care to figure up the last month, and we're considerably
behind. The dam's still at the mercy of the next big flood."

"It's a little curious that you seem to stand it better than you did
the logging," said Gordon, with a quick glance at him.

Nasmyth appeared to consider this. "I do, and that's a fact. For one
thing, I'm fighting for my own hand, and no doubt that counts, though,
perhaps, it doesn't go quite far enough. After all, it's a point you
ought to know more about than I do."

His companion smiled. "I can describe the mechanical connection
between the thought in a man's brain and the movement of his muscles.
It's comparatively simple; but when you understand that, you're only
beginning. There's much more behind. To particularize, if you had done
what you're doing now when you were logging, it would, in all
probability, have broken you up again."

Nasmyth fancied that this was correct, though, as he had admitted, he
could give no reason for it. He was only conscious that he was being
constrained by some new influence, and, under the pressure it laid
upon him, he became almost insensible to physical weariness. He had
now a motive for fighting, in place of drifting, that no mere hired
hand can possess. His indolent content had been rudely dissipated, and
something that had lain dormant in the depths of his nature had come
uppermost. It was certainly Laura Waynefleet who had given it the
first impulse, but why he had permitted her to impose her will on him
was a matter that was still incomprehensible to him. Seeing that he
did not answer, Gordon changed the subject.

"Some of the boys and I have been wondering how you contrived to
finance the thing," he said.

Nasmyth smiled, though there was just a trace of darker colour in his
face. "Well," he replied, "one can get tolerably long credit from most
of the Bush stores, and Clipton has let me have provisions for the
boys on quite reasonable terms. Besides, as it happens, there is money
in the family. There was a time when one might have considered it
almost the duty of certain relatives of mine to give me a lift, but I
didn't offer them the opportunity. I came out here and set about
driving cows and chopping trees instead."

"You felt you'd sooner cut your hand off than give them a gentle
hint," remarked Gordon. "It's not an uncommon feeling, but, when you
give way to it, it clears the other people. Won't you go on?"

"When I undertook this affair, I laid th