"I'm not sure," Vane answered. "In fact, I'm uncertain whether I'll give
Horsfield the contract, even if we decide about the smelter. He was
offensively patronizing once upon a time and tried to bluff me. Besides,
he has already a stake in the concern. I don't want a man with too firm a
hold-up against me."

"But if he put his money in partly with the idea of getting certain
pickings?"

"He didn't explain his intentions; and I made no promises. He'll get his
dividends, or he can sell his stock at a premium, and that ought to
satisfy him."

"If you submitted the whole case to a business man, he'd probably tell
you that you were going to make a hash of things."

"That's your own idea?"

Carroll grinned.

"Oh, I'll reserve my opinion. It's possible you may be right. Time
will show."

They rejoined the others, and when the white mists crept lower down from
the heights above and the chill of the dew was in the air, Vane launched
the canoe.

"It's getting late and there's a long run in front of us to-morrow," he
informed his passengers. "The sloop will lie as still as if moored in a