Page:Hugh Pendexter--The young timber-cruisers.djvu/415

 proof ye’re about to part with nine thousand five hundred dollars—plus our reg’lar wages, of course—to git. Here! look!”

And removing the mirror from over the washstand he held the bark before it. “See them two circles, linked, with the arrer and the initials? This bark was cut off’n the ancient beech on yer genuine line by my companion, Reddy, also known as Rusty and Fire-Weed. We earned all ye’ll gin us a gitting it down here.”

“They’ve turned the trick!” cried Hatton. “You won’t have to see Nace.”

“Do you mean this is one of the original boundary marks?” eagerly asked the president.

“It are,” solemnly assured Abner. “The big beech is still standing with the record on its trunk. It has been examined by Noisy Charlie, the younkers and all of the Frenchmen. If it’s cut down afore we git up there ag’in we have all the proof we want.”

“Then I want to see Nace,” grimly decided the president. “Let no word of this get out. It will be a pleasure for me to see Mr. Nace, and at eight, sharp. What else, Friend Abner?”

“Wal, not much of anything. O yes; Big