238 Next to the Ground 



more honor in putting up the most heaps, most 

 honor of all in walking off with a log that had 

 proved too heavy, or two unhandy for another 

 crew. Dan and his crew won this crowning 

 glory three times at the big log-rolling, al- 

 though they were working against older heads 

 and heavier bodies. White men and black 

 worked amicably elbow to elbow, but Joe felt 

 a distinct thrill of personal triumph when 

 Dan's men picked up and almost ran with a 

 big chunky black-jack burl that had downed 

 old man Shack and his crew. 



Where the logs lay close they were really 

 rolled, often over improvised pole tramways, 

 along which they sped impelled by heaves of 

 the hand-sticks. Carrying was quicker, and 

 in most cases somewhat easier. Two men 

 worked to a stick — thus there were six sticks 

 to a crew. After the captain had duly squinted 

 up and down the log, making sure in his own 

 mind how it would roll and lie when lifted, 

 everybody got down beside it, and surged 

 against it, until it was loosened in its bed. 

 Then the sticks were placed end on, equidis- 

 tant along the length of it. More surging 

 rolled it over upon them, then each man bent, 

 gripped his end of the stick, waited-the captain's 

 word, and when he got it, rose upward, slowly, 

 steadily, bringing the stick with him, and inci- 

 dentally his share of log. Lifting thus equally. 



