it, but whenever our woods boss runs across a good tree he hasn't the
heart to leave it standing, and as a result, we always have enough skunk
spruce on hand to keep our salesmen humble."

"I can sell anything--at a price," Comrade Peck replied unconcernedly,
and continued on his way back to the office.

* * * * *


IV


For two months Cappy Ricks saw nothing of Bill Peck. That enterprising
veteran had been sent out into the Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas
territory the moment he had familiarized himself with the numerous
details regarding freight rates, weights and the mills he represented,
all things which a salesman should be familiar with before he starts out
on the road. From Salt Lake City he wired an order for two carloads of
larch rustic and in Ogden he managed to inveigle a retail yard with
which Mr. Skinner had been trying to do business for years, into
sampling a carload of skunk spruce boards, random lengths and grades, at
a dollar above the price given him by Skinner. In Arizona he worked up
some new business in mining timbers, but it was not until he got into
the heart of Texas that Comrade Peck really commenced to demonstrate his
selling ability. Standard oil derricks were his specialty and he shot
the orders in so fast that Mr. Skinner was forced to wire him for mercy
and instruct him to devote his talent to the disposal of cedar shingles
and siding, Douglas fir and redwood. Eventually he completed his circle
and worked his way home, via Los Angeles, pausing however, in the San