8 IN A FRONTIER SETTLEMENT 



we'll hit it off. You're no Government, no 

 party, no big stores, no following of camp cooks 

 and freighters. What are you out for ? Fur, 

 foxes, or prospecting ? ' 



" No, Ryan, I'm going for none of those 

 things. When you've come off the Drive, when 

 you've had your glorious ' flare up ' in the city, 

 and your body and mind are sick and sore with 

 months of summer idleness, what do you long 

 for ? Do you not crave again for the freedom 

 of the backwoods ; for the great silence ; for 

 the peace of the camp fire ? " 



" Aye, aye, Mate." 



" Well, so am I here. There's no rest in the 

 cities. I go to study the birds and animals, 

 and all of nature's things and to bring, for the 

 Government, specimens for their museum. 



" I travel, as you would travel alone, caring not 

 for the ease and noise of retinue in surroundings 

 which are ino part of such things. From maps 

 I know something of the main lakes and rivers, 

 and leave the rest to bush-craft. 



"What do you say, Ryan, will you come ? ' 



"H'm! Ya, I guess so, Stranger never had 

 a chance before to see that darned North Country." 



" Right, Joe ! Shake ! Get what you want 

 in the store, on my account six months' tobacco, 

 mind and be around ready to pull out first 

 thing in the morning." 



JOE RYAN, RIVERMAN AND LUMBER- JACK 



Joe Ryan was a hard man. Hard, by nature 

 of his calling ; hard, at the bidding of his mind. 

 He had an unforgiving countenance, deep-seared 



