"
The men took their places. Orde moved here and there, giving his
directions.
"Sluice through everything but the "H" logs," he commanded. "Work
them off to the left and leave them."
Twilight, then dark, fell. After a few moments the moon, then just
past its full, rose behind the new-budding trees. The sluicing,
under the impetus of a big crew, went rapidly.
"I bet there's mighty near a million an hour going through there,"
speculated Orde, watching the smooth, swift, but burdened waters of
the chute.
And in this work the men distinguished easily the new white blaze-
marks on Heinzman's logs; so they were able without hesitation to
shunt them one side into the smoother water, as Orde had commanded.
About two o'clock the last log shot through.
"Now, boys," said Orde, "tear out the booms."
The chute to the dam was approached, as has been earlier explained,
by two rows of booms arranged in a V, or funnel, the apex of which
emptied into the sluice-way, and the wide, projecting arms of which
embraced the width of the stream. The logs, floating down the pond,
were thus concentrated toward the sluice. Also, the rivermen,
walking back and forth the length of the booms, were able easily to
keep the drive moving.
Pages:
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297