Clearing 239 



they kept the log steady. If one man's grip 

 had failed, it might have meant serious hurt 

 for the rest. A log inert upon the sticks is one 

 thing, and a log rolling and bounding off them, 

 gaining impetus and momentum as it moves, 

 very much another. Every hand holding, 

 when the log comes well above the knees, the 

 men walk off with it, moving in time as though 

 locked. When they come to the log pile, 

 all those upon one side lay their stick-ends 

 firmly upon the foundation log, or that one 

 which it is best the new log shall hug through- 

 out the burning. Then the captain shouts 

 interrogatively : " All the good men out ? " 

 But he waits for no answer before crying : 

 " Let her roll ! " At the word the men who 

 still hold stick ends raise them with a little 

 shout, heave the log in place, then rush off to 

 find another. 



Simple as it looks, there is art in building log 

 piles. Some men are born with it, just as some 

 other men are born to other arts. If old 

 man Shack had not been so lazy he would 

 have been the king of log-rollers, indeed of all 

 manner of timber-workers. He had the nicest 

 eye, the quickest judgment as to how and 

 where a stick would fit best. Logs, if they 

 are to burn freely must be so placed they will 

 roll together, not apart in the burning. There 

 was something behind the old man's braggart 



