expect you know this, since you stop here clerking for a few dollars a
week. You want help."

"The man who looks for that ore will want my help," Drummond rejoined.

"Well, it's my business to speculate in mines, and I'm generally willing
to pay for a useful tip. But it's got to be useful. I don't like to be
stung, and the woods are full of dead-beat prospectors ready to put you
wise about rich pay-dirt for a dollar or two."

"My tip's all right," Drummond declared in a defiant tone. "I'll show
you! When the old man was at Longue Sault he had a clerk called Strange,
and sent him off somewhere one day with a sledge and dogs. Strange came
back with a bagful of mineral specimens, and said he'd struck it rich,
but the old man knew nothing about mining and didn't want any
prospectors mussing up things round there. By and by Strange left the
factory, and the old man pulled out and brought me South. Located at
Owen Sound, and told me about Strange's specimens one day when he was
very sick. Said he'd reckoned the fellow was a crank, but he'd kept two
or three specimens and a mining man told him they carried good silver."

"Did Strange tell your father where he found the specimens?" Stormont
asked carelessly.

Drummond grinned. "Since the old man sent him, I guess he knew where he
went. But I've got to know what my tip is worth before I tell you."

"Certainly," said Stormont. "Suppose we take a drink?" He filled a glass
and gave it Drummond, but was silent for some minutes afterwards.