they're starting. Alice, wouldn't that lady take charge of thee while I
stay back?"

"Get into the car, father," said the girl, with a laugh. "You mustn't
forget you're the people's warden. Good-bye, Ralph, until we see you at
the chalet."

"All aboard!" called a loud voice; the couplings tightened; and I waved my
hat as, followed by a last cheer, the train rolled away.

"Is it true that all has been settled satisfactorily?" asked Harry,
presently, and when I answered, he added: "Then we're going back to finish
the evening. Johnston's to honor the company with stump speeches and all
kinds of banjo eccentricities. You are getting too sober and serious,
Ralph; come along."

I refused laughingly, and spent at least an hour walking up and down
through the cool dimness that hung over the track to dissipate the
excitement of a day of varied emotions. Then I went back to our shanty and
slept soundly, until about daybreak I was partly wakened by the feasters
returning with discordant songs, though I promptly went to sleep again. I
never heard exactly what happened in the wooden town that night, but there
was wreckage in its streets the next morning, and when I opened my eyes
the first thing I saw was our partner Johnston slumbering peacefully with
his head among the fragments of his shattered banjo.

CHAPTER XIX

A GENEROUS OFFER

It was late in the afternoon of the next day when Harry and I sat figuring
in our shanty, while Johnston lay on a heap of cedar twigs sucking at his
pipe and encouraging us languidly.

"I never could stand figures, and that's perhaps why I'm poor," he said.
"Go on, you are doing famously, and, though Ralph can't add up correctly
to save his life, I'll take your word for it."

He formed a characteristic picture of the free lance as he lay there,
bronzed and blonde-bearded, with his massy limbs disposed in an attitude
of easy grace, awaiting the result with a careless unconcern until Harry
flung a long boot at him as a signal for silence.

"As the surveyor told you, Ralph, we can't well lose money on this last
venture, even if we wanted to," said Harry at length. "You'll observe I'm
almost getting superstitious. Now, on cashing the order, we can repay your
loan, keeping back sufficient to meet emergencies, while with the rest one
of us could return to Fairmead and plough every available acre for next
spring's sowing. Many things suggest that you are the one to go. Johnston
and I wi