is
watch. "Bring along that log, boys, and get her on the swing;" and
tightening my grip on the axe I watched the heavy beam oscillate as our
partner called off the last few seconds.

"Fifty-four! fifty-five! fifty-six!--"

But he got no further. Swinging sideways from the waist, he was only just
in time, for once more a pistol flashed among the chairs; and when another
man loosed his hold Johnston roared, "Let her go!"

The head of the beam went forward; we followed it with a yell. There was a
crash of splintered redwood, and my axe clove a chair. Then shouting men
were scrambling over the remnants of the bar, while just what happened
during the next few moments I do not remember, except that there was a
great destruction of property, and presently I halted breathless, while
the leader of the vanquished, who were hemmed in a corner, raised his
hand.

"We're corralled, and give up," he said. "Here's Hemlock Jim--not much
good to any one by the look of him. What are you going to do with us?"

"Are those men badly hurt?" asked Johnston.

"Not much," some one answered. "Pete's drilled clean through the upper
arm; it missed the artery, and the ball just ripped my leg."

"Well, we'll settle about Jim afterward; it's surgical assistance he wants
first. As to the rest of you, he led you into this, and we'll let you go
on two conditions--you subscribe a dollar each to Miss Marvin's society
and sign the pledge."

There was a burst of laughter, in which even some of the vanquished joined
sheepishly; but as they filed past between a guard armed with shovels and
empty bottles Johnston saw that they filled their names into the book, and
duly handed each his ticket, while I regret to say that Harry's selection
was daringly appropriate, as with full musical honors he played them out.

"There's a hat at the door!" said Johnston, "you can put your dollars in.
You have spent an exciting evening, and must pay for your fun." And
presently that hat overflowed with money, while Lee, with his Ontario
stalwarts, did huge execution with a shovel among such bottles as remained
unwrecked behind the bar. We placed Hemlock Jim on a stretcher, groaning
distressfully, while our two wounded declared themselves fit to walk, and
before we marched off in triumph to the camp Johnston raised his hat as he
placed a heavy package of silver in Miss Marvin's hand.

"I've no doubt your organization can make a good use of this," he said.
"It's also a