was he and so apparently unconcerned with anything but their
comfort, that Riggs decided a difficult moment had been safely passed.
Later at the hotel he asked the others.

"Knew," said Birch acidly, "of course he knew. The very fact that we
hung together told him the whole thing. However, it might just as well
begin that way."

Wimperley laughed, a foolish little laugh that drew the older man's
puzzled glance. "There's something ridiculous about all this," he
tittered suddenly. "We're like a flock of sheep afraid of a dog. We
need a ram. You'd better be the ram, Stoughton, you're the bulkiest."

Stoughton grinned, but there was no humor in it. "It's going to take a
composite ram. We've got to put down our heads and bunt together.
Riggs, you can snap at his heels and distract him. Good night."

They met at the works after breakfast, and Clark, in a flood of
confidence, announced the program.

"I want this to be a real visit," he said cheerfully; "it's some time
since you were all here together and there's a good deal to see. When
you get tired let me know. I've not forgotten the time I nearly froze
Riggs to death."

As he turned to lead the way, Wimperley sent a swift signal to his
companions, Clark was to have his head for the time being. Birch
nodded approvingly. This was one method of finding out a good deal he
wanted to know.

"Water lots," said Clark, waving a hand toward the bay that cut in
below the rapids. On one side of it spread the works and on the other
the town of St. Marys. "Channel dredged through, and docks, you see,
are commenced."

"Why docks?" asked Stoughton patiently.

"We'll be shipping our own products in our own vessels before very
long, I hope," came back the clear voice. "Save a lot that way,--I'll
show you the figures. That's one thing I want to talk about later.
Come on into the mill. Extensions are about completed."

They went through the great building whose floor seemed to palpitate
delicately with hidden forces, and began to feel the slow fascination.
They saw dripping logs snatched from the water by mechanical fingers
that cut them to length and stripped the brown bark till the soft white
wood lay round, naked and shining. They saw the wood ground implacably
by giant stones and emerge from a milky bath in a thick wet sheet that
slid on a hot drum and coiled itself in massive rolls. Power,
controlled and manipulated, was the universal servant. The whole t