A short
rope led to the top of the dam allowed the bow to be lifted free of
the obstruction; a cable astern prevented the current from throwing
her broadside to the rush of waters; another cable from the bow led
her in the way she should go. Ten minutes later she was pulled
ashore out of the eddy below, very much water-logged, and manned by
a drenched and disgruntled crew.
But Orde allowed them little chance for lamentation.
"Hard luck!" he said briefly. "Hope you haven't lost much. Now get
a move on you and bail out. You've got to get over the shallows
while this head is on."
"That's all the thanks you get," grumbled Charlie to himself and the
other three as Orde moved away. "Work, slave, get up in the night,
drownd yourself--"
He happily discovered that the pails under the forward thwart had
not been carried away, and all started in to bail. It was a back-
breaking job, and consumed the greater part of two hours. Even at
the end of that time the wanigan, though dry of loose water, floated
but sluggishly.
"'Bout two ton of water in them bed-rolls and turkeys," grumbled
Charlie. "Well, get at it!"
Newmark soon discovered that the progress of the wanigan was looked
upon in the light of a side-show by the rivermen.
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