"One thing we ought not to forget to do," said Dale. "That is to keep an eye on Foxy Hildan."
"Yes, I'll watch him," replied Owen. "But it is more than likely that he will make himself scarce when he finds out how the wind has shifted."
It soon became noised around that Owen had been appointed to represent Mr. Wilbur at the camp, and that Andy Westmore had been made head yardmaster. This was followed by a general order from Owen that all lumber at the yards and at the flume should be shipped down to the Columbia as fast as the cars and the creek could carry the sticks. In addition to this a notice was posted up at the Tunley station that fellers and sawyers were wanted immediately, and an advertisement to that effect was likewise inserted in the Portland daily newspapers.
Some of the men, influenced doubtless by Ulmer Balasco, were inclined to resent Owen's authority, but when one hook-tender was promptly discharged, the others reconsidered the matter, and after that there was little or no trouble among the hands. Some took the matter as a joke, for lumbermen are as a class light-hearted, and the Scandinavians waited on the new boss in a body, and demanded that he show his authority in the proper manner—by giving them a spread with plenty to drink.
"You shall have a spread," said Owen. "But it will be after this railroad contract is filled. Get this through on time, and on Mr. Wilbur's behalf I promise you that every worker shall receive a substantial bonus for his labor."
This announcement caused a cheer, and the men went to work with renewed vigor. Soon some new hands came in, and were taken on promptly by Owen, and the ring of the axes and the sound of the saws came early and late from the yards and the forest. The men on the railroad were kept at work two hours extra out of twenty-four, and three extra men were placed at the river to see that all the lumber went forward to the railroad company without delay.
"Using more cars now, I see," said one of the railroad officials, to Dale, at the end of the second day of the new order of things.
"Yes, sir, and you'll have to give us more yet by day after to-morrow."
"Balasco wasn't in such a hurry."
"Well, we are bound to make a sure thing of this contract. Remember, thirty cars to-morrow, and forty after that."