ts of sand to see
it at all."

Bob nodded, his eye kindling with the beginnings of understanding.

"There was a few of them. They saw far enough ahead, and they come in
here and took up some timber. Other folks laughed at them; but I guess
they're doing most of the laughing now. It took nerve, and it took
sense, and it took time, and it took patience." California John
emphasized each point with a pat of his brown, gnarled hand.

"Now those fellows started things for this country. If they hadn't had
the sheer nerve to take up that timber, nobody would have dared do
anything else--not for years anyhow. But just the fact that the
Wolverine Company bought big, and other big men come in--why it give
confidence to the people. The country boomed right ahead. If nobody had
seen the future of the country, she'd have been twenty year behind. Out
West that means a hell of a lot of value, let me tell you!"

"The timber would have belonged to the Government," Bob reminded him.

"I'm a Forest officer," said California John, "and what's more, I was a
Forest officer for a good many years when there was nothin' to it but
kicks. There can't nobody beat me in wishing a lot of good forest land
was under the Service instead of being due to be cut up by lumbermen.
But I've lived too long not to see the point. You can't get benefits
without paying for 'em. The United States of America was big gainers
because these old fellows had the nerve just to come in and buy. It
ain't so much the lumber they saw and put out where it's needed--though
that's a good deal; and it ain't so much the men they bring into the
country and give work to--though that's a lot, too. _It's the confidence
they inspire_, it's the lead they give. That's what counts. All the rest
of these little operators, and workmen, and storekeepers, and
manufacturers wouldn't have found their way out here in twenty years if
the big fellows hadn't led the way. If you should go over and buy ten
thousand acres of land by Table Mountain to-morrow, next year there'd be
a dozen to follow you in and do whatever you'd be doing. And while it's
the big fellow that gives the lead, _it's the little fellow that makes
the wealth of the country!_"

Bob stared at the old man in fascinated surprise. This was a new
California John, this closely reasoning man, with, clear, earnest eyes,
laying down the simple doctrine taught by a long life among men.

"The Government gives alternate sections of lan