“That cuts out any danger from borers, doesn’t it?” Bainbridge continued Bob’s eyes narrowed, and his well-shaped mouth grew firmer. He glanced again at Tweedy, and raised his eyebrows. “That’s all there is left for us to do--eh, John?” he said quickly, and even the not particularly sensitive Tweedy was aware of a ringing undercurrent in his voice. “We’ll bark ’em at once, and I’ll send down to Bangor for men and material to repair the dam. Harvey will look after all that, and we’ll save three-quarters, at least, of the value of the drive, in spite of Crane’s dirty work.” “That may be true enough,” retorted the older man dispiritedly, “but do you realize what it’s going to mean to lose the use of that capital for a whole year?” He stepped closer to his young partner, and lowered his voice to a whisper: “You know the condition we’re in financially, Bob. This campaign of yours against graft has cost us money--bunches of it. Our resources have never been so low. This loss is going to cripple us in a way which even the officials of the trust, with all their means of finding out things, can’t guess. It may be impossible even to get credit, and I don’t see how on earth we’re going to get through the year without something----” “We’ve got to!” Bob’s voice was hard and determined. “Can’t you see that’s just what Crane’s after? He’s done this to draw our sting and leave us helpless. We’ll have to weather the storm somehow, John. I’ll be hanged if I’ll let that crowd of crooks have their way. We’ve got the biggest stock of manufactured lumber in years--that’s one good thing. The other is our Megantic drive. Once that’s down at the mills we ought to be in fair shape, and able to tell our esteemed former partner and his crowd to go to--Halifax.” But Tweedy refused to brace up and look upon the bright side. Instead of being cheered and encouraged by Bob’s optimistic manner and fighting spirit, his frown deepened, and his lips drooped still farther at the corners. “Once it’s at the mills--yes,” he retorted significantly. “What guarantee have we got that it’ll ever get there? You don’t suppose for a minute they’re going to let that alone, do you, after what they’ve done here?” Bainbridge flung back his head, his dark eyes glittering. “No, but they’re welcome to try their darndest!” he exclaimed. “They can’t turn any such trick as this, and I mean to start for the Megantic camp as soon as day breaks. I’ll stick with that drive till the last log is safe in our mill booms, and if the gang tries any more dirty work there’ll be something doing, believe me! You’d better beat it down to Bangor and arrange about credit. You can do it, somehow. It’s going to be a fight to the finish, John, and I reckon they’ll find out before it’s over that we’re not quite the easy marks they seem to think.”