e moved away, and one of those he left relieved his feelings by
hurling another stone which crashed upon the iron roof of the shanty.

"That's a hustler--a speeder-up," he said. "You can't monkey with
him."

They waited for about an hour before the man came back, and, sitting
down on a fir stump, called them up one by one. Weston was reassured
to see that each was despatched in turn to the log building where he
presumed the tools were kept; but he and Grenfell were left to the
last, and he was somewhat anxious when he walked toward the stump. The
man who sat there glanced at his attire.

"Been up against it lately?" he inquired.

Weston admitted that this was the case; and the other smiled dryly.

"Can you chop and shovel?" he asked.

Weston said that he could; and the miner appeared to consider.

"Well," he said, "I'll put you on at----," mentioning terms which
Weston fancied were as favorable as he was likely to get. "Still,
you'll have to hustle, and we charge usual tariff for board. You may
start in."

Weston glanced toward Grenfell, who was still sitting where he had
left him.

"You see," he said, "there's my partner. We go together."

"I can't help that. You have my offer. I can't have that kind of man
on our pay-roll."

Weston stood silent for a moment or two. He had arrived at the wooden
hotel too late for supper the previous evening, and, as a rule,
neither blandishments nor money will secure the stranger a meal at an
establishment of that kind after the appointed hour. As the result, he
had eaten nothing since noon, when the sawmill hands had offered him a
share of their dinner; and, having assisted Grenfell along an infamous
trail most of the night, he was jaded and very hungry. Now work and
food were offered him, and there was not a settlement within several
leagues of the spot. He had, however, already decided that he could
not cast his comrade adrift.

"Well," he said, "perhaps there's a way out of it. If you'll let him
camp with the boys, I'll be responsible for his board."

"Any relation of yours?"

"No," replied Weston simply, "he's just my partner."

The other man looked at him curiously, and then made what Weston
fancied was an unusual concession.

"Well," he said, "we'll fix it. You may go along and drill with the
boys yonder in the open cut."

Weston did as he was bidden, and spent the rest of the morning
alternately holding the jarring drill and swinging a hammer. It was
stre