When they were there, the store-keeper perched himself on a high stool, hooked his toes under a round, thrust his face forward, and said: "Here's my business, straight and to the point. I'm a little something in the lumbering line up this way, myself. What with land, stumpage rights, and tax titles I've got two townships, but they're off the main river, and I haven't done much with 'em. I'm going to be honest, and admit I can't do much with 'em so long as Britt and his gang control roll-dams, flowage, and the water for the driving-pitch the way they do. They haven't got the law with 'em, but that makes no difference to that crowd, the way they run things. Now, you don't know the logging business, but a bright chap like you can learn it mighty quick. And you've shown to-day that there are some things you don't have to learn, and that's how to handle men--and that's the big thing in this country as things are now. What I want to ask you, fair and plain, is, do you want a job?" "What, as a prize-fighter?" asked the young man, surlily. "No, s'r, but as a boss that can boss, and has got the courage to hold up his end on this river! I know this all sounds as though I were temporarily out of my head in a business way, but you've made a reputation in the last half hour here that's worth ten thousand to the man that hires you. There's money in the lumbering business, Mr. Wade. The men that are in it right are getting rich. But you've got to get into it picked end to. Here's the way you and I are fixed: you might wait for ten years and not find the opportunity I'm offering you. I might wait ten years and not find just the man I could afford to take in with me. I've sized you. I know what sort your references will be when I ask for 'em. You seem right. Are you interested enough to listen to figures?" And then Ide, accepting amazed silence as assent, rattled off into his details. At the end of half an hour Wade was listening with a new gleam of resolution in his eyes. At the end of an hour he was blotting his signature at the bottom of a preliminary article of agreement that was to serve until a lawyer could draw one more ample. "And now," said Ide, slamming his safe door and whirling the knob, "it's past supper-time and my folks are waitin'. And it's settled that you stay. I say, it's settled! Where else would you stop in this God-forsaken bunch of shacks? I've got a big house and something to eat. Come along, Mr. Wade! I'm hungry, and we'll do the rest of our talkin' on the road." The young man followed him without a word. And thus entered Dwight Wade into the life of Castonia, and into the battle of strong men in the north woods. In front of the store, as they issued, the "It-'ll-git-ye Club" was still in session, as though waiting for something. They got what they were waiting for.