o go?" she asked with indignant eyes.

"No," he answered gravely; "they're the reason for the whole expedition,
and their transport is provided for. But you'll have to jettison
something else."

The selections were made and Lisle summoned one of the packers.

"Roll these things up in Mr. Nasmyth's tent, Pete," he bade him. "You'll
have to make a cache of them."

"Like burying money, isn't it?" remarked the man, regarding the pile of
sundries with a grin. "Guess they won't be worth much when they're dug up
again."

Half an hour later, three deeply-laden canoes left the beach; and all day
the party paddled up the gleaming lake and crept with poles going up a
slow, green river. Sunset was near when they landed and ate supper among
a clump of cedars; and after the meal most of them, cramped with the
canoe journey, climbed the steep hill-bench or strolled away along the
shingle. Lisle was lying, smoking, beside the fire when Millicent
sauntered toward him and sat down upon a neighboring stone.

"You were right, of course," she apologized. "Am I forgiven? It was only
a momentary revolt."

He smiled, though his bronzed coloring deepened, for there was an unusual
gentleness in her voice.

"It was very natural," he replied. "I had expected more determined
opposition; but I didn't go farther than was necessary."

"No; I think the others realize that now."

"They'll be more convinced of it later," he responded with a trace of
grimness.

"I don't think they'll give you any trouble; but since you got rid of
Nasmyth's tent, where will you and Crestwick sleep?"

"Jim and I can make a shelter of some kind; we're used to the bush."

"What have you done to the lad?" Millicent asked. "I can hardly realize
the change in him; he's a different being."

"I've merely given him a chance he would hardly have had in England. The
country has done the rest. You can ask him how much advice or
admonishment he got."

"Oh," she explained, "I shouldn't expect you to give him advice; it's
cheap!"

He made no reply, and her eyes rested with quiet approval on his rather
embarrassed face. She had no doubt that close contact with this man had
had more to do with the change in Crestwick than the influence of the
country; and then she recollected that the lad's degeneration had been
marked and rapid while he had taken Clarence for a model. It was a
troublesome thought and she banished it with an effort.

"You didn't get here without diffi