re a careless, irresponsible crowd. I'm irresponsible, too, and
they understand me. They trust you, but you sometimes puzzle them.
Perhaps that accounts for the thing."

Festing talked about something else until they went back to work. Next
morning he climbed the hill to a level bench where some of his men were
busy hauling logs to the top of the skids. It was easier to move the big
trunks across the snow, and he had seized the opportunity to get some
out, but was surprised when he saw the number ready to be sent down.
While he examined them, Charnock, sprinkled with dusty snow, came up,
leading a heavy Percheron team. They dragged a log into place, and then
Charnock unhooked the chain and beat his hands. His skin-coat was ragged
and his fur-cap battered, but he looked alert and virile as he stood
by the steaming horses' heads. The gray trunks of the pines made a good
background for his tall figure, which had an almost statuesque grace.

"You look very well, Bob," Festing remarked. "It's obvious that the pain
has gone."

"It won't come back while the dry weather lasts; I don't know about
afterwards. These are pretty good logs."

"I was wondering how you were able to bring up so many."

"They're here; that's the main thing. You can look after other matters
and leave this to me."

"If you don't mind, I'd like to see how you did it," Festing replied.

"Oh, well! You're a persistent fellow; I suppose you had better come
along."

Festing went with him and stopped where a gang of men were at work
among the fallen trees. Two, swaying backwards and forward with rhythmic
precision, dragged a big crosscut-saw through a massive trunk. Others
swung bright axes, and the wood rang with the noise of their activity.
All were usefully employed, but there were more of them than Festing
expected.

"The two boys with the cantpoles belong to the contractor's
bridge-gang," he said. "What are they doing here?"

"I think I told you Norton said I could have them when we were moving
the big poles," Charnock replied. "He saw I needed help."

"But that was some days since. He sent them to help at a particular job
which you have finished."

"He hasn't asked me to send them back. Looks as if he'd forgotten them.
Anyhow, they're useful."

"We have no right to keep the men. How did you get them to stop?"

"That was easy," said Charnock. "The cooking at the bunk-house isn't
very good, and I told our man to find out what they liked. In