e heart of the
pioneer, and mighty unselfish too. He does not think of payment, for
the finding is payment enough. He does not even seek praise, for it is
the unborn generations that will call him blessed. He is content, like
Moses, to leave his bones in the wilderness if his people may pass over
Jordan.

Ringan turned his flask in his hands. "A good man, this old Studd," he
said. "I like his words, _Salute to Adventurers_. He was thinking of
the folk that should come after him, which is the mark of a big mind,
Andrew. Your common fellow would have writ some glorification of his
own doings, but Studd was thinking of the thing he had done and not of
himself. You say he's dead these ten years. Maybe he's looking down at
us and nodding his old head well pleased. I would like fine to drink
his health."

We ran down the hill, and came to the encampment at the darkening.
Ringan, who had retained the flask, presented it to Elspeth with a bow.

"There, mistress," he says, "there's the key of your new estate."

CHAPTER XX.

THE STOCKADE AMONG THE PINES.

It took us a heavy day's work to get the stockade finished. There were
only the two axes in the party, besides Shalah's tomahawk, and no one
can know the labour of felling and trimming trees tin he has tried it.
We found the horses useful for dragging trunks, and but for them should
have made a poor job of it. Grey's white hands were all cut and
blistered, and, though I boasted of my hardiness, mine were little
better. Ringan was the surprise, for you would not think that sailing a
ship was a good apprenticeship to forestry. But he was as skilful as
Bertrand and as strong as Donaldson, and he had a better idea of
fortification than us all put together.

The palisade which ran round the camp was six feet high, made of logs
lashed to upright stakes. There was a gate which could be barred
heavily, and loopholes were made every yard or so for musket fire. On
one side--that facing the uplift of the ridge--the walls rose to nine
feet. Inside we made a division. In one half the horses were picketed
at night, and the other was our dwelling.

For Elspeth we made a bower in one corner, which we thatched with pine
branches; but the rest of us slept in the open round the fire. It was a
rough place, but a strong one, for our water could not be cut off, and,
as we had plenty of ball and powder, a few men could hold it against a
host. To each was allotted his proper station, in