listened to this
veteran guardian of the forest as he told them of his work in the woods,
of his encounters with beasts, of birds and reptiles, harmful and
otherwise, and of the rocks, and flowers, and trees. For the ranger loved
the forest even as Charley did.

When the evening was farther advanced, and the air was vibrant with the
voices of the wireless, Lew and Charley took turns reading the news, while
the ranger's expression of amazement and admiration grew deeper and
deeper, and his liking and respect for his young subordinate increased
rapidly. Finally the ranger was given his first lesson in
radio-telegraphy. While Lew was writing down for him the wireless
alphabet, Charley was showing him how to make the letters on the
spark-gap. Before they turned in for the night, the ranger had learned to
distinguish the difference between the sound of a dot and of a dash as the
signals buzzed in the receiver.

Chapter XII

On the Trail of the Timber Thieves

Very early the next morning the ranger was afoot. Before ever the faintest
streaks of light penetrated the thicket, he had started the coffee to
boiling on the little stove, and breakfast was almost ready before he
wakened his young comrades.

"Why didn't you call us sooner?" asked Charley indignantly, as he leaped
out of his blanket. "It's our place to do the work here, not yours."

The ranger smiled. "It would have been cruel to waken you earlier. It's
easy to see that you aren't accustomed to such stiff work as your hike
here yesterday must have been. You slept like logs."

"We intend to do our full share of the work," said Charley.

"I'm sure of it," replied the ranger. "If I had thought you were trying to
shirk, I'd have had you out of bed long ago."

Many a time afterward Charley thought of that statement and pondered over
it. He was learning a good deal about life these days.

Grateful indeed was the warm coffee, for the April morn was chill.
Quickly the food was eaten, and the ranger prepared to depart.

"I don't want to burden you with rules," he said in parting. "Your
business is to protect the forest. Every day you will meet some new
situation. You must do your best to protect the harmless creatures of the
forest, as well as the timber. That means you may have to deal with
gunners who are violating the law. Such men, with firearms in their hands,
are dangerous. You may come across timber thieves. Get acquainted with
your territory so th