denly
changed his mind.

"Come on!" he whispered gruffly. "We'll chance our luck together. If
you open your head I'll brain you! Wait here a minute."

Job understood perfectly. He crept down to the lake shore at his
master's feet as quiet as a ghost. Seeing the loaded boat he hopped
delightedly into his accustomed place in the bow.

During June it never becomes wholly dark in the latitude of Lake
Miwasa. An exquisite dim twilight brooded over the wide water and the
pine-walled shore. The stars sparkled faintly in an oxidized silver
sea. There was no wind now, but the pines breathed like warm-blooded
creatures.

Ambrose's breast hummed like a violin to the bow of night. The poetic
feeling was there, though the expression was prosaic.

"By George, this is fine!" he murmured.

Job's curly tail thumped the gunwale in answer.

"I'm glad I brought you, old fel'," said Ambrose. "I expect I'd go
clean off my head if didn't have any one to talk to!"

Job beat a tattoo on the side of the boat and wriggled and whined in
his anxiety to reach his master.

"Steady there!" said Ambrose.

Presently he went on: "Three hundred miles! Six days for Poly to come
with the current; nine days to go back! Fifteen days at the best!
Anything might happen in that time. . . . Poly said no danger from any
of the men there. But some one might come down the river! . . . If
wishing could bring an aeroplane up north!"

After a silence: "I wish I could get my best suit pressed! . . . It's
two years old, anyway. And she's just come in; she knows the
styles. . . . Lord, I'll look like a regular roughneck!"

Next morning when Peter Minot threw open the door of the store he found
the note pinned to the door-frame. It was brief and to the point:

DEAR PETE:

You said I ought to go by myself till I felt better. So I'm off.
Don't expect me till you see me. Charge me with 50 lbs. flour, 18 lbs.
bacon, 20 lbs. rice, 10 lbs. sugar, 5 lbs. prunes, 1/2 lb. tea, 1/2
lb. baking powder, and bag of salt. Please take care of my dog. So
long! A. D.

P. S.--I'm taking the dog.

Peter, like all men slow to anger, lost his temper with startling
effect. Tearing the note off the door and grinding it under foot, he
cursed the runaway from a full heart.

Eva, hearing, hastily called the children indoors, and thrusting them
behind her peeped into the store. Peter, purple in the face, was
wildly brandi