arrangements
to git in grub before I bring on a famine for you.... And I got the grub
stored in warehouses. That's part of it. Second, I'll _lease_ you my
river for three years. You wasn't calc'latin' to pay for the use of it.
So you be obleeged to pay in advance. I figgered my profits on drivin'
at about two thousand this year. Give you a three-year lease for five
thousand. I hain't no hog.... Yes or no."

There was a brief conference. "Yes," was the answer.

"Cash," said Scattergood.

"You'll have to come to the city for it," Keith said, which Scattergood
was not unwilling to do. He returned with a certified check for
twenty-six thousand five hundred and twenty-four dollars and nineteen
cents, of which five thousand was rental of his river, and four thousand
and odd dollars were his profits on his provisions. Not a bad profit
from a dust-throwing project!

Meantime Johnnie paid his visit to Crane and Keith, and came home to
report.

"It hit them between wind and water," he said.

"Uh-huh!... What did you judge they had in mind?"

"They wanted to buy me out.... Of course I wouldn't sell. My clients
wanted that timber, and were going to work to build their mill.... The
last they said was that they were coming up to see me."

"Uh-huh! When they come, you mention about that strip of fifteen
thousand acres you couldn't buy, eh? Let on you couldn't get it."

Johnnie held Scattergood as he was going out. "I want to account for
that five thousand dollars you placed in my name."

"Go ahead. I hain't perventin' you."

"I got options on eighteen thousand six hundred acres of timber. The
options cost me twenty-one hundred and seventy dollars, and my expenses
were sixty-one dollars and a half."

"Um!... Cheap enough. What did the land cost an acre?"

"Averaged a dollar and seventy-five cents."

"Huh!... Not so bad. Now tend to Crane and his quiet friend."

They arrived in due time, accompanied by their lawyer.

"Mr. Bones," said the lawyer, "you have certain options that my clients
wish to purchase. Undoubtedly they were taken in good faith, but we
would like, before going farther, to know whom you are acting for."

"You can deal with me. I have full powers."

"You decline to disclose your principal?"

"Absolutely."

"Do I understand the project is to build a mill at once and start to cut
this timber?"

"That is my information."

"Aha!... May I ask how much land you have?"

Johnnie exhibited a map, o