en he turned to Drummond. "Put that cutter down! I
don't: want to see you killed in my smithy."

All were quite still for a moment, and then Driscoll moved, as if he
meant to get round the anvil, but the smith held him back.

"Try it again and I'll surely singe your hide!" he shouted, and swung
round as he heard Drummond's cautious step. "If you sling that cutter at
him, I'll put you on the fire. Get out now; I'm coming to see you go!"

Drummond backed to the door, with the red iron a few inches from his
face, and when he had gone the smith signed to Driscoll.

"You're not going yet! Sit down right there and take a smoke."

A few moments later Thirlwell joined Drummond, who was waiting near the
smithy. "If you mean to make trouble, I'll pay you off," he said.
"You're hired to work, not to fight."

"If I quit now, Steve will get after me again," Drummond grumbled.

"I think not. In fact, I'll see about that; but if you provoke the man,
you'll be fired as soon as I know. It's worth while to remember that
you're a long way from the settlements."

"I got him with the cutter, anyhow," Drummond rejoined, and when he went
off Thirlwell entered the smithy.

He imagined what he said to Driscoll would prevent the quarrel beginning
again, and presently went back to the mine, feeling satisfied. There was
now not much risk of Drummond and Driscoll making friends and finding
that both knew something about the lode. Thirlwell was persuaded that
Driscoll did know something, more in fact than anybody else; he knew
where Strange had expected to find the ore. Thirlwell had not admitted
this to Scott, because he shrank from stating his suspicions, which were
dark but vague. Now, however, he thought he would try to formulate them
and see how they looked, since he might, after all, take Scott into his
confidence.

To begin with, nobody knew why Strange's canoe capsized. Strange was
clever with the paddle, and Driscoll's narrative, while plausible, left
something to be accounted for. It was improbable that he had quarreled
with his partner while they shot the rapid, because their minds would be
occupied by the dangerous navigation. Then supposing that Driscoll had
intentionally let the canoe swerve when they were threatened by a
breaking wave, it was hard to see what he would gain. If he thought
Strange had found the ore, it would obviously be impossible to learn
anything about it after the man was drowned. The theory that Strange h