ald.

"It makes no difference. They are supposed to make a fair bid on the
clip."

"What if he shouldn't take it?"

"Why, then all the brokers who have bid on the wool leave town pledging
each other not to bid on that particular shipment of wool for two
weeks," replied Sandy.

"Why?" inquired Donald, opening his eyes.

"It is to protect the brokers. You can see the justice in it when you
think a moment. These Easterners are busy men and they come a long way.
They can't take a trip to some far-off ranch only to find the
wool-grower has decided not to sell his fleeces; or that he will not
sell them below a certain price. If a man really does not want to sell
he must not get the buyers there; if he does he must be content with
what they offer. Your father would have to buy his wool this way if he
did not own Crescent Ranch; and even so he may send men to buy wool at
outside ranches too, for all I know."

"I am going to ask him," Donald said.

"Do not ask him now. He might not want to talk his business over here.
Wait until you get back East."

"I hate to think of going back home, Sandy," the boy declared, regret in
his tones.

"All good things must come to an end, lad. You will go back, finish your
schooling, go to college as your father wishes, and then, a gentleman
grown, you will be choosing some work."

Sandy studied Donald keenly.

"Yes, I suppose that is just what I shall do. I am thinking some of
studying law, Sandy."

The Scotchman's face fell, but Donald did not notice it.

"I've always thought I should like to stand up in court and make a great
plea--a speech that would sweep people off their feet," went on Donald.
"Or," he added reflectively, "I may be a judge."

Sandy scratched his head.

"There's a good bit step between studying law and being a judge," said
he.

"Perhaps after all I may decide not to be a judge," ruminated Donald. "I
have always wanted to manage a baseball team and I may think I would
rather do that."

"Go on with you!" Sandy cried. "Next you'll be having yourself a
lighthouse-keeper." Then he added wistfully: "But no matter what you
are, laddie, dinna forget Crescent Ranch."

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XII

HOME TO THE EAST

Within two weeks Thornton, Mr. Clark, and Donald were back in
Massachusetts, and the thread of Eastern life was once more taken up.

Donald did not return to school, since it was now so near June that to
enter the class seemed useless;