“Oh!  Mr. Marlin,” cried Charley, “you don’t mean it honestly?”

“I sure do.  And there is nothing temporary about your appointment.  You are a full-fledged ranger.  You have earned the place and I congratulate you heartily on having won it.”  He held out his hand and clasped Charley’s warmly.

“Now, that is all I have to say to you,” concluded the forester, “but I think the Commissioner wants to speak a few words with you.”

Charley turned to the Chief Forester and stood expectant.

“Mr. Marlin tells me that it is your ambition to become a forester,” said the Commissioner.

“It is,” replied Charley.

“He also tells me that you are hindered by lack of funds and some family obligations and that you cannot see your way clear to take the regular course of studies at the state forestry academy and so achieve your ambition.”

“That is true, sir,” said Charley.  “There is nothing I would rather do than become a forester if only it were possible.  I love the forest.”

“The way you have striven to protect it is proof enough of that.  How would you like to become a forester without attending Mont Alto?”

“Oh!  Sir, if there is any way it could be done, I would work until I dropped to accomplish it.”

“There is, and you shall have the chance.  It is the policy of this department to promote men for merit and to make it possible for good men to advance in the service.  Mr. Marlin tells me that you came into the forest absolutely ignorant of forestry practice, but that in a short time by great application to your work and by study at night you have become one of the best men he has.  All you lack is experience.  Time will remedy that.  If you could become a forester through a continuation of such study and work, would you like to do it?  Mr. Marlin is willing to teach you the technical branches that you would study if you went to Mont Alto.  He will take you into his office in winter and you can assist him in technical work from time to time in the forest, thus obtaining a complete training for the position of forester.  What about it?  Do you wish to do it?”

“Oh!  Mr. Commissioner,” cried Charley, “I can’t tell you how much I want to do it.  If you will just give me that chance, you’ll find I’m no shirker.”

“Then the chance is yours.  You have earned it.  Now we must hurry back to headquarters, Ranger Russell.  I hope that some day I shall be able to call you Forester Russell.”

Charley’s heart was too full for utterance.  He grasped the proffered hand and wrung it, but was afraid to say a word, for a big lump had come into his throat.

A moment later he was bustling busily about the cabin collecting his luggage.  His heart was singing merrily.

“Some day,” he said to himself, “we may get enough timber back on these hills so that when a poor boy wants to build a boat he can do it, and so that a working man can build a house without having to slave for a lifetime to pay for it.  I tell you it makes a fellow feel mighty big to think he’s going to have a hand in making life easier for so many million people.”