Part 21 (1/2)
”Well,” he resumed, ”I expect you know payment in part is sometiree was stated about this”
”The custom has drawbacks for the people who let the contract,” Jake rereed the surveyor ”Then you don't mean to bother us for money?”
”It would, of course, be useful,” Jake adhtful voice
”However, if the office doesn't see its way----”
”You would be satisfied to wait?”
Jim frowned Jake's pretended indifference was prudent, but he had overdone the thing While Jiht Carrie interposed
”My brother is generally hopeful In a way, that's good, but sometimes he's rash”
The surveyor's eyes twinkled ”Do you mean he's rash just now?”
”Yes,” said Carrie, ”I really think I do mean this”
”I didn't know if it was rashness or corinned rather aardly and Jim colored, but Carrie fixed her eyes on the surveyor
”It was all bluff fro We hadn't the money we needed e took the contract, and since then we have never had proper tools and help enough”
”In fact, you had nothing o far in the bush; but I don't know if they'll go far enough to carry you through Perhaps you had better be frank”
”I generally aerous, and et soo broke”
”Perhaps it's strange, but I rather suspected this,” the surveyor rejoined ”Well, I'd like you to put the contract over You have done good work up-to-date and I'll risk giving you an order on the pay office If you'll hile I get a form, I'll do it now”
He went into the tent and Carrie smiled at the others Jim was conscious of keen relief and a touch of annoyance Although Carrie had saved the situation, he had let her undertake an aard task that was properly his Then the surveyor caine you are sometimes rash,” he remarked ”Didn't you see the line you took was risky?”
”No,” said Carrie, s; ”I wasn't rash at all I knohen I can trust people and didn't think you would let us down All the saive us a pay order unless you sae'd ood, and now that's done with, we'll talk about soan to talk about his journey, but Ji he went on and the others resumed their ith quiet confidence The financial strain had slackened and they were not afraid of the physical difficulties that rappled with Rocks and trees could be ht was not over and their courage was tried when they carried the line along the e At length, one evening, Jim took Carrie up a hill and when they reached the top indicated a river that sparkled a the trees below
”Follow it down and look across the big pines on the flat,” he said
Carrie looked and saw a thin, blue haze floating about the trees
”Oh!” she cried, ”it's sainst the rocks is from a mine stack, and I think I see the steam from a sawmill by the river,” Jim said quietly ”The line will soon be finished, and you have helped us out”