"That's a point which naturally occurred to me," Mr. Oliver answered. "There are, however, reasons for believing that Barclay will be able to get over the difficulty."
He said nothing further on the subject, but it cropped up again one evening when Mr. Webster arrived at the ranch in time for supper. He told them that he had finished the bridge he had gone away to build, and when they sat about the stove after the meal was over he turned to Mr. Oliver.
"Have you heard that Porteous has been fired out of the store and they've got a man down from Tacoma?" he asked.
"No," replied Mr. Oliver indifferently.
"Anyway, you don't seem much astonished."
Mr. Oliver smiled at this. "I can't say I am. What was the trouble?"
"It's generally believed Porteous was tampering with the mails, and that brings up another thing I want to mention. I'm puzzled about it as well as pleased."
Harry, unobserved by Mr. Webster, grinned at Frank, looking solemn again as his father caught his eye.
"Well?" said the latter politely.
"It's just this," said Mr. Webster. "When I came through the settlement this morning the man who fills Porteous's place gave me a letter. It requested me to send in a formal application if I was open to have my place made a postoffice and carry the mails for this and the Carthew district. They don't pay one very much, but it only means a journey once a week."