"That old mossback Reed was right on deck with his rope," remarked
Johnny Simms. "That was pretty decent of him."

"Old skunk!" growled North. "He lost us two days with his damn
nonsense. You let him off too easy, Jack."

"Oh, he's a poor old devil," replied Orde easily. "He means well
enough. That's the way the Lord made him. He can't help how he's
made."



VI


During the thirty-three days of the drive, Newmark, to the surprise
of everybody, stayed with the work. Some of these days were very
disagreeable. April rains are cold and persistent--the proverbs as
to showers were made for another latitude. Drenched garments are
bad enough when a man is moving about and has daylight; but when
night falls, and the work is over, he likes a dry place and a change
with which to comfort himself. Dry places there were none. Even
the interior of the tents became sodden by continual exits and
entrances of dripping men, while dry garments speedily dampened in
the shiftings of camp which, in the broader reaches of the lower
river, took place nearly every day. Men worked in soaked garments,
slept in damp blankets. Charlie cooked only by virtue of
persistence. The rivermen ate standing up, as close to the
sputtering, roaring fires as they could get. Always the work went