e hundred other families in the complex. The only thing
that makes it worthwhile is the chance to get away from the city with
the family on our days off. I want that kid of mine to know what real
country looks and feels like. God help him if I should get transferred
back east."

"You could always resign," Troy said half seriously.

Alec stopped dead in his tracks and turned to stare at him. "Are you
out of your mind," he cried. "Resign from this for what? For the
chance to be buried in a city or a bureau for the rest of my life?
Never to see the mountains except on rare vacations and then with a
guide on my back? Never to see a river flowing or fight a trout? Have
my kid grow up with his only knowledge of the woods from history books
with an occasional trip to the zoo to see what a deer or elk looks
like. I'd rather half-starve as an autologger operator in some gyppo
timber camp than live like that."

"I was just kidding," Troy said. "When it comes right down to it, I
wouldn't be happy away from this either. Come on, let's check in with
the 'Scourge of the Northwest.'"

At SHS headquarters, they dropped their ruckpacs by the door and Alec
fished the faulty radiation gauge from his pack. Then they went in to
report to Snow Supervisor Morley Wilson, known affectionately to his
subordinates as "The Scourge."

The leather-textured face of the senior engineer turned up at them as
they entered the office. Wilson's face was tanned and weather-beaten
by the sun, wind and snows of a thousand mountains and it was rumoured
that when he went up for annual physical examination, the lab merely
ran pollution tests on the ice water that flowed in his veins instead
of blood.

"I didn't expect you two back so soon," he said with a scowl. "What's
the matter? Couldn't you get to the gauge?"

Alec laid the faulty device on Wildon's desk. "No trouble, boss. Just
speedy work by your best juniors."

Wilson snorted. "You must have had the chopper land you on the ridge
in spite of orders." He reached for the gauge. Troy and Alec exchanged
smiles. The old man had received a full report of the conditions in
the Sawtooths together with a check on their activities at least an
hour ago. He knew what they had to contend with to switch the
gauge--and he knew they knew he was just barking.

"Another one of the transmitters shot again," he muttered. Wilson
punched the intercom on his desk. "Shiver," he called, "get up here
and get this radiat