f
the art, for a railroad construction gang. Their incompetence became
obvious when Lawrence attempted to save labor by putting a week's
supply of desiccated apples to soak at once, with the consequence that
the floor of the caboose was covered with swollen fruit that had forced
itself out of the pot. One of the gang, who went in to steal some
fried pork, declared that the blamed apples chased him down the steps.

Featherstone's chuckle was encouraging, but Foster glanced at Alice and
thought he read another emotion than amusement in her sparkling eyes.
It was now nearly dark, but the glow of the fire touched the others'
faces and nobody seemed to think of ringing for lights.

He went on to describe their retreat in winter from a worthless mineral
claim, where they had remained until the snow surprised them when their
food was nearly gone. Eight or nine miles a day was the most they
could drag their hand-sledge through the tangled bush, and Foster got
his foot frozen through sleeping in wet boots. The frozen part galled
into a wound, but with provisions running out they could not stop to
rest. The tent and half their blankets had to be thrown away and
Lawrence hauled him on the sledge over rocks and fallen logs, with the
temperature at forty degrees below, until they reached a frozen river,
down which he struggled against a savage wind.

Then came a profitable contract, which Lawrence obtained against keen
opposition, for supplying telephone posts, and Foster was surprised to
find that the description of their efforts to get the logs out of a
rugged wilderness made a stirring tale. Although he paused once or
twice apologetically, the others made him resume, and he began to wish
he was not in the firelight when he saw that Alice was quietly studying
him. It was his partner's story he meant to tell, but since they were
together he could not leave himself out.

He could, however, change the scene, and skipping much, came to their
start as general contractors at Gardner's Crossing. The Hulton
Company, which was not so large then, gave them work, but they were
hampered by want of capital, and had to meet the competition of richer
and sometimes unscrupulous antagonists. Still they made progress;
staking all they had on the chance of carrying out risky work that
others would not touch, sometimes testing the patience of creditors,
and now and then outwitting a rival by an ingenious ruse. Lawrence
lived in the sing