Ross, startled at the sudden change in his companion, at the latter's intensity and evident unhappiness, merely shook his head awkwardly, avoiding the misery-filled eyes. He turned away and began piling up stones, bits of shining quartz that had been thrown, at some time, out of a discovery hole above them. Presently Leslie regained his self-possession. "I say, Grant," he began again abruptly, "to tell you the truth, I have started to go over to see you half a dozen times within a week and got this far every time. I'm going to ask a favor of you." "All right," said Ross with a gruffness that did not conceal his sympathy. "Fire ahead!" "The other day you--you offered me money," Leslie began with difficulty. "Yes, and I do to-day," Ross interrupted. Leslie shook his head. "Hold on till I get to it. I can't take your money--not that way. But the other day I heard the McKenzies tell Wilson that you tried to hire men in Miners' Camp. Will you hire me?" "Will I!" Ross leaped to his feet. He grabbed his cap and tossed it in the air and then fell to pommeling Leslie in pure exuberance of joy. "Hire you? I wish there were half a dozen of you to hire! Bully for you! But----" His exuberance died out. He replaced his cap and looked down on the other, his lips pursed ready for a whistle. "Well?" "See here!" Ross burst out. "What about Wilson?" "That's all right," Leslie answered quickly. "I told him a couple of days ago that I'd got to get money. I told him I'd leave him the grub, of course. I agreed to furnish it, and I'll stick to my word," doggedly, "but I must also light out and earn some money. And all I can do is to work with my hands. I--well, I've always hated to make my head work, and I've never had to do any other kind until now. You'll find I'm soft yet, but I'll do my best." The boy spoke humbly. Ross sent his cap spinning into the air once more. "I'll risk you! You're not as soft as you were six weeks ago! Not by half! When can you come?" Leslie considered. "Wilson says he'll go below to the coal claims in a couple of weeks. I'll talk it over with him and let you know." "Come to-morrow, if you can," Ross shouted back as he slid down to the trail. Work went easily for a few days in view of Leslie's coming. The thought of his companionship robbed the prospective loneliness of Meadow Creek Valley of its terrors. He whistled and sang about the shack as he hunted up the material out of which to make a third bunk. He was hammering away on this the second evening after his talk with Leslie, when the McKenzies dropped in. They had been over on the Divide hunting and had been out of Ross's sight and mind since his talk with Leslie. Not until Sandy pushed the door open unceremoniously and walked in did Ross recall the comments that had so disturbed him and wondered once more to whom they had referred, himself or Leslie, and what the reference meant.