“You shouldn't have let the boy get here.”
“Stockton, I tried to prevent it. I put Greaser with Bud an' Bill on his trail. They didn't find him, an' now here he turns up.”
“Maybe he can be fixed.”
“Not if I know my business, he can't; take that from me. This kid is straight. He'll queer my deal in a minute if he gets wise. Mind you, I'm gettin' leary of Washington. We've seen about the last of these lumber deals. If I can pull this one off I'll quit; all I want is a little more time. Then I'll fire the slash, an' that'll cover tracks.”
“Buell, I wouldn't want to be near Penetier when you light that fire. This forest will burn like tinder.”
“It's a whole lot I care then. Let her burn. Let the Government put out the fire. Now, what's to be done about this boy?”
“I think I'd try to feel him out. Maybe he can be fixed. Boys who want to be foresters can't be rich. Failing that—you say he's a kid who wants to hunt and shoot—get some one to take him up on the mountain.”
“See here, Stockton. This young Ward will see the timber is bein' cut clean. If it was only a little patch I wouldn't mind. But this slash an' this mill! He'll know. More'n that, he'll tell Leslie about the Mexican. Dick's no fool. We're up against it.”
“It's risky, Buell. You remember the ranger up in Oregon.”
“Then we are to fall down on this deal all because of a fresh tenderfoot kid?” demanded Buell.