uld take a mattock," he said to the man nearest him, "and
grub out all the plants in the trail. Take out all the roots and get
everything clean down to mineral soil." To the others he said: "We'll chop
up the brush fine and pile it right in the trail to burn on windless
days."

The crew fell to with a will and the work went forward briskly. Presently
they reached a place where the trail was badly overgrown. Charley assigned
two more men to grub up roots. He was learning fast. Most of the time he
worked at the head of the gang, so he could see what was ahead, and be
prepared for any new situation that arose. But from time to time he walked
back among the crew to see that the work was being done right.

Evidently the crew liked the way Charley was taking hold. They worked
cheerfully and skilfully. That is, all did with the exception of the tall,
surly fellow. He seemed bent on annoying Charley, but Charley paid no
attention to him. At last, however, a situation arose that he dared not
overlook. The trail had originally been five feet wide, but the bushes,
crowding in on either side, had greatly narrowed it. The main reason for
brushing out this trail at this time was to widen it again to its original
size so as to make it an effective barrier against fire. The tall laborer
was deliberately neglecting to cut bushes that had sprung up within the
original five-foot area.

The instant Charley noticed this, he spoke to the man. The others,
scenting trouble, stopped work to look on. Charley sensed the situation
and set himself for a tussle. "Let them know you're boss," he remembered
Mr. Marlin had said to him. So he stepped toward the man and said quietly,
"I neglected to say that I want this trail cleared to its original width.
Just take out those bushes you have missed."

"The trail's wide enough," said the man, sulkily. "Lots of trails aren't
half as wide as that."

"It isn't a question of how wide other trails are," said Charley
good-naturedly, "or of how wide this ought to be. All I can do is to obey
orders. Mr. Marlin told me to clear the trail just as it was originally."

The man looked angrily at Charley and sudden passion lighted up his eyes.
"If Mr. Marlin wants this trail that wide, he can say so himself. But
nobody's goin' to make me take orders from a high school boy. I know how
this trail ought to be brushed."

Charley saw that it had come to a show-down. Inwardly he was greatly
agitated. His heart beat so