spoke first! I claim the job!" And,
snatching up an axe, he started down the bank.

"Hold on!" shouted McElvey; but Goodine paid no attention. "Come back, I
tell you!" roared the boss. "The job's yours, so hold on!" Upon this
Bill came swaggering back, and gazed about him triumphantly.

"I guess _I'm_ your teamster, eh, Laurette?" he murmured. But, to his
astonishment, Laurette did not seem to hear him. She was casting quick
glances of anger and disappointment in the direction of Jim Reddin, who
leaned on a sled-stake and appeared to take no interest in the
proceedings. Goodine flushed with jealous wrath, and was about to fling
some gibe at Reddin, when McElvey remarked,--

"That's all very well, sis; and has kinder simplified matters a lot. But
I'm thinkin' you'd better have another one of the boys to fall back on.
This 'ere's an onusual ticklish job; and the feller as does it'll be
lucky if he comes off with a whole skin."

At these words so plain an expression of relief went over Laurette's
face that Bill Goodine could not contain himself.

"Jim Reddin _dasn't_ do it," he muttered to her, fiercely.

The girl drew herself up. "I never said he dast," she replied. "An'
what's Jim Reddin to me, I'd like to know?" And then, being furious at
Jim, at herself, and at Goodine, she was on the point of telling the
latter that _he_ shouldn't drive her home, anyway, when she reflected
that this would excite comment, and restrained herself. But Reddin, who
imagined that the whole thing was a scheme on Laurette's part for
getting out of her promise to him, and who felt, consequently, as if the
heavens were falling about his ears, had caught Goodine's mention of his
name. He stepped up and asked sharply, "What's that about Jim Reddin?"

Laurette was gazing at him in a way that pierced his jealous pain and
thrilled his heart strangely; and as he looked at her he began to forget
Bill Goodine altogether. But Goodine was not to be forgotten.

"I said," he cried, in a loud voice, "that you, Jim Reddin, jest
_dasn't_ cut out them logs. You think yourself some punkins, you do; but
ye're a coward!" And, swinging his great form round insolently, Goodine
picked up his axe and sauntered down the bank.

Now, Laurette, as well as most of the hands, looked to see this insult
promptly resented in the only way consistent with honor. Reddin, though
tender-hearted and slow to anger, was regarded as being, with the
possible exception of Goodi