l by
himself, winter and summer, seldom, if ever, seeing a human face, and
apparently devoting all his energies to making his fur farm experiment
turn out to be a success. "Nothing would tempt me to stick it out here a
whole winter. Why, I'd die of the blues, and let the black foxes go to
the dickens, while I made break for the nearest town, so I could hear
the sound of a human voice."

Obed looked at him gravely, and heaved a sigh.

"Yep, I feels that ways, too, sometimes, Steve," he said presently; "and
let me tell yuh the temptation is nigh more'n I c'n stand; but I jest
shuts my teeth together, and tells myself that I started in to do this
job, and I'm agoin' to stick it out or know the reason why. Then I git
my second wind agin' and it's all right. Once I used to give in right
easy, but I'm broke now o' that bad habit, I guess."

CHAPTER VII

THE YOUNG MAGICIAN

The more Max listened to Obed talk on the one subject that seemed to be
his pet hobby, that of raising valuable fur-bearing animals for the
market, the deeper grew his conviction that the woods boy was well worth
studying.

He might talk after the manner of an uneducated boy, but Max knew that
this could not be the case. Even though the main lot of numerous
"Grimeses" were following the humble occupation of guides amidst the
extensive stretches of the Adirondacks, and possibly many of them would
be found to be boors, save along the line of woodcraft, Obed had managed
to pick up considerable knowledge, somehow or other.

When trying to explain how this idea of successfully raising "silver"
black foxes took such a main grip on his imagination, he brought out a
batch of clippings which he had managed to get hold of in some manner,
Max could not even guess how.

Some of these were fantastic in their revelations, while others were
authentic interviews with parties who for years had been secretly
engaged in the business of fur farming. This was away up on Prince
Edward Island beyond Nova Scotia, said to be the place best situated
geographically for the purpose, as these animals require a severe
climate in order that their pelt assumes its richest and heaviest crop.
A black fox farm started down in Florida would not produce furs worth
offering for sale.

Max was intensely interested with one account in particular connected
with the extensive pioneer silver fox ranch. He even asked the privilege
of copying the same for future reference, because he