find that the description of their efforts to get the logs out of a
rugged wilderness made a stirring tale. Although he paused once or
twice apologetically, the others made him resume, and he began to wish
he was not in the firelight when he saw that Alice was quietly studying
him. It was his partner's story he meant to tell, but since they were
together he could not leave himself out.

He could, however, change the scene, and skipping much, came to their
start as general contractors at Gardner's Crossing. The Hulton
Company, which was not so large then, gave them work, but they were
hampered by want of capital, and had to meet the competition of richer
and sometimes unscrupulous antagonists. Still they made progress;
staking all they had on the chance of carrying out risky work that
others would not touch, sometimes testing the patience of creditors,
and now and then outwitting a rival by an ingenious ruse. Lawrence
lived in the single-room office, cooking for himself on an oil-stove,
while Foster camped with their men where they were at work.

Then they built the sawmill with the help of Lawrence's check from
home, and soon afterwards met with their worst reverse. They had
engaged to supply the Hulton Company with lumber of a certain kind for
some special work, and then found that few of the trees they required
grew near the river. This meant that a skidway must be made over a
very rough hill and a gasolene winding engine bought or hired to haul
the logs out of the next valley. There was, however, another fir
easily accessible that might suit the purpose, but not quite as well,
and Foster related how he and his partner sat up late one night,
calculating costs and wondering whether they should pay Hulton a fine
to break the bargain. He added naively that they were some time
arguing if they should substitute the inferior wood.