stioned Elfreda, her professional interest instantly
aroused.

"To find out what ye paid for the section and just what ye opined ye'd
do with it. They reckon ye're holdin' it on 'spec' and that they kin git
it fer a little mor'n ye paid for it. If they can't do that, I opined
from what the varmints said, that they'd git the property some other
way. Wanted me to find out just what yer plans was and to writ' 'em down
and leave 'em in a holler log up next the dam above the one ye're
buildin'."

"What did you say to that?" questioned Elfreda.

"I sicked Henry on 'em and soaked the guide feller with part of the
breakfast. I'd a done a heap more if I'd had the time."

"How much did they offer you?" inquired Emma interestedly.

"Two dollars and a half, and said they'd leave as much more after they
got what they wanted."

"Two dollars and a half!" exclaimed Hippy. "And you refused two dollars
and a half? Why, old dear, that's a fortune. I am amazed that they
should have been so liberal. Positively reckless, I should say. Discard
such riches? It is unbelievable."

"When were they to call for this information?" questioned Miss Briggs.

"They didn't say. I was to leave it there, that's all," growled Joe,
stalking to her breakfast fire and resuming her operations there.

"Would it not be a good plan to have Willy Horse watch the log and see
if he can give our 'friends' a scare?" asked Grace.

"Yes, but Willy is inclined to be violent," laughed Tom. "You saw what
happened to Ainsworth and his guide when they sneaked up to our camp
last night, didn't you? Next time the Indian might do something rash.
What do we care, who or what? The property is ours and we are going
ahead with our plans. We shall soon put in a portable mill at the mouth
of the river, float our logs down and saw them there where the lake
steamers can pick up the lumber. Let the disappointed ones rage if they
wish."

The forest woman, having pressed the dents out of her damaged coffee pot
and prepared a fresh supply of coffee, now summoned the Overlanders to
breakfast, which was a somewhat hurried meal, for Tom and Hippy were
eager to get out to direct the work on their dam, which already was
moving along satisfactorily, and which they hoped to finish in about
another week.

Following breakfast, the girls saddled their ponies, packed luncheons in
their mess kits and started down the river for a day's outing by
themselves, leaving Joe Shafto at home. The