uments as matters
needing no discussion. Rather, he drew a picture of the opportunities to
be presented to the boys in seeing the new land, of what he called the
comforts of their snug cabin and of the advantages that must come to all
young men in becoming acquainted with the little-known frontiers of their
country. He said little of the immediate pecuniary reward, but said
enough to have both fathers understand just what this was to be.

Both Mr. Grant and Mr. Moulton had had their share of roughing it on the
frontier and neither seemed to welcome the sending of their children
against the privations that they had endured.

While the discussion dwindled into indecision, Colonel Howell, as if in
afterthought, repeated in substance his talk with Mr. Zept, omitting of
course some of the unfortunate details, all of which, however, were
already well known to those present.

Mr. Zept was the leading citizen of Calgary, an influential and important
man. He was also a character whom most men in that part of the country
were proud to count as a friend. Among those of her own sex, Mrs. Zept
occupied about the same position. When the flurry of questions concerning
Mr. Zept's determination to send his son as a member of the party had
died somewhat, it was perfectly plain that both Mrs. Grant and Mrs.
Moulton had new thoughts on the proposition.

"Is he going as a workman?" asked Roy impulsively.

"Oh, he'll do all he's called upon to do," answered Colonel Howell,
taking advantage of his opening, "but I really didn't need any more help.
He's going because his father thought it would prove an advantage to him.
In fact," continued the colonel, "Mr. Zept was kind enough to want to
contribute to our expenses because his son was to be with us. But as I
told my old friend, I was not running an excursion, and I have invited
the young man to go as my guest."

"And he's paying us nearly three thousand dollars to do what the Count
was willing to pay for," exclaimed Norman, as a clincher. "What have you
got to say to that?" he added almost defiantly, addressing his mother.

"But he won't have to go up in a flying machine," meekly argued Mrs.
Grant.

Norman only shrugged his shoulders in disgust. "There won't be any more
danger in that," he expostulated, "than I've been in all week."

Colonel Howell turned to Mr. Grant, who held up his hands in surrender.
Then he looked at Mr. Moulton. The latter shook his head, but the debate
seemed