u said you had chicken," he observed; "looks to me like
dumplin' soup."

"I did have chicken," replied the man. "Oh, you Miles!--Bob!--come here.
This old wreck has gone and stole all our chicken."

The boys popped in from the next room.

"I never," expostulated California John, his eyes twinkling. "I never
stole nothin'. I just came in and found a poor old hen bogged down in a
mess of dough, so I rescued her."

The other man said nothing for some time, but surveyed California John
from head to toe and from toe to head again.

"Square," said he at last.

"Square," replied California John with equal gravity. They shook hands.

While the newcomers ate supper, California John read laboriously his
accumulated mail. After spelling through one document he uttered a
hearty oath.

"What is it?" asked Ross, suspending operations.

"They've put me in as Supervisor to succeed Plant," replied California
John, handing over the official document. "I ain't no supervisor."

"I'd like to know why not," spoke up Miles indignantly. "You know these
mountains better'n any man ever set foot in 'em."

"I ain't got no education," replied California John.

"Damn good thing," growled Ross.

California John smoked with troubled brow.

"What's the matter with you, anyhow?" demanded Ross impatiently, after a
while; "ain't you satisfied?"

"Oh, I'm satisfied well enough, but I kind of hate to leave the service;
I like her."

"Quit!" cried Ross.

"No," denied California John, "but I'll get fired. First thing," he
explained, "I'm going after Simeon Wright's grazing permits. He ain't no
right in the mountains, and the ranges are overstocked. He can't trail
in ten thousand head while I'm supposed to be boss, so it looks as
though I wasn't going to be boss long after Simeon Wright comes in."

"Oh, go slow," pleaded Ross; "take things a little easy at first, and
then when you get going you can tackle the big things."

"I ain't going to enforce any regulations they don't give me," stated
California John, "and I'm going to try to enforce all they do. That's
what I'm here for."

"That means war with Wright," said Ross.

"Then war it is," agreed California John comfortably.

"You won't last ten minutes against Wright."

"Reckon not," agreed old John, "reckon not; but I'll last long enough to
make him take notice."

XXIII

By end of summer California John was fairly on his road. He entered
office at a time when the loca