Jude! Darn it, I thought you'd gone to Grandma Brown's!"

Judith led Swift from behind the rock, and mounted. Her eyes were bright
with mischief.

"You turn right round and go home again, miss!" he cried, as Swift ranged
beside the buckboard.

Judith giggled. "You sure do need a hazer, Doug, while you're driving
that mule! I left a note for Mother."

"Go home! Don't speak to me. This is no trip for a girl!"

"You mean you want me to go home and help Dad feed the two-year-olds?"
demanded Judith.

Douglas glared at her. For all the biting cold, her old knit cap was
hanging to the pommel, her mackinaw was open at the throat. Her cheeks
were deep scarlet, her gray eyes half filled with tears.

Douglas scrowled and his mouth settled into sullen lines. This was a
man's trip. Judith had no business to make it seem easy enough for a
girl! And with this new feeling for Judith, she was making the adventure
too difficult. Hang it all! The place for a girl was at home! But he knew
Jude and he was not going to try to repeat the triumph of Monday morning.
He called to the team and started on.

Judith, having won her point, dropped behind the buckboard and the
journey continued in silence. They reached the half-way cabin late in the
afternoon. The little log hut, with a rude horse shelter beside it, stood