his, Jean would turn on them scornfully and
compare their childish actions with those of Harlan when he was
undergoing the same deprivation. Undoubtedly this holding him up as a
good example had the opposite effect to that hoped for by Jean, but it
nevertheless caused a warm glow to encircle his heart.

One day Boreland made a great discovery: By pulverizing the old
nicotine-laden pipes, of which there were over half a dozen, he found
that the resultant mixture could be smoked. He and his partner in
disgrace did no work that day. In disgust Ellen banished them to the
woodshed to do their smoking. From this place of refuge Kayak Bill's
drawling tones of immense satisfaction floated out at intervals:

"Honest to grandma, Shane, I'm a-feelin' like a new man."

By the time the corncobs had all been pulverized and consumed, and but
one cannabalistic pipe, itself pared down until it held but a
thimbleful, was left between them, all the other members of the party
had arrayed themselves against the sufferers. By persisting even
though sickness was often the penalty for smoking an extra strong
pulverized pipe, they had forfeited the sympathy of all hands. Matters
came to a crisis one afternoon, when Boreland, taking a candle, crawled
up into the loft to make one more search among the provisions.

Suddenly there was heard a great commotion overhead--a beating and a
floundering about.

"Hey! Get some water up here--quick!" came Shane's alarmed shout.
"I've set the bloody place afire!"

Half an hour later the fire was out, thanks to the efforts of the
bucket brigade which rushed water from the spring, but in the roof was
a gapping hole, and much of the outfit stowed away in the loft was wet
again.

Boreland came slowly down from above. He was besmudged, apologetic and
sheepish. Ellen was waiting for him. She looked him over from head to
foot, her blue eyes snapping, scorn and supreme disgust radiating from
her. Next she turned to Kayak Bill and took him in with the same look.

"Now, men, listen to me," she said sternly, as they both started to
slip toward the door. "I've reached the limit of my endurance." She
emphasized her next remarks with a decisive finger. "The _very next
one_ of you who mentions tobacco inside this cabin will be banished to
the smoke-house to live by himself. I mean every word I say!" With
hang-dog looks the culprits turned away and disappeared through the
door. Ellen, with business-