Next season will be another big year."

"How is that?"

"Every fourth season the run is large; nobody knows why. Every time there
is a Presidential election the fish are shy and very scarce; that lifts
prices. Every year in which a President of the United States is
inaugurated they are plentiful."

Boyd laughed. "The Alaska salmon takes more interest in politics than I
do. I wonder if he is a Republican or a Democrat?"

"Inasmuch as he is a red salmon, I dare say you'd call him a Socialist,"
laughed Cherry.

Emerson rose, and began to pace back and forth. "And you mean to say the
history of the other canneries is the same?"

"Certainly."

"I had no idea there were such profits in the fisheries up here."

"Nobody knows it outside of those interested. The Kalvik River is the most
wonderful salmon river in the world, for it has never failed once; that's
why the Companies guard it so jealously; that's why they denied you
shelter. You see, it is set away off here in one corner of Behring Sea
without means of communication or access, and they intend to keep it so."

It was evident that the young man was vitally interested now. Was it the
prospective vision of almighty dollars that was needed to release the