," said Cameron, holding him by hand and collar, "now
what does this business mean?"

"Mean?" cried the Inspector with a laugh. "Means just what you see. But
won't you introduce us all?"

After all had been presented to his sister Cameron pursued his question.
"What does it mean, Inspector?"

"Mean? Ask Cochrane."

"Mr. Cochrane, tell me," cried Mandy, "who began this?"

"Ask Mr. Thatcher there," replied Mr. Cochrane.

"Who is responsible for this, Mr. Thatcher?" cried Mandy.

"Don't rightly know how the thing started. First thing I knowed they was
all at it."

"See here, Thatcher, you might as well own up. I am going to know
anyway. Where did the logs come from, for instance?" said Cameron in a
determined voice.

"Logs? Guess Bracken knows," replied Cochrane, turning to a tall, lanky
rancher who was standing at a little distance.

"Bracken," cried Cameron, striding to him with hand outstretched, "what
about the logs for the house? Where did they come from?"

"Well, I dunno. Smith was sayin' somethin' about a bee and gettin' green
logs."

"Smith?" cried Cameron, glancing at that individual now busy unhitching
the bronchos.

"And of course," continued Bracken, "green logs ain't any use for a real
good house, so--and then--well, I happened to have a bunch of logs up
the Big Horn. I guess the boys floated 'em down."

"Come away, Mrs. Cameron, and inspect your house," cried a stout,
red-faced matron. "I said they ought to await your coming to get your
plans, but Mr. Smith said he knew a little about building and that they
might as well go on with it. It was getting late in the season, and so
they went at it. Come away, we're having a great time over it. Indeed, I
think we've enjoyed it more than ever you will."

"But you haven't told us yet who started it," cried Mandy.

"Where did you get the lumber?" said Cameron.

"Well, the lumber," replied Cochrane, "came from the Fort, I guess.
Didn't it, Inspector?"

"Yes," replied the Inspector. "We had no immediate use for it, and Smith
told us just how much it would take."

"Smith?" said Cameron again. "Hello, Smith!" But Smith was already
leading the bronchos away to the stable.

"Yes," continued the Inspector, "and Smith was wondering how a notice
could be sent up to the Spruce Creek boys and to Loon Lake, so I sent a
man with the word and they brought down the lumber without any trouble.
But," continued the Inspector, "come along, Cameron, let us follo