u're away much
of the summer, how are you going to keep your engagement with me?"

"I have thought of it," Thirlwell replied. "It's awkward--"

Scott smiled at his embarrassment. "Well, I'll let you go. In fact, I
don't mind taking a stake in the expedition, in the way of food and
tools."

"Miss Strange wouldn't agree."

"Very well. Suppose you locate the ore, she'll need advice and further
help. Now I know something about mining; I've paid pretty high for what
I've learned. I understand Miss Strange hasn't much money, and we might
save her some expensive mistakes. You see, I haven't much hope of
getting down to pay-dirt here."

Thirlwell pondered. He liked and trusted Scott, and the thought of being
able to offer Agatha the help she might need was attractive; but he
meant to be honest and exercised some self-control.

"It would pay you better to leave the thing alone. I feel pretty sure
the ore's a freak of Strange's imagination."

"It's possible," Scott agreed. "Go and see."

Thirlwell knocked out and filled his pipe; and then remarked with some
diffidence: "You stated that you didn't think you had enough capital to
keep the Clermont going long."

"I haven't enough," Scott said, smiling. "But I have some rich relations
who might finance me if I could show them a sure snap. I'd like to do
so, anyhow, because, after spending most all my money, I feel I've got
to make good."

"I can understand this. Why did you come up here in the beginning?"

"It's rather a long story and I reckon it starts with a canoe trip I
made in the North one fall. I had then begun a business in which family
influence could give me a lift. Well, it was Indian summer; mosquitoes
dying off, lakes and rivers all asleep in the pale sunshine. As we
paddled and portaged through the woods I felt I'd got into another
world. Wanted to stop forever and began to hate the cities; the feeling
wasn't new, but I hadn't got it really strong till then. Sometimes at
night, when the loons were calling on the lake and my packers were
asleep, I'd lie by the fire and speculate what civilization was worth
and if a man might not do better to cut loose and live by his gun and
traps. Well, of course, it was a crank notion, and I wasn't all a fool.
I stopped longer than I meant, but I pulled out and got to work again."

Scott paused and smoked meditatively before he resumed: "It was of no
use; the city palled. Don't know that I'm a cynic or much of a
philosop