“We’re sluicin’ now.”
“We put the run on them,” said McKenna, whose leathery face bore the marks of war. “Lucky for us we had the numbers. They’re hard lads, but ’tis not like they’ll bother us again. Now, boys, the boss is all right. Out on the booms with yez.”
Without delay they swarmed out on the booms. Others went upstream to hustle the logs down. The work of sorting and sluicing went forward merrily, for Kent’s logs outnumbered Clancys’ in the proportion of four to one, and besides the crew was not very particular as to the ownership of individual logs, which could be culled out later. The main thing was speed. Clancys’ logs were sided into an inner boom; Kent’s were allowed to go down with the current. It took time, but it was worth it.
Thus Kent’s big drive passed Clancys’ and ran Moore’s Rapids in defiance of the law and usage of the river; but every man, from the young boss down, was very sure that the end justified the means, and was quite ready to take any consequences that might accrue from the high-handed act.
XX
Joe Kent preceded his drive to Falls City by a few days. He found Wright in great feather. Several large orders had been placed, proof that the terms of the settlement mentioned by Locke in his letter were being carried out. But when Joe asked the lawyer for more details the latter shook his head.
“I can’t mention names, for that was part of the arrangement,” said he. “You be satisfied with what you’ve got. You’re a hundred times better off than if you had merely exposed Garwood.”
“I know it,” Joe admitted; “but are you sure the arrangement will be carried out?”
“Certain. You’ve got good orders coming in, haven’t you? You won’t have anything to complain of hereafter. How about those logs? Can you deliver them on time?”
“I think so,” Joe replied.