"Then please ask him to step out. Or shall I go in?" "Yer lookin' at Joe Shafto. If ye don't like the looks of me look t'other way!" she fairly flung at him. "You don't understand, Madam. We engaged Joe Shafto, a man, to guide us through the North Woods and--" "I tell ye I'm the party, and I'm man enough for any bunch of rough-necks in the timber," retorted the woman. "A woman guide! Good night!" muttered Hippy Wingate under his breath. CHAPTER IV A HUMAN TALKING MACHINE "Of course, of course. I--I--well, I'll talk to my friends about it," answered Tom lamely. He was flustrated and flushed, greatly to the enjoyment of the Overland girls. "That's all right, Tom," soothed Grace. "I am positive that Miss Shafto--" "Mrs. Shafto," corrected the woman. "Mrs. Joe Shafto. Git the handle right." "I am positive that Mrs. Shafto will answer our purpose very nicely," finished Grace. "Yes, yes. I--I agree with you," mumbled Tom. "If you have time, or when you do have time, we shall have to talk over our plans with you and--" "Ain't got no time for nothin' to-day. Had yer dinners?" "We had luncheon on the way," replied Grace. "Lucky for ye. I'll go work at the ironin'; then I've got to clean house. Mebby then I'll talk to ye." Joe stamped back into the house, slamming the door behind her, and the Overland Riders lost themselves in gales of laughter, galloping their horses on beyond the house so that Joe might not hear. Tom followed along slowly, considerably crestfallen. "Tom Gray, you surely have distinguished yourself," declared Anne Nesbit. "My Hippy couldn't have done worse," added Nora. "It gives me a pain in my back just to look at her," averred Elfroda. "Listening to her is worse." "I shan't listen at all. Thank goodness I have the voices of nature to listen to," observed Emma. "Girls, I admit that I have made a mess of it. I suppose we can go on without a guide, but really it is not wise for you girls, inexperienced as you are in woodcraft, to venture into the Big Woods." "I do not agree with you folks," interjected Grace. "That woman is sharp-tongued, but she is a sturdy and dependable character. It is my opinion that we might have done a great deal worse in selecting a guide. Let's go back to the house, make camp nearby, and wait until the sturdy warrior is ready for us. She will be out again to talk to us soon enough, if I am a judge of human nature." The Overlanders acted upon the suggestion and pitched their little tents among the trees across the trail from Joe Shafto's home. While they were thus engaged Joe came over and watched the operations, but without uttering a word until the camp was made and a little cook fire started for a cup of afternoon tea. "What's that for?" she demanded, pointing to the fire. "Afternoon tea now, and to cook our supper on later," answered Grace. "Yer all goin' to eat supper with me." The girls protested, but Joe, when once she had made an assertion, would brook no opposition.