y made no secret of the
fact among themselves as well as outsiders, that if it were not for
the high wages they would have deserted in a body long ago; no lumber
boss they had ever known or worked for had dared feed them like this.
These lumber jacks were used to good, plain food and plenty of it.

It is needless to say neither the trapper nor the Clown complained.
They, like Holcomb, were fully aware of the fact that Bergstein was
playing a dangerous game. They were waiting for the _denouement_. At
times when the men gave vent to their grievances Hite Holt and Freme
Skinner did their level best to smooth things over; they did not want
to trouble Thayor.

The same afternoon of Bergstein's discharge the gang at the lower
shanty struck. The bar-room at Morrison's became packed. Little else
was talked of but the injustice of the owner of Big Shanty. Later in
the day a delegation of awkward, sinewy men came upon his veranda.
They were for the most part sober. It might be said they were the
soberest. Le Boeuf was among them. Men of the sea and men of the woods
air their grievances in the same way--a spokesman is indispensable.

This man's name was Shank Dollard--a man with a slow mind and a quick
temper. Their interview with Thayor was brief. His polite firmness and
his quiet manner made Shank Dollard lower his voice.

"I know precisely what you are going to say," Thayor began as the
deputation shuffled into his den. "In the first place I hear there has
been general dissatisfaction over the food at the lower shanty."

"You ain't fur from the p'int," blurted out Dollard; "it hain't been
fit to feed to a dog."

"One moment, Mr. Dollard--you will wait until I get through speaking,"
Thayor said as he lifted a pile of bills. "These," he went on, "are
the complete list of supplies since Bergstein took charge of your
commissary department. A glance at the items and their cost will, I
feel sure, force you men to acknowledge that they are the best money
can buy." He passed half the file to Dollard, the remainder he handed
to a big fellow next him for distribution. The totals alone were
startling.

"We hain't had a dollar's worth of them things, and you know it,"
Dollard exclaimed surlily, looking up suddenly, as he read.

"Of course you haven't," Thayor smiled in return, "and yet you censure
me for terminating my business relations with Bergstein--a man you men
unanimously chose."

There was an awkward pause and a sheepish