truck into the timber,
followed closely by the others of the party.

The following day, Orcutt and Wentworth stood at the head of the rapids
and Orcutt listened as the engineer, with the aid of his field notes
and maps, explained the construction of the dam, and roughly indicated
the contour of the reservoir. "But what's this line--the dotted one,
that crosses the river just above us?"

"That is our western property line. It crosses about a mile above
here, and we are standing about the same distance above the mill site."

"Do you mean that we own only a mile of timber on the big river above
this point?"

"Just about a mile. Our property runs a long way up Gods River, and
both sides of the Shamattawa below the dotted line."

Orcutt studied the map for a moment. "Who owns the land above here?"
he asked sharply.

"The Hudson's Bay Company on the north side, and the Government on the
south."

"Well, what in hell is to prevent someone--McNabb, for instance--from
buying up that land and starting operations above us? Even if they
didn't put in a dam they could raise the devil with us by driving their
stuff through. John McNabb knows every trick of the logging game, and
when he finds out what has happened he'll go the limit to buck us."

Wentworth considered. "I guess he could do that, all right. We would
have to let his stuff through--"

"I'll fix him!" cried Orcutt. "I'll beat him to it! Where do we do
business with the Government and the Hudson's Bay Company?"

"With the Government in Ottawa, and the Company in Winnipeg."

"Hell's bells!" cried Orcutt. "That means we'll be gallivanting all
over Canada for the next week or ten days. Well, it can't be helped.
I know John McNabb well enough not to leave any loop-hole for him to
take advantage of." He called to the guides. "Hey, you Injuns!
What's the quickest way to the railroad?"

The guides pointed due north. "Mebbe-so wan hondre mile," announced
one.

"But," cried Wentworth, "we're going back by way of the post, aren't
we?"

"We're going to hit for the railway the quickest way God will let us!"

"But, I--I left something--that is, I have nothing to travel in but
these field clothes, and they're shockingly soiled and tattered."

"Soiled and tattered--hell! What's that got to do with saving years of
trouble at the mill? Maybe you ain't as pretty as you'd like to
be--but, you've got enough on so they can't arrest you----"

Wentworth felt