tt answered. "But the point is that Katson's
Hill is wild land. No tax assessor knows who is the owner of
that land, and it wouldn't bring enough money to make it worth
while to sell it at a sheriff's sale. So a number of farmers
turn their cattle in there and use it for free grazing ground.
As no owner can be found for the land we won't have to pay for
the birch bark that we cut there."

"That's so," Driggs acknowledged. "But it's an awful distance,
and over some mighty rough bits of road. You'll be about dead
after you've packed a load of birch bark in from Katson's Hill."

"That wouldn't be anything, compared with having to do without
our canoe," Dick returned.

"Maybe not," Driggs conceded. "Now, boys, is there much of that
birch bark on Katson's Hill?"

"There must be several shiploads," Dave Darrin replied.

"Good enough. Then, see here. I'll take this job at twenty dollars,
if you boys will get the birch bark. After you've brought in
enough to patch the canoe then you can bring in enough more to
amount to twenty dollars. Is that a go?"

"It's wonderfully kind of you," Dick answered gratefully.

"Not much it isn't," Driggs grinned, "and it will make that young
Ripley cub feel mighty sore and cheap when he finds that he was
the only one who got 'skinned' at this auction. But before you
get through cutting and hauling birch bark you may think I'm a
pretty hard taskmaster. I'll call it a go, if you boys will."

"We'll pay our full debt, Mr. Driggs, and pay you a load of thanks
besides."

"All right," nodded Driggs, jumping down off the truck, in haste
to get away from the embarrassment of being thanked. "Some of
you just hang around here until my man, Jim Snowden, gets up here
with the truck. After Jim starts away with your war canoe then
you can leave the rest to me, except cutting and hauling several
loads of birch bark to square up matters."

Driggs beat a hasty retreat now. When he had gone the members
of Dick & Co. exchanged glances. Then Holmes began to dance
his best idea of a jig.

"We'll have that bonfire at eight o'clock tonight, Greg," Dick
reminded him with a smile.

"Will you?" demanded Greg, scowling fiercely. "If any of you
fellows have any matches, then just keep away from that canoe,
or I'll fight. We can't afford to take any risks. Whoop!"

"Whoop!" answered Harry Hazelton, standing on his head.

"Whoop!" echoed Dave Darrin, giving Danny Grin a playful punch
th