About ten o'clock they were reinforced by
men from the mills downstream. The Owners of those mills had no
mind to lose their logs. Another pile-driver was also sent up from
the Government work. Without this assistance the jam must surely
have gone out. Spectators marvelled how it held as it did. The
mass seemed constantly to quiver on the edge of motion. Here and
there over the surface of the 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.
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