eir bodies, as swans afloat upon still water,
their long legs held motionless and straight behind; yet they moved
rapidly, moved steadily and to a definite goal some place eastward up
the river.

"Beautiful! A dream worth the trip alone!"

To Roger's amazement the man in overalls started at the words with
something like alarm in his expression; but as his shrewd blue eyes
took them in they showed relief.

"What are they?" asked Roger.

The man's expression took upon itself a mask of disinterest, almost
sullenness.

"What you talking about?"

"Those birds up there?"

"Didn't see any birds. Looking to see if it would rain."

"Well, look now. What are they?"

The man refused to look.

"Donno. Donno anything about birds."

Payne looked at him closely and was puzzled. The man's obvious
appearance of intelligence rendered such a reply unnatural.

The stranger returned the scrutiny, appraising the pair with a lazy air
of indifference, which did not quite conceal his shrewdness.

"What you-all doing here? Fishing?"

"Hiding."

"Come on the Swastika?"

"Yes."

"She's sailing."

"Yes; that's why we're hiding. We're not going back on her." Roger's
eyes had not left the man's. Each had appraised the other and given a
favorable verdict. "We're going up the river. I've got some land I've
got to look at up there."

"How d'you figure to go?"

"On the Cormorant; we know she's going up. We're going on her--by
force, if necessary."

"I'm engineer on the Cormorant."

"Well, your clothes'll 'bout fit me. Maybe she's going to have a new
engineer."

They laughed together.

"Buddy," said Higgins suddenly, "you don't belong down here, do you?"

The engineer did not reply.

"I see you don't. And we ain't crackers either."

"I see that. Where is your land?"

"At the head of the river. Prairie land."

"What? In Garman's---- Who did you do business with?"

"The Prairie Highlands outfit--Senator Fairclothe is its president. Do
you run up there?"

"No. It's bad enough to get up to what they call the Colony; never
been there myself," said the stranger, "but you're beyond that. We
don't go there ourselves."

"How far up do you go?"

"To what's on the maps as the Colony. Get there at about noon."

"My land is Sections 16 and 17."

"That prairie tract is beyond the headwaters. Do you know this
country--anything about the people, and so on?"

"All I know is that I've got some money