Part 20 (2/2)
”I suppose we o and would feelmay happen before we are forced to quit,” Carrie replied, and added with cal to happen”
”You have an optimism that can't be cured,” Jim rejoined ”However, I don't know if I'd like it cured”
He knocked out his pipe and began to cut some tobacco, but stopped abruptly and looked up
”What's that?” he asked as so drops,” said Carrie ”I felt a few before”
Ji and it felt cool, but the sky up the valley was not clouded e cold drops fell on his upturned face and nexton the dusty juniper He drew a deep breath and shook off his languidness
”It's coood, after all But let's hed happily ”You said I was too practical! Who's practical now? But so since I was an opti and opti to carry us through But let's ot all that would spoil covered there was a rush of cold wind and the rain beat upon the ca They knew that by e would quench the sht even quench the fire
After a day or two Jim moved his ca in the rain stopped and straightened his aching back Fine ash that had turned to looh the fire had burned out he did not see how he could finish his contract
The tangled brush had vanished and wet ashes covered the ground
Half-burned logs lay about, and here and there sles with blackened branches locked, held each other up In places, big charred rampikes stood in rows like colonnades The nearer rows looked black; farther off they shone in the rain with a curious silver glearound, but wet men were at ith axes and saws
By and by Jim looked round So The shout came from some distance off and while he tried to locate the spot a rampike slanted over and broke off The burned trunk struck the ground with an echoing crash and a cloud of ash rolled up like sap in the row and as the ashes bleay Ji
”Who is it?” he asked Jake
”A Government outfit, I expect Prospectors don't load up with tents and stores like that”
”If they're Governraph depart to look at our job”
”Yes,” said Jake ”I reckon we'll soon know our luck” He waited for a few moments and added: ”It's the boss surveyor”
The surveyor presently joined them and reht I'd see how you were getting on”
”We ot on faster, but we have had trouble all the time,”
said Jim
”Looks like that I exa and on the whole allow it's a pretty good job However, we'll talk about that later; the boys are tired and I'lad to make your camp”
The pack-horses were unloaded and when the tents were pitched the surveyor's cook helped Carrie to prepare an unusually good meal When it was over the party sat outside the surveyor's tent, which had a double top stretched on poles beyond its front The surveyor studied their faces with understanding, for he knew the wilds and noted signs of strain He thought all had a fine-drawn look
”It's obvious that you have been up against it,” he re landslide must haveRunning a cah”
”That is so,” Carrie agreed feelingly ”It's curious, but I think the boys eat ave her a syine you don't stint theood example” He turned to Jim ”You're behind schedule, but if you have no ht to finish on ti He doubted if he could finish the job at all, and wondered whether the other suspected his eht be risky to adlance, although he was silent, and the surveyor looked about and notedboots were broken and his slickers were torn, Winter's carelessness was obviously forced, but the surveyor's study of Carrie gave hiht an attractive girl would not, without good grounds, wear clothes that had shrunk and faded and been mended as often as hers