absolutely motionless. The moving of them was
deferred for the "sacking crew," which would bring up the rear.
Jack Orde wandered back and forth over the work, his hands clasped
behind his back, a short pipe clenched between his teeth. To the
edge of the drive he rode the logs, then took to the bank and
strolled down to the dam. There he stood for a moment gazing
aimlessly at the water making over the apron, after which he
returned to the work.
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