"I'm willing to be, Mr. Balasco. And so are a lot of the other men."
"This is a—er—a revolution!"
"Oh, no; we only want to help fulfill that railroad contract," and a twinkle shone in the old lumberman's black eyes.
"If you are all against me, I may as well resign at once," grumbled Ulmer Balasco, and Owen saw that the fight was fast oozing out of him. "But I must say, I didn't think Wilbur would play me such an underhanded trick."
"It is no trick, Mr. Balasco. This trouble you brought on yourself. Then I am to take charge?"
"What are you going to do?"
"Order every stick of timber in the yards and up at the flume down to the river, and put all the men at work on the job. Then I'm going to get more fellers and sawyers at Portland, if they are to be had, and open up Yards 9 and 10, and have donkey No. 2 repaired."
"You can't get men this time of the year, and that engine isn't worth fixing."
"I can try for the men, and Bruce Howard says the donkey can be patched up with but little trouble—that the boiler is as good as new."
"Is that boy in this scheme too? He ought to have his walking papers!"