brupt manner and speech, but this feeling was not shared by the others
of his party who were greatly amused at the brief dialogue.

"I say, I am Tom Gray. May I see Joe?"

"I reckon ye kin if ye've got eyes."

"Then please ask him to step out. Or shall I go in?"

"Yer lookin' at Joe Shafto. If ye don't like the looks of me look
t'other way!" she fairly flung at him.

"You don't understand, Madam. We engaged Joe Shafto, a man, to guide us
through the North Woods and--"

"I tell ye I'm the party, and I'm man enough for any bunch of
rough-necks in the timber," retorted the woman.

"A woman guide! Good night!" muttered Hippy Wingate under his breath.

CHAPTER IV

A HUMAN TALKING MACHINE

"Of course, of course. I--I--well, I'll talk to my friends about it,"
answered Tom lamely. He was flustrated and flushed, greatly to the
enjoyment of the Overland girls.

"That's all right, Tom," soothed Grace. "I am positive that Miss
Shafto--"

"Mrs. Shafto," corrected the woman. "Mrs. Joe Shafto. Git the handle
right."

"I am positive that Mrs. Shafto will answer our purpose very nicely,"
finished Grace.

"Yes, yes. I--I agree with you," mumbled Tom. "If you have time, or when
you do have time, we shall have to talk over our plans with you and--"

"Ain't got no time for nothin' to-day. Had yer dinners?"

"We had luncheon on the way," replied Grace.

"Lucky for ye. I'll go work at the ironin'; then I've got to clean
house. Mebby then I'll talk to ye."

Joe stamped back into the house, slamming the door behind her, and the
Overland Riders lost themselves in gales of laughter, galloping their
horses on beyond the house so that Joe might not hear. Tom followed
along slowly, considerably crestfallen.

"Tom Gray, you surely have distinguished yourself," declared Anne
Nesbit.

"My Hippy couldn't have done worse," added Nora.

"It gives me a pain in my back just to look at her," averred Elfroda.
"Listening to her is worse."

"I shan't listen at all. Thank goodness I have the voices of nature to
listen to," observed Emma.

"Girls, I admit that I have made a mess of it. I suppose we can go on
without a guide, but really it is not wise for you girls, inexperienced
as you are in woodcraft, to venture into the Big Woods."

"I do not agree with you folks," interjected Grace. "That woman is
sharp-tongued, but she is a sturdy and dependable character. It is my
opinion that we might have done a great deal worse in