obstructing a navigable
stream. I am doing business, and I cannot be interfered with."

"But my logs!" cried the unhappy mill man.

"I have nothing to do with your logs. You are driving your own logs,"
Orde reminded him.

Heinzman vituperated and pounded the gunwale.

"Go ahead, Marsh!" said Orde.

The tug gathered way. Soon Heinzman was forced to let go. For a second
time the chains were snapped. Orde and Marsh looked back over the
churning wake left by the SPRITE. The severed ends of the booms were
swinging back toward either shore. Between them floated a rowboat. In
the rowboat gesticulated a pudgy man. The river was well sprinkled with
logs. Evidently the sorting was going on well.

"May as well go back to the works," said Orde. "He won't string them
together again to-day--not if he waits for that tug he sent Simpson
for."

Accordingly, they returned to the booms, where work was suspended while
Orde detailed to an appreciative audience the happenings below. This
tickled the men immensely.

"Why, we hain't sorted out more'n a million feet of his logs," cried
Rollway Charlie. "He hain't SEEN no logs yet!"

They turned with new enthusiasm to the work of shunting "H" logs into
the channel.

In ten minutes, however, the stableman picked his way out over the booms
with a message for Orde.

"Mr. Heinzman's ashore, and wants to see you," said he.

Orde and Jim Denning exchanged glances.

"'Coon's come down," said the latter.

Orde found the mill man pacing restlessly up and down before a
steaming pair of horses. Newmark, perched on a stump, was surveying him
sardonically and chewing the end of an unlighted cigar.

"Here you poth are!" burst out Heinzman, when Orde stepped ashore. "Now,
this must stop. I must not lose my logs! Vat is your probosition?"

Newmark broke in quickly before Orde could speak.

"I've told Mr. Heinzman," said he, "that we would sort and deliver the
rest of his logs for two dollars a thousand."

"That will be about it," agreed Orde.

"But," exploded Heinzman, "that is as much as you agreet to drive and
deliffer my whole cut!"

"Precisely," said Newmark.

"Put I haf all the eggspence of driving the logs myself. Why shoult I
pay you for doing what I haf alretty paid to haf done?"

Orde chuckled.

"Heinzman," said he, "I told you I'd make you scratch gravel. Now it's
time to talk business. You thought you were boring with a mighty auger,
but it's time to revise. We aren't