now; and probably will continue so; but I can't afford to take
chances. If those logs ever break through they'll go on out to Lake
Michigan and there they wouldn't be worth the salvage."

Tom North stared at his principal in surprise.

"That's a mighty long chance," he commented. "Never knew you to come so
near croaking before, Jack."

"If this drive goes out, it surely busts me," replied Orde, "and I'm not
taking even long chances."

Captain Marsh, returning with the SPRITE, brought an evening paper
and news from the telegraph offices. A cloudburst in the China Creek
district followed by continued heavy rains was responsible for the
increased water. The papers mentioned this only incidentally, and in
explanation. Their columns were filled with an account of the big log
jam that had formed above the iron railroad bridge. The planing mill's
booms had given way under pressure and the contents had piled down
stream against the buttresses. Before steps could be taken to clear the
way, the head of the drive, hurried by the excess water, had piled in on
top. Immediately a jam formed, increasing in weight each moment, until
practically the entire third section had piled up back of the bridge.

The papers occupied themselves with the picturesque side of the affair.
None expressed any anxiety as to the bridge. It was a new structure,
each of whose bents weighed over a hundred tons. A fall of a few inches
only would suffice to lock the jam solidly, thus relieving whatever
pressure the mass exerted against the iron bridge. That the water would
shortly go down was of course inevitable at this time of year. It would
be a big jam for the rivermen to break, however.

"Do you think you'll go up there?" asked North.

Orde shook his head.

"They're in a nice pickle," he acknowledged; "but Nolan's in charge and
will do his best. I think we may have troubles of our own right here at
home."

He slept that night at the booms. The water, contrary to all
expectation, rose steadily. By morning it had crept so far up the piles
that there began to be danger that it would overflow their tops. In that
case, of course, the logs in the booms would also run out.

"Guess it's time we did a little work," remarked Orde.

He set a crew of men to raising the height of the piling by tying logs
firmly to the bolted timbers atop. This would take care of an extra
two feet of water; a two feet beyond all previous records. Another crew
stretched th