mself
for higher posts, and accordingly explained matters more fully than he
would otherwise have done. Reaching the close of that subject he rose to
go suddenly. He looked around the tent.

"Got everything you want?" he demanded.

"Yes, indeed, sir," the boy replied. "It's very comfortable here."

"Got a watch?"

"No, Mr. Merritt, not now."

"Why not?"

"Mine got lost in that little trouble I had with the bob-cat, and I
didn't notice it until next day."

"Saw you hadn't one the other day. Take this."

He pulled a watch out of his pocket and handed it to the boy.

"But, Mr. Merritt," began the boy, "your watch? Oh, I couldn't--"

"Got another. You'll need it." He turned and walked out of the tent.

Wilbur overtook him on the way to the corral.

"Oh, Mr. Merritt--" he began, but his chief turned sharply round on him.
The boy, for all his impulsiveness, could read a face, and he checked
himself. "Thank you very much, indeed," he ended quietly. He got out the
Supervisor's horse, and as the latter swung himself into the saddle, he
said:

"What time to-morrow, Mr. Merritt?"

"Eleven, sharp," was the reply. "So long."

Wilbur looked after him as he rode away.

"That means starting by daybreak," he said aloud. "Well, I don't think
I'm going to suffer from sleeping sickness on this job, anyway." And he
went back into the tent to finish the letter which he had started two
evenings before and never had a chance to complete.

By dawn the next morning Wilbur was on the trail. He was giving himself
more time than he needed, but he had not the slightest intention of
arriving late, neither did he wish the flanks of his horse to show that
he had been riding hard. For the boy was perfectly sure that not a
detail would escape the Supervisor's eye. Accordingly, he was able to
take the trip quietly and trotted easily into camp a quarter of an hour
ahead of time. He was heartily welcomed by McGinnis, while Merritt told
him to go in and get a snack, as they would start in a few minutes.
There was enough to make a good meal, and Wilbur was hungry after riding
since dawn, so that he had just got through when the other two men rode
up. He hastily finished his last mouthful, jumped up, and clambered into
the saddle after the Supervisor, who had not waited a moment to see if
he were ready.

Merritt set a fairly fast pace, and the trail was only intended for
single file, so that there was no conversation for an hour or more.