I think
should belong to me."

"He does?" cried Mollie. "That's just like the Jallows! Always taking
what doesn't belong to them--even the reputation of other girls. She
borrowed my botany a year ago and never returned it."

Mr. Ford smiled.

"I don't know anything about the girl Alice," he said, "but that Jallow
is certainly a sharper, to be moderate. He and I will have a clash if he
doesn't look out!" and Mr. Ford's hands clenched.

"What about, Daddy?" asked Grace.

"Why, as I said, he claims some land that I think is mine. When I bought
this lumber camp, and formed a company, with myself as the largest
stockholder, I was given to understand that a certain tract, containing
valuable timber, went with my purchase. I had it surveyed, and I
supposed I had title to this big strip, that joins on some land Jallow
owns.

"We didn't cut any trees on this strip for some years, and here this
Fall, when we started in on it, Jallow stopped us by an injunction from
the court."

"By what right?" asked Betty.

"Why, he claimed that valuable strip was his. I contested, of course,
but it seems that there was a mix-up in the landmarks. Those by which I
went, when I had my survey made, had disappeared, and others which were
accepted by the court seemed to indicate that the land was Jallow's. But
I know better. I was there at the survey, and saw the marks. The trouble
is that I couldn't prove it. My word alone was not enough, and the
surveyor, I am sorry to say, is dead."

"Then you can never prove it is your land, Daddy?"

"Well, if I could find an old lumberman--Paddy Malone he called
himself--if I could find him, I might prove my case, for he was with me
at the time, he and a couple of his friends, and he saw where the stakes
and stone piles were. But Paddy seems to have disappeared."

"That's too bad!" exclaimed Mollie, sympathetically.

"Yes. Well, I may be able to do something later. I am sure the landmarks
were changed--if not by Jallow, by some one interested with him. The
strip they claim, and which I say is mine, is the most valuable in the
woods. I wish I could establish title to it, but unless I can find
Paddy, or some of his friends, I'm afraid I'll have to lose.

"That is the complication I spoke of. But it need not hinder you girls
from going to spend the winter in camp--or at least part of the
winter."

"Will there be any danger?" asked Grace, rather timidly.

"No, not at all. You won't be mixed up in