Part 21 (1/2)

”Miss Dunning, take the note-book,” begged Whispering Smith.

”And rise, of course,” suggested McCloud.

”Oh, the note-book! I shall be afraid to hold it. Where are the verses, Mr. Smith? Is this fine handwriting yours?

Then here's to the b.u.mper that proves every friend!

Isn't that true?

And though when we drink it it wrings us,

--and it does sometimes!

Here's to the cup that we drain to the end,

Even women have to be plucky, don't they, Marion?

And here's to the hearts that it brings us!”

Whispering Smith rose before the applause subsided. ”I ask you to drink this, standing, in condensed milk.”

”Have we enough to stand in?” interposed d.i.c.ksie.

”If we stand together in trouble, that ought to be enough,” observed McCloud.

”We're doing that without rising, aren't we?” asked Marion. ”If we hadn't been in trouble we shouldn't have ventured to this camp to-night.”

”And if you had not put me to the trouble of following you--and it was a lot of trouble!--_I_ shouldn't have been in camp to-night,” said Whispering Smith.

”And if _I_ had not been in trouble this camp wouldn't have been here to-night,” declared McCloud. ”What have we to thank for it all but trouble?”

A voice called the superintendent's name through the tent door. ”Mr.

McCloud?”

”And there is more trouble,” added McCloud. ”What is it, Bill?”

”Twenty-eight and nine tenths on the gauge, sir.”

McCloud looked at his companions. ”I told you so. Up three-tenths.

Thank you, Bill; I'll be with you in a minute. Tell Cherry to come and take away the supper things, will you? That is about all the water we shall get to-night, I think. It's all we want,” added McCloud, glancing at his watch. ”I'm going to take a look at the river. We shall be quiet now around here until half-past three, and if you, Marion, and Miss Dunning will take the tent, you can have two hours'

rest before we start. Bill Dancing will guard you against intrusion, and if you want ice-water ring twice.”

CHAPTER XXII

A TALK WITH WHISPERING SMITH

When Whispering Smith had followed McCloud from the tent, d.i.c.ksie turned to Marion and caught her hand. ”Is this the terrible man I have heard about?” she murmured. ”And I thought him ferocious! But is he as pitiless as they say, Marion?”