s showing dimly in the twilight against the trees. But
two lights were visible--one in the servant's quarters opposite and
one through the window of the men's shanty at the lower end of the
clearing.

"What ails ye, son?" asked the trapper, breaking the silence.

"Ain't feelin' bad, be ye, Billy?" inquired the Clown with kindly
apprehension.

Holcomb shook his head. Presently he said, still gazing straight
before him:

"I've been wondering, boys, if Mr. Thayor is going to be satisfied."

"Thar--I knowed it!" exclaimed the trapper. "Ye needn't worry a mite,
Billy."

"If he hain't satisfied I'll eat my shirt!" declared the Clown,
clenching his brawny fist with a gesture of conviction, as he jumped
up simultaneously on his long legs. "Thar ain't a man livin' that
could hev done a better job 'n you done for him," he declared. "Jest
look 'round ye! Look what it was when we fust come. Reg'lar ruin,
warn't it?"

"You've come pretty close to it, Freme," confessed Holcomb.

"If it warn't for the old brook roarin' down thar," remarked the
trapper, "a feller wouldn't know whar he was. Wall, sir, if it don't
beat all I ever see in the way of a camp! The old dog was a-tellin' me
only yisterday that he never see the beat nowhar, and he's travelled
some, I kin tell ye."

"Jest so--jest so," affirmed the Clown, his blue eyes beaming with
enthusiasm as he resumed: "Wall, sir, you'd oughter seen Ed Munsey
when he fust seen it. 'Gol,' says Ed; and his eyes stuck out like
marbles. 'Godfrey Mighty!' says Ed; 'wall, sir,' says he, 'if it ain't
the slickest fixed up place I ever seen.' Goll! Ed was tickled. 'Must
'er cost more 'n forty cents,' says he. 'No,' says I, 'thar warn't
no expense 'bout it; we just throwed some odds and ends together,'"
chuckled the Clown, as he sat down hard.

Holcomb was himself again. The Clown's cheeriness was always
contagious to him.

"I've done my best," he said, smiling. "But then, we've spent a lot of
money, boys," he added thoughtfully.

Night settled and it was not long before the three rose, filed into
the cabin and kindled a fire, a delicate attention which the old
dog was grateful for. He had been prowling around by himself in the
clearing and now that he scented smoke came stalking into the
cabin, his nails clicking across the floor, and with a mournful yawn
stretched himself comfortably before the blaze.

* * * * *

By the next twilight Sam Thayor had