onitions of reaction in
the mild grumblings that arose. He knew these men well from his long
experience with them. Although the need for struggle against the
tireless dynamics of the river was as insistent as ever; although it
seemed certain that a moment's cessation of effort would permit the
enemy an irretrievable gain, he called a halt on the whole work.

"Boys," said he, irrelevantly, "let's have a smoke?"

He set the example by throwing himself full length against a slanting
pile and most leisurely filling his pipe. The men stared a moment;
then followed his example. A great peace of evening filled the sky. The
horizon lay low and black against the afterglow. Beneath it the river
shone like silver. Only the groaning, the heave and shrugging of the
jam, and the low threatening gurgle of hurrying waters reminded the
toil-weary men of the enemy's continued activity. Over beyond the rise
of land that lay between the river and Stearn's Bayou could be seen
the cloud of mingled smoke and steam that marked the activities of the
dredge. For ten minutes they rested in the solace of tobacco. Orde
was apparently more at ease than any of the rest, but each instant
he expected to hear the premonitory CRACK that would sound the end of
everything. Finally he yawned, knocked the ashes from his pipe, and got
to his feet.

"Now," said he, a new ring in his voice, "come on and let's get
something DONE!"

They responded to a man.

XL

By midnight the water seemed to have gone down slightly. Half the
crew snatched a little sleep. For several hours more the issue hung
aggravatingly in equilibrium. Then, with the opening of the channel into
Stearn's Bayou the heaviest pressure was relieved. For the moment the
acute danger point was passed.

Orde spent the next two days in strengthening the defences. The men were
able to take their quota of meals and of sleep. Merely the working
hours were longer than usual. Orde himself slept little, and was still
possessed by a feverish activity. The flood continued at about the
same volume. Until the water should subside, the danger could not be
considered completely over with.

In these few days of comparative leisure Orde had time to look about
him and to receive news. The jam had been successfully held at the iron
railroad bridge above Redding; but only by the most strenuous efforts.
Braces of oak beams had been slanted where they would do the most good;
chains strengthened the wea