"He only came to, when the minister got there this afternoon. Joe's arm is broken. Two of his ribs are stove in. He's bruised and battered all over. Mr. Auld says the hole in his forehead is the serious one. Thinks you must have uprooted a tree and hit him with it." I laughed. But Rita was still all seriousness. "He'll pull through all right. Minister says he'll be out in two or three weeks. Says it's a miracle how Joe ever got back to Camp. Must have crawled to the launch, looked after the engine and steered all the way himself, and him smashed up as he was. Funny he didn't come over home. Guess he didn't want any of us to know about it. "They found his boat run up on the beach at Camp and him lying in the bottom of it, unconscious; engine of his boat still going full speed. "Joe was delirious and muttering all the time: "'I killed that son-of-a-gun, Bremner. I killed Bremner.' "You know, George,--most of the men like Joe; for he's good to them when they're down and out. But none of them has much sympathy for him this time. Mr. Auld says they have heard him talk about doing you up ever since you came to Golden Crescent. And now, Joe's the man that's done up. "Better for him if he had let you be. "But, maybe after all, it is the best thing that ever happened,--for Joe, I mean. It will let him see that brute force isn't everything; that there never was a strong man but there was a stronger one still. Eh! George." Rita's mood changed. "But, if you and Joe quarrel again, I'm going to run away. So there. "I'm not beholden to any one now,--thanks to dear old Jake Meaghan. I can get money,--all I want. Then maybe Joe'll be sorry. "You won't fight any more, George? Say you won't!" She put her arm round my shoulder and her cheek against mine, in her old coaxing way. Dear little woman! It was a shame to have worried her as Joe and I had done. "Well, Rita," I laughed, "I promise you I won't fight if Joe won't. And, anyway,--Joe is not likely to seek another encounter till his arm and ribs are well; and that will take six weeks all told. So don't worry yourself any more about what is going to happen six weeks hence." As Rita started out for home, I rose to accompany her to the boat. "No, no!" she cried. "Why!--you are under doctor's orders." "I have to work to-morrow, Rita, so I might as well try myself out now, as later." I was shaky at the knees, but, with Rita's arm round my waist, I managed to make the journey with little trouble. As we got to her boat, Rita pouted. "What's the matter now, little maid?" I asked. "I don't think you like me any more, George,--after bringing this on you. And we've been pretty good pals too, you and I." Her eyes commenced to fill. "Why, foolish! Of course, we have been good pals and we are going to stay good pals right to the end; no matter what happens." "Sure?" she asked, taking an upward, sidelong glance at me.