to show their appreciation of what the jacks had done by giving
them a surprise party. This party, first suggested as a dinner, after
much discussion was changed to an old-fashioned dancing party, which the
girls thought the men would enjoy more than they would a dinner.

Just before they sat down to their supper, the lumberjacks were
"tipped" to finish the meal as quickly as possible and slick themselves
up, because the Overland party was coming over to call, and Captain Gray
to give them a brief "spiel," as Hippy expressed it in telling the men
to get ready. The jacks received the word without comment; in fact they
received it somewhat sullenly. Hippy, however, knew the lumberjack
tribe by this time--knew their peculiar ways--and told the girls to go
ahead with their plans.

Darkness had settled over the Big North Woods when Hippy rallied his
flock for the party, each girl spruced up for the occasion, Emma Dean's
face wreathed in smiles in anticipation of the good time that was in
prospect. The only member of the outfit who remained behind was the
forest woman, who flatly refused to associate with "them varmints,"
meaning the lumberjacks. Henry, laboring under no such scruples,
followed the Overlanders as they set out for the lumberjacks' shack.
Any unusual activity, especially one that gave promise of food,
instantly aroused Henry's curiosity, so, in this instance, he was close
at the heels of the party when they filed into the bunk-house, where he
nosed about smelling of the bunks, of the tables and sniffing the air,
following which he sat down where he could command a view of the entire
room.

The lumberjacks shook hands awkwardly with their guests, except that
Spike merely made a move to do so, then quickly withdrew his hand and
shoved it into the pocket of his Mackinaw. Hippy acted as master of
ceremonies, and, after waving jacks and guests to seats, cleared his
throat, and made a complimentary speech.

"Captain Gray got stage fright at the last minute and told me that I
must tell you what he wished you to know," he said. "I'm not going to
make a speech, but what I am to say is, that when we get through with
this job Mr. Gray and myself have decided to declare a dividend. That
is, we are going to give each one of you men who started out with us,
and who have done such fine, loyal work, a good-sized cash bonus. I
perhaps don't need to tell you that I never made a speech in my life--so
my friends say--but mone