"Old Johnny is certainly your man," Peter chuckled. "How do he and the sky pilot hit it off?"
"It's too early to say. By the way, did you have a run-in with Scott?"
"Not at all. Scott said Elijah was welcome to use the trail if he kept to it."
Doug's mouth opened and closed. He took a letter from his pocket and laid a pile of bills beside it on the table. "Will you send that mail order off for me to-day, Peter? I'm blowing myself to a new saddle."
"Must be money in staking a sky pilot," grinned the postmaster. "I didn't notice you taking up a collection on Sunday, though."
Douglas laughed. "It pays so well that I've got to ride the traps again this winter to pay for the grub-stake. Dad is so sore that he isn't allowing me all he might."
"I'll help you if you are too much squeezed. I hope you won't be as bull-headed about taking a loan from me as Judith is. By the way, how are matters coming between you and Jude, Douglas?"
"Report no progress!" grunted Doug.
"She's a restless young colt. I wish she could begin to get a sense of direction as you are. Maybe she will, now she can get a bird's-eye view of you. You've always lived too close to each other to understand each other. You'll learn a lot about Jude and she about you, now you've moved a few miles away."
"Do you honestly want me to have Judith, Peter?" asked Douglas with a sudden huskiness in his voice.