The Rules of the Game

oment before crossing a bridge over a river. From it descended a

a small, painted, windowless structure next the water met his eye as the handiwork of man. The windowless structure was bleak, deserted and obviously locked by a strong padlock and hasp. Nevertheless, the man, throwing on his shou

An otherwise absolutely unprepossessing face was rendered most attractive by a pair of twinkling, humorous blue eyes, set far apart. I

The wind blew strong up the river; the baring branches of the willows whipped loose their yell

h it the creak of rowlocks. A moment later a light, flat

" remarked the man on the duffle-bag, without m

He was about ten years the other's junior, big of frame, ta

he property of the Maple County Duck Club. Tres

d hands and look

n," Orde broke the momentary silence. "It's been--l

't anything but mud hens and hell divers here, I'm going to su

othingly, "or you can come out and see me kill 'em if you'll si

h a dexterity marvellous in one apparently s

ow to ride a log, I

n exp

logs yet. I don't suppose you'd know a log if you'd see one, you' soft

us named Welton is about my size--as I

n gri

and the little

little boy,' as you call him, graduated

uinely astounded. "Why, of course,

ld give him a chance. Why, he's been cap

p at Minneapolis when his team licked the stuffing out of our boys; and I remember his name. But I ne

ason I wanted to see you; why I asked you to run over from Chic

er be!" said

ven if I wanted to. But, Welton, I'm a Riverman, and I always will be. It's in my bones. I want Bob to grow up in the smell of the woods--same as his dad

d the duck-boat drifted silent

on n

ontinued. "Don't try to favour him--that's no favour. If he doesn't make good, fire him. Don't tell any of your people that he's the son of a friend. Let

it won't last long. We're cleaned up in Minnesota; and have only an odd two

then?" asked Orde, quiet

o retire and

ughed q

you a big house, which would keep you mad for six months more. Then you'd degenerate to buying subscription bo

d back, a tri

on. "And as for enjoying life, I'll trade jobs

an't pick up any more timber at any price. I tell you, the g

ugar pine in California. What do you s

ed Welton, his jaw dropp

rs ago, under a corporation name. I was the whole

Wolverine pro

ver hea

there trying to get hold of somet

going to retire,

but I've some sort of not

hy

where. Didn't pay extra much attention, because I wasn't interested in

s across his lap to

aid he. "Frank Taylor straightened it out for me. You can see him. As a matter of fact, most of that land I bought outright fro

aid Welton, his jolly eyes

. Nothing's worse for a boy than to feel that everything's cut and dried for him. He is to understand that he must go to work

nd about this

get down to details later. Bob can work for you there the sa

of the water itself shone with an added luminosity, reflecting the sky. In the mid

ow, if you disgrace me, you old

o draw lots for choice of blinds on the morrow. A savoury smell of roasting ducks came from the tiny kitchen where Weber--punter, keeper, duck-caller and cook--exercised the last-na

swept the marshes. Men chattered and shivered, and blew on their wet fingers, but in from

, at the end of two days, the men thawed o

soon as our woods work is under way, I'll run out to California and look over the ground--see how easy it is to log that country. Then we can talk busine

ned apolo

work until after the season," said he. "I'm just an old fool enough to tell him he cou

any bluffs on me. You're tickled to death with that boy, and you are hoping that team will lick the everlasting daylights out of Chicago, Thanksgivi