"Report received. I hereby appoint you my representative at the camp and the office of the Wilbur-Balasco Company until my arrival. Show this to Balasco as your authority. That railroad contract must be pushed through. Will telegraph Rice, asking him to assist you if necessary. Total output must go to railroad. Stop work on flume. Keep Dale Bradford with you until I see him. Important.
"Jefferson Wilbur."
Owen read the telegram twice and allowed Dale to do the same over his shoulder. Then the friends looked at each other.
"Here's a job for you, Owen. How do you like it?"
"Oh, I guess I can pull through," was the grim answer. "But just imagine Ulmer Balasco's feeling when I tell him what's doing!"
"Mr. Wilbur wants me to stay with you until he sees me, and says it is important. What can that mean?"
"I don't know, I'm sure, unless it has something to do with that mining claim your father owned."
Dale's face lit up, and then fell again.
"Oh, I'm not going to raise any false hopes," he said. "Perhaps he wants to give us both steady positions here, and don't want me to go away merely because Balasco discharged me."
Owen stretched himself, as if getting ready to heave on a big stick of timber.