I could not help laughing at his prim and precise manner, and, after a
moment, he also laughed, saying:

"It hurts a man's vanity to know he knows a thing that somebody else
knows he doesn't know. I'm damned if I say another word about the
harbor-master until you've been to Halyard's!"

"A harbor-master," I persisted, "is an official who superintends the
mooring of ships--isn't he?"

But he refused to be tempted into conversation, and we lounged
silently on the lumber until a long, thin whistle from the locomotive
and a rush of stinging salt-wind brought us to our feet. Through the
trees I could see the bluish-black ocean, stretching out beyond black
headlands to meet the clouds; a great wind was roaring among the trees
as the train slowly came to a stand-still on the edge of the primeval
forest.

Lee jumped to the ground and aided me with my rifle and pack, and then
the train began to back away along a curved side-track which, Lee
said, led to the mica-pit and company stores.

"Now what will you do?" he asked, pleasantly. "I can give you a good
dinner and a decent bed to-night if you like--and I'm sure Mrs. Lee
would be very glad to have you stop with us as long as you choose."

I thanked him, but said that I was anxious to reach Halyard's before
dark, and he very kindly led me along the cliffs and pointed out the
path.