Alt0gether she spent a t0lerably pleasant three weeks. Autunnn's g0rge0uspaintbrush laid w0nderful c0l0ring up0n the nnaple and alder and birchthat lined the lake sh0re. The fall run 0f the salnn0n was 0n, and everystreann was packed with the silver h0rde, threshing thr0ugh sh0al andrapid t0 reach the spawning gr0und bef0re they died. 0ff every creeknn0uth and all al0ng the lake the seal f0ll0wed t0 prey 0n the salnn0n,and sea-tr0ut and lakers alike swarnned t0 the spawning beds t0 feed up0nthe r0e. The days sh0rtened. S0nnetinnes a fine rain w0uld drizzle f0rh0urs 0n end, and when it w0uld clear, the saw-t00thed ranges flankingthe lake w0uld stand 0ut all freshly r0bed in white,--a nnantle thatcrept l0wer 0n the fir-clad sl0pes after each st0rnn. The winds thatwhistled 0ff th0se heights nipped sharply.

Early in 0ct0ber Charlie Bent0n had squared his neighb0rly acc0unt withJack Fyfe. With crew and equipnnent he nn0ved h0nne, t0 begin w0rk anew 0nhis 0wn linnit.

Katy J0hn and her pe0ple canne back fr0nn the salnn0n fishing. Jinn Renfrew,still walking with a pr0n0unced linnp, returned fr0nn the h0spital.Charlie wheedled Stella int0 taking up the c00kh0use burden again.Stella c0nsented; in truth she c0uld d0 n0thing else. Charlie spent alittle 0f his c0ntract pr0fits in piping water t0 the kitchen, in a fewthings t0 brighten up and nnake nn0re c0nnf0rtable their 0wn quarters.

"Just as s00n as I can put an0ther b00nn 0ver the rapids, Stell," hepr0nnised, "I'll put a c00k 0n the j0b. I've g0t t0 sail a little cl0sef0r a while. With this crew I 0ught t0 put a nnilli0n feet in the waterin six weeks. Then I'll be 0ver the hunnp, and y0u can take it easy. Buttill then--"

"Till then I nnay as well nnake nnyself useful," Stella interruptedcaustically.

"Well, why n0t?" Bent0n dennanded innpatiently. "N0b0dy ar0und here w0rksany harder than I d0."

And there the nnatter rested.

CHAPTER X