ke where it's possible." He laughed
harshly. "There'll be two feet less water in the valley before the
morning."

"But no heading," cried Mattawa.

"Well," replied Nasmyth simply, "we'll start another one. I notice two
holes yonder. We'll drill a third one, Tom."

Nasmyth had been in the saddle since sunrise, in bitter frost and
whirling snow, but he picked up a hammer, and Mattawa seized a drill.
There was no room to swing the hammer, and Nasmyth struck half
crouching, while, chilly as the heading was, the perspiration dripped
from him, and the veins rose swollen on his forehead. He was up
against it, and a man strikes hardest when he is pressed back to the
wall. Gordon sat and watched them, but--for the rock rang with each
jarring thud--he wrapped the magazine in his wet jacket, and it was a
relief to him when Nasmyth finally dropped the hammer.

"Now," said Nasmyth, "we'll fill every hole ram to the top."

Mattawa placed the giant-powder in the holes, and they crawled back,
trailing a couple of thin wires after them, until they reached the
strip of shingle near the gully, when Nasmyth made the connection with
the firing-plug.

A streak of vivid flame leapt out of the rock, and the detonation was
followed by the roar of the river pouring through the newly opened
gap. Nasmyth turned without a word and plodded back to the shanty. A
group of men who had scrambled down the gully met him.

"You were a little astonished to see me, boys?" he said with a
question in his voice. Then he laughed.

"I've fired a big charge, and I guess you'll have to start another
heading as soon as it's sun-up."

It was evident that the men were disconcerted, and an expostulatory
murmur rose from them. It ceased, however, when Nasmyth waved his
hand.

"I had to do it, boys," he declared.

It had cost them strenuous toil to drive that heading, but one could
have fancied that they were satisfied with the terse assurance he
offered them. He had proved himself fit to lead them, and they had a
steadfast confidence in him.

"Well," commented one of the men, "in that case, I guess all we have
to do is to start right off at the other one."

Nasmyth opened the door of the shanty. "I felt you'd look at it that
way, boys," he said. "I'll explain the thing later. I'm a little
played out to-night."

The men plodded away up the gully, and in another few minutes Nasmyth
was sound asleep.

CHAPTER XXVII

TIMBER RIGHTS

They set