t, as this happens to be my
twenty-first birthday, I shall be pleased to receive whatever of my
property you may still hold in trust at your earliest convenience. With
that business transacted, it is perhaps needless to add, that I shall
trouble no further the man who was cruel enough to leave me penniless
among strangers."

"Cabot, are you crazy, or what do you mean? I received your Bell Island
report months ago, and it was that caused me to recall you. Why did you
not come at once?"

"I never sent a Bell Island report. In fact I never wrote one until
yesterday, and there it lies. Nor did I ever receive any notice of
recall, and I did not come back sooner because I have been following your
instructions and wintering in Labrador. There I have acquired one of the
most remarkable iron properties in the world, which I intend to develop
as far as possible with my own resources, seeing that not one cent of
your money has been used in defraying the expenses of my recent trip,"
replied Cabot, hotly.

But Mr. Hepburn did not hear the last of this speech, for he had opened
the report laid on his desk and was glancing rapidly through it.

"This is exactly what I expected and wanted!" he exclaimed. "Why didn't
you send it in before, instead of that other one?"

"I never sent any other," repeated Cabot, and then they sat down to
mutual explanations.

For that whole morning President Hepburn denied himself to all callers
and devoted his entire attention to Cabot's recital. When it was
finished, and when the bag full of specimens had been examined, the elder
man grasped the other's hand and said:

"My dear boy, you have done splendidly! I am not only satisfied with you
as an agent, but am proud of you as a ward. Yes, this is your day of
freedom from our guardianship, and I shall take pleasure in turning over
to you the balance of the property left by your father. It, together
with the balance remaining on your letter of credit, and your salary for
the past year, will amount to about ten thousand dollars, a portion of
which at least I would advise you to invest in the Man-wolf mine."

[Illustration: "My dear boy, you have done splendidly!"]

"Then you intend to develop it, sir?" cried Cabot.

"Certainly, provided we can acquire your claim to the property, and
engage a certain Mr. Cabot Grant to act as our assistant Labrador
manager."

"Do you think me capable of filling so responsible a position, sir?"

"I am