Obed looked at him gravely, and heaved a sigh.

"Yep, I feels that ways, too, sometimes, Steve," he said presently; "and
let me tell yuh the temptation is nigh more'n I c'n stand; but I jest
shuts my teeth together, and tells myself that I started in to do this
job, and I'm agoin' to stick it out or know the reason why. Then I git
my second wind agin' and it's all right. Once I used to give in right
easy, but I'm broke now o' that bad habit, I guess."



CHAPTER VII


THE YOUNG MAGICIAN

The more Max listened to Obed talk on the one subject that seemed to be
his pet hobby, that of raising valuable fur-bearing animals for the
market, the deeper grew his conviction that the woods boy was well worth
studying.

He might talk after the manner of an uneducated boy, but Max knew that
this could not be the case. Even though the main lot of numerous
"Grimeses" were following the humble occupation of guides amidst the
extensive stretches of the Adirondacks, and possibly many of them would
be found to be boors, save along the line of woodcraft, Obed had managed
to pick up considerable knowledge, somehow or other.

When trying to explain how this idea of successfully raising "silver"