t."

"That's good," cried Ned.

"Oh yes; we shan't starve," said Griggs. "But let's see, how far used
we to be from the other settlement?"

"Forty miles," replied the doctor.

"But suppose that is deserted, the same as this?"

"Then we shall be quite a hundred from the next."

"A hundred," said Griggs dryly. "Well, that seems horribly close and
crowding one up like after living as we've been lately. It seems to me
that if we liked to stop here now we might have the pick of the whole
place, and as many patches as we like to take up."

"What about the old owners?" said Bourne.

"They've thrown up the game and gone--back to England, perhaps. I don't
believe any one is ever likely to put in claims, but we could soon get
that settled by the State law. I've nearly made up my mind to start
afresh, doctor. You see, everything is going to be quite different; but
there's one thing I can't understand. Climates don't change all at
once, but here's this place boiling over, as one might say, with plenty
now, while a few years ago we were only able to grow enough to feed the
insects and blight. How do you account for that?"

"I can only give you what I surmise to be the case," replied the doctor.
"We were tempted here by seeing how beautiful and fruitful everything
was."

"Yes; everything but what we planted, and that tried to die out of the
way as fast as it could. Well, sir, how was that?"

"Simply because the things we planted were strange to the land. All
they wanted was time--years in which to root down to the best soil. If
we had waited longer they would have appeared as good as they are now."

"That sounds well, sir," said Griggs, "and I should like to hear a
little more about it, but I think we've got as much to think about as we
can bear to-night. What say you?"

"That I shall be thankful for a good night's rest," was the reply, and
soon after all was silent within the lonely ranch, both the lads lying
listening to the varied sounds without, for to one of them it seemed as
if all the wild creatures of the forest were holding a meeting to
inquire into the fresh invasion of a tract of land out of which they had
been driven years before, but to which they had returned upon its being
deserted, while now the question was in respect of a new invasion, and
whether those who had taken possession intended to stay.

CHAPTER FIFTY SIX.

LIKE TO GO AGAIN?

Chris Lee had the impression next morning that