Now the cabin went up.  Large, flat stones were assembled and a rough but stable foundation made below the level of the ground.  Trees were felled, barked, squared on two sides, and properly notched at the corners.  When a sufficient number had been prepared, the frame of the cabin was erected, log being laid upon log, with the corners dovetailing.  Wooden pins held the logs in place.  Windows and a door were cut out and framed.  Then the rafters for the roof were fashioned, the sheathing nailed on, and shingles, made at a former lumber operation in Mr. Marlin’s own territory, completed the job.  A fireplace was made of big stones and concrete, and the cabin was about complete.  A telephone extension was run into the building.  At any time now a fire patrol could take up his twenty-four-hour watch at the fire-tower.

The early rush of fishermen was past; but the fine weather still brought hosts of them into the woods, and the danger of fire increased rather than lessened.  The scanty rainfall in spring had left the woods still dry, and now but few showers came.  Fire patrols were still difficult to obtain, however, and Charley decided that he would take up his residence, at least temporarily, in the new cabin.

There was ample room in it for two men, should a fire patrol be secured, and by living there, Charley would, of necessity, spend much time at this observation post.  Night and morning and at intervals between, when he was at home, he could ascend to the tower and view every part of the neighboring forest.  Furthermore, the location was very convenient, for the tower was close to the heart of his district.  By living here he would be with his work twenty-four hours a day.

Mr. Marlin approved of Charley’s decision to move into the cabin.  With the new road completed, the forester could come to the very foot of the mountain in his motor-car.  He was in instant communication with his ranger by telephone and, when it was necessary, he could get to him by motor-car with the greatest ease.

The forester himself helped Charley move his belongings from Lumley’s house to the new cabin.  While Mr. Marlin was loading Charley’s other luggage on his truck, Charley was dismantling his wireless.  When he removed the lead-in wire from the window-sash, he noticed Lumley’s finger-marks in the puttied crack and told Mr. Marlin about the ranger’s fit of temper.  When everything was finally packed, Charley thanked Mrs. Lumley for her hospitality and then climbed into the waiting truck.

As he sat down beside the forester, he sighed with relief.  Merely to get away from Lumley’s house made him feel as though a burden had been lifted from his shoulders.  Mr. Marlin laughed at him, but that did not disturb Charley.  He had never been able to rid himself of his feeling of distrust for Lumley, and he felt oppressed when he was in the Lumley home.

Charley and the forester carried Charley’s possessions from the truck to the new cabin.  A tiny stove had been brought along for Charley to cook on.  Although it was so small, it was heavy enough.  Between that and the battery, the two had all the carrying they wanted before everything was finally placed in the cabin.