“Then I’ll do that, because I want to hear you talk more. But I don’t want you to think me a stingy man just because I have no use for colleges. You’ve lost a hand in the service of your country, and your country ain’t going to pay you for it. Your country ought to give you a chance to study lead, if you like that sort of thing. You lost a hand, and you lost a girl. I’m the father of that girl, and I appreciate the way you took it. I’d like to show you that I like you for giving up Gratia.” “It cost me nothing, Mr. Ferry. We both considered ourselves lucky to have found out in time. Didn’t she tell you?” “No,” smiled Asher. “I guess she liked the decoration—I mean your scalp hung at her belt. Girls are queer.” Chapter 68. Erbium They left the steamer at Encampment, but were delayed there for a long time, being unable to hire a skiff. About five o’clock however the Black Hawk returned from Canada in his own canoe, and lent it to them. Asher Ferry carefully paddled it four miles northward to the Duckling. Marvin pointed out the tent, landed his guest below it, and excused himself. He meant to run up to the house and take the force of Chase Mahan’s wrath before it did any harm. He failed to find his father, but he did find his girl. She was in the kitchen preparing supper, and was so surprised to see him that she barely escaped kissing him. Left alone on an uninhabited island, Asher Ferry felt pleasantly wild and free. He had come in an Indian canoe, was going to sleep on the ground like an Indian, and was going to discuss the most interesting of all problems with an authority. So he ran up the path like a boy and stood looking into the cozy tent. But there was some one already in it! On the blankets lay a man with smooth face and grizzled hair, reading. The man glanced up and gave a start. “You can’t come in here!” “Is it your tent?” “No.” “But might makes right. You’re a Prussian.” Ferry turned and walked down to the canoe. But after he had seated himself and begun to paddle, somehow she wouldn’t start. He turned around and saw that his swift and silent enemy was holding the stern. “I was wrong, Ferry. Come ashore.” Ferry climbed out again, and went up to the tent, where he took possession. His enemy now came and stood in the doorway himself. “Do you admit you are yellow?” “No.” “You told young Hogg to be a slacker.” “You’re a liar. I told him that Wall Street would have him put on the firing-line and kept there.” “What has Wall Street to do with it?” “Wall Street hates me. So do you.” “You’re a liar. I never hated you. Since I found out that you really did what you could to win the war, I’ve been waiting to call you Asher and call you my friend.” “Chase, if I was a profane man, I’d say I’d be damned. Come and sit down on these blankets. You are a big bully, but I can’t help liking you. Always did like you.” “Asher, what in the name of time brings you here?”