rling," she crooned, "and he's going to grow up big
and strong, just like his daddy." She put her cheek against the sleeping
babe's and looked up sidewise at the two standing above her. "But I know
how you feel," she said to her husband. "When they first showed him to
me, I thought he looked like a peanut a thousand years old."

Grandma Orde fairly snorted with indignation.

"Come to your old grandmother, who appreciates you!" she cried,
possessing herself of the infant. "He's a beautiful baby; one of the
best-looking new-born babies I ever saw!"

Orde escaped to the open air. He had to go to the office to attend to
some details of the business. With every step his elation increased. At
the office he threw open his desk with a slam. Newmark jumped nervously
and frowned. Orde's big, open, and brusque manners bothered him as they
would have bothered a cat.

"Got a son and heir over at my place," called Orde in his big voice.

"This old firm's got to rustle now, I tell you."

"Congratulate you, I'm sure," said Newmark rather shortly. "Mrs. Orde is
doing well, I hope?"

"Fine, fine!" cried Orde.

Newmark dropped the subject and plunged into a business matter. Orde's
attention, however, was flighty. After a little while he closed his desk
with another bang.

"No use!" said he. "Got to make it a vacation. I'm going to run over to
see how the family is."

Strangely enough, the young couple had not discussed before the question
of a name. One evening at twilight, when Orde was perched at the foot of
the bed, Carroll brought up the subject.

"He ought to be named for you," she began timidly. "I know that, Jack,
and I'd love to have another Jack Orde in the family; but, dear, I've
been thinking about father. He's a poor, forlorn old man, who doesn't
get much out of life. And it would please him so--oh, more than you can
imagine such a thing could please anybody!"

She looked up at him doubtfully. Orde said nothing, but walked around
the bed to where the baby lay in his little cradle. He leaned over and
took the infant up in his gingerly awkward fashion.

"How are you to-day, Bobby Orde?" he inquired of the blinking mite.

XXVIII

The first season of the Boom Company was most successful. Its prospects
for the future were bright. The drive had been delivered to its various
owners at a price below what it had cost them severally, and without the
necessary attendant bother. Therefore, the loggers were only t