Gathering up the papers, Andrew passed them to him without a word, while Carnally waited as if he knew what to expect. When he in turn took the report from Watson, there was an oppressive silence in the shack. Andrew could hear the billets snap in the stove and the murmur of the river among the ice.
"It seems to me that this report leaves us no room for doubt," he said, when Carnally had finished reading the papers. "We can't keep the mine working on such returns as these. But I want your honest opinion."
Watson made a sign of agreement.
"Well," he said frankly, "you have got to have the truth, though I guess it will cost me my job. Rain Bluff will never pay its shareholders."
"You knew this some time ago?"
"I was afraid of it; but it wasn't my business. I was sent here to get out as much ore as I could, and I've done so."
"Have you any suggestion to make?"
"If you wrote down your capital, got rid of Mappin, and did your transport work yourselves, you might keep going. The ore's there, though its hard to get at and not worth much."
Andrew turned to Carnally.
"You suspected how matters stood from the beginning. I see now that you meant to warn me."