t, I suppose, I must learn to do it."

"Yes, the ranger often has to camp alone, ride alone, and work alone for
weeks at a time," she assured him. "A good trailer don't mind a night
trip any more than he does a day trip, or if he does he never admits it.
Rain, snow, darkness, is all the same to him. Most of the boys are
fifteen to forty miles from the post-office."

He smiled ruefully. "I begin to have new doubts about this ranger
business. It's a little more vigorous than I thought it was. Suppose a
fellow breaks a leg on one of those high trails?"

"He mustn't!" she hastened to say. "He can't afford really to take
reckless chances; but then father won't expect as much of you as he does
of the old-stagers. You'll have plenty of time to get used to it."

"I may be like the old man's cow and the green shavings, just as I'm
getting used to it I'll die."

She didn't laugh at this. "You mustn't be rash; don't jump into any hard
jobs for the present; let the other fellow do it."

"But that's not very manly. If I go into the work I ought to be able to
take my share of any task that turns up."

"You'd better go slow," she argued. "Wait till you get hardened to it.
You need something over your shoulders now," she added; and rose and laid
a blanket over him. "You're tired; you'll take a chill if you're not
careful."

"You're very considerate," he said, looking up at her gratefully. "But it
makes me feel like a child to think I need such care. If honestly trying,
if going up against these hills and winds with Spartan courage will do me
good, I'm for it. I'm resolved to show to you and your good father that I
can learn to ride and pack and cut trail, and do all the rest of
it--there's some honor in qualifying as a forester, and I'm going to do
it."

"Of course there isn't much in it for you. The pay, even of a full
ranger, isn't much, after you count out his outlay for horses and saddles
and their feed, and his own feed. It don't leave so very much of his
ninety dollars a month."

"I'm not thinking of that," he retorted. "If you had once seen a doctor
shake his head over you, as I have, you'd think just being here in this
glorious spot, as I am to-night, would be compensation enough. It's a joy
to be in the world, and a delight to have you for my teacher."

She was silent under the pleasure of his praise, and he went on: "I
_know_ I'm better, and, I'm perfectly certain I can regain my strength.
The very odor of these