Even Keeper Downey found it difficult to remain calm, for that Sam had guessed correctly could be told by the Indian yells to which Joe was giving vent, and it is little wonder that the crew, instead of waiting for his entrance, went to the door to meet him, realizing as they did that in a few moments would be known the views of the Superintendent regarding the taking on of this new member. Joe was coming at full speed, holding high above his head the official-looking envelope, and, as if believing his comrades had not been warned regarding the importance of what he brought, he shouted: “Here’s the answer from the Department! It has been about as much as I could do to keep myself from opening it.” Tom Downey stretched out his hand, and there was just a shadow of anxiety to be seen on his face as he took the missive. The crew gathered around him; but Benny, trembling with apprehension, stood a short distance away holding Fluff in his arms. “If it should be that we’ve got to go away now when things are fixed so nice, we’d be awful sorry, Fluffy; but we’ll try not to let the crew know we’re feeling bad,” he whispered to the dog while keeping his eyes fixed upon Sam Hardy. Tom Downey was too impatient to permit of his reading carefully the communication from the Chief of the Service. He first glanced quickly over the letter, catching a word here and there, until understanding the proposition, when he cried joyously: “It’s all right, boys! Benny’s entitled to stay here so long as we pay his bills!” “I knew the Superintendent wasn’t the kind of a man that would turn a cold shoulder on a lad like him,” Sam Hardy said approvingly; and patting Benny on the head, he added, “Now, lad, you’re regularly one of us, seein’ how you’re here by authority, an’ I’ll venture to say that before spring comes you’ll have the drill at your tongue and fingers’ ends with the best of us.” Benny, burying his face in Fluff’s silken hair, whispered to the dog: “We’re awful lucky, Fluff, and we’ll make sure the crew won’t feel sorry because of helping us.” “Ain’t crying when good news has come, are you, lad?” Sam asked, raising the boy’s chin until he could look into his face. “Indeed, I’m not, Mr. Hardy. I just wanted to remind Fluff so he’d never forget it, that we was bound to work mighty hard to pay all hands of you for being so good.” “I reckon that part of it will be all right, my son. We’re gettin’ full value for all we give.” That which added to Benny’s pleasure was the fact that from the keeper to the cook, every member of the crew exhibited the liveliest joy because he was allowed to remain at the station, and an evening never to be forgotten by the lad was this which followed the receipt of the letter from headquarters.