"That's why the East Coast Co. brought him up here to build their bit of road," he went on slowly. "They've got to move that Reserve Company timber. They have a contract that'll break 'em--break us--if we fall down. And do you know, Cal, I--I can't help but believe that the thing is beyond the pale of possibility. I believed it six months ago, when Elliott and Ainnesley and the rest of them were so keen for it, and I believe it still, even though I have seen Elliott's engineer and know what he has already accomplished. That track'll never go through on schedule--and that's why I'm up here for the winter. It's going to be a hot little race against time, with some millions for a purse. It'll break the East Coast Co. if he fails, and"--his voice became oddly intense--"and I tell you again that it--can't--be--done!" Then Allison became aware of Caleb's mild astonishment at his vehemence. "An amateur's opinion, of course, Cal," he laughed, "which is strictly _entre nous_. But, win or lose, this man O'Mara will be a valuable man to have around after the thing is decided." "You said that he reminded you of something," Caleb began rather heavily. "It recalled something to me, too. I wonder if you remember a little fishing trip that we took, some ten or twelve years ago, Dexter, up into the hills? It was to the headwaters of the cast branch, somewhere in the neighborhood of the Reserve Company's holdings, I should say." "Why, yes," the other answered, off-handedly. "Why, yes, now that you mention it, I do remember. May I ask your reason for speaking of it?" "No reason in particular," Caleb hesitated. "Only this O'Mara reminded me of something, too--something that you said, that night at the camp-fire." "Well?" Allison's monosyllable was coolly noncommittal. "Can you remember what it was?" Caleb asked, positively uncomfortable now. "I think I remarked that there was a fortune for some man in that valley, if he was far-sighted enough. Was that it?" Then Caleb understood the challenge in his friend's voice. He thought he understood. The names of the stockholders of the Reserve Company were all strange to Caleb save one. The Honorable Archibald Wickersham, who was said to represent huge foreign interests, he had known as a boy. And Caleb had seen Dexter indescribably sore, before this, from having overlooked, as he termed it himself, "a sure thing bet." He laughed, more like his placid self again. "Bless you, no!" he exclaimed. "What have I ever done to make you believe that a mere commercial estimate would remain with me this long? It--it was something that you said concerning the making of a gentleman. I just wondered if you were of your early way of thinking. I wondered if you would consider that--that----"