Behind the drive floated the square bowed and square sterned
chuck-boat, which carried cook and provisions for the men. A
"boom", logs chained together, end to end, was thrown out from
one shore of the wide stream at night, and anchored at its outer
end. Behind this the logs were gathered in an orderly, compact
mass and the men could generally get their sleep, save for the
watchman; unless there came a sudden rise of water in the night.
It was a sight long to be remembered, Nan thought, when the boom
was broken in the morning. Sometimes an increasing current piled
the logs up a good bit. It was a fear-compelling view the girl
had of the river on one day when she went with Uncle Henry to see
the first drive from Blackton's camp. Tom was coming home with
his team and was not engaged in the drive. But reckless Rafe was
considered, for his age, a very smart hand on a log drive.
The river had risen two feet at the Pine Camp bridge overnight.
It was a boiling brown flood, covered with drifting foam and
debris. The roar of the freshet awoke Nan in her bed before
daybreak. So she was not surprised to see the river in such a
turmoil when, afer a hasty breakfast, she and Uncle Henry walked
beside the flood.
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