Seaforth, who was a young Englishman of good upbringing, laughed. "I
have no reason for doubting it," said he. "In any case, none of my
worthy relations had any use for me. Still, I don't see the connection
exactly."

"No?" said Alton. "Well, it's simple. We have the gold and silver,
and the coal and iron, too, while it don't strike one that these
forests were put here just to look pretty."

"The metals you allude to take some trouble in getting out," said
Seaforth dryly.

Alton nodded. "Of course," he said. "That's what man got his brains
for, and the one difference between a white man and a Siwash is that
he's always striking for something better."

Seaforth laughed. "You are trying to get at something, as usual," said
he.

"Yes," said Alton gravely. "I generally am. Well, I can see what we
don't want of these forests sailing sawn up to China, and this river
sprinkled with sawmills and wood-pulp factories. Then I can hear the
big dynamoes humming, and the thump of the mine stamps run with the
current the men who put them down will get for nothing. What we're
wasting round Somasco is going to feed ten thousand people by and by."

"It's a big idea," said Seaforth reflectively. "Still, I don't know
that if it were ever put through the place would look any prettier--and
the question is, who's going to set the whole thing running?"