, I think Yetmore's natural caution would prompt him to keep
within the law, but it is not impossible now, Tom having set him the
example--for one such transgression of the law is apt to breed
another--that he will think himself justified in resorting to lawless
measures in his turn; especially as he will have that fellow, Long John,
jogging his elbow and whispering evil counsels in his ear all the
time."

How correct my father was in his presumption; how Long John did devise a
scheme of retaliation; and how Joe and I inadvertently got our fingers
into the pie, I shall have to relate in due course.

But though my father disapproved of Tom's action, that fact did not
lessen his desire to help his friend when I had related to him how Tom
had indeed spent all his savings on Mrs. Murphy and her family.

"What a good-hearted, harum-scarum fellow he is!" exclaimed my father.
"He knows--in fact, no one knows better--that there is a possible
fortune waiting for him somewhere up here on Lincoln; he saves up all
winter so that he may be free to go and hunt for it in the spring; yet
at the first note of distress, away he runs and tumbles all his savings
into Mrs. Murphy's lap, who, when all is said and done, has no real
claim upon him, thus taking the risk of being stranded in town while
Long John goes off and cuts him out. What are we going to do about it,
boys? What can you suggest?"

"It would certainly be a shame," said Joe, "if Tom, by his act of
charity, should put himself out of the running in the search for that
vein of galena. Yet he will surely do so if he can't raise that money.
And even if he should raise it, he might be late in getting it, in which
case Long John would get the start of him."

"That's the case in a nutshell," my father assented; "and, as I said
before: What are we going to do about it?"

"Why----" Joe began; and then he suddenly jumped up and coming across
the room he whispered something in my ear. I replied with a nod;
whereupon Joe returned to his chair, and addressing my father once more,
said:

"I'll tell you what we'll do, Mr. Crawford. Phil and I made forty
dollars last fall cutting timbers--it was Tom who got us our order,
too--and we have it still. We'll put that in--eh, Phil?--if it will be
any use."

"Yes," said I. "Gladly."

"Good!" exclaimed my father. "Then that settles it. Now, _I'll_ tell you
what we'll do. I'll add sixty dollars to it--that is all I can afford
just now--and