anger has his virtues. Settle is just the kind
of instructor you young fellows need."

Berrie also had keen eyes for his outfit and his training, and under her
direction he learned to pack a horse, set a tent, build a fire in the
rain, and other duties.

"You want to remember that you carry your bed and board with you," she
said, "and you must be prepared to camp anywhere and at any time."

The girl's skill in these particulars was marvelous to him, and added to
the admiration he already felt for her. Her hand was as deft, as sure, as
the best of them, and her knowledge of cayuse psychology more profound
than any of the men excepting her father.

One day, toward the end of his second week in the village, the Supervisor
said: "Well, now, if you're ready to experiment I'll send you over to
Settle, the ranger, on the Horseshoe. He's a little lame on his pen-hand
side, and you may be able to help him out. Maybe I'll ride over there
with you. I want to line out some timber sales on the west side of
Ptarmigan."

This commission delighted Norcross greatly. "I'm ready, sir, this
moment," he answered, saluting soldier-wise.

That night, as he sat in the saddle-littered, boot-haunted front room of
Nash's little shack, his host said, quaintly: "Don't think you are
inheriting a soft snap, son. The ranger's job was a man's job in the old
days when it was a mere matter of patrolling; but it's worse and more of
it to-day. A ranger must be ready and willing to build bridges, fight
fire, scale logs, chop a hole through a windfall, use a pick in a ditch,
build his own house, cook, launder, and do any other old trick that comes
along. But you'll know more about all this at the end of ten days than I
can tell you in a year."

"I'm eager for duty," replied Wayland.

The next morning, as he rode down to the office to meet the Supervisor,
he was surprised and delighted to find Berea there. "I'm riding, too,"
she announced, delightedly. "I've never been over that new trail, and
father has agreed to let me go along." Then she added, earnestly: "I
think it's fine you're going in for the Service; but it's hard work, and
you must be careful till you're hardened to it. It's a long way to a
doctor from Settle's station."

He was annoyed as well as touched by her warning, for it proclaimed that
he was still far from looking the brave forester he felt himself to be.
He replied: "I'm not going to try anything wild, but I do intend to
master