“I imagine the brute isn’t hurt much, but don’t know if I’m glad or not,” he said.  “He looked remarkably funny as he slid down the bank, with his arms and legs spread out like a frog.  Suppose I should have thought about the risk of his tobogganing into the river, but I didn’t.”

“Well, I expect he deserves all he got, and remember the satisfaction it gave me to throw him out of the poolroom.  Looks as if we were primitive.”

“We’re all primitive in this country,” Charnock rejoined.  “They have no use for philosophical refinement in Canada.  Their objects are plain and practical and they employ simple means.  We’re not bothered by the conventions that handicap you at home.  If a man hurts you, and you’re big enough, you knock him out.”

“We have both knocked out Wilkinson, but I’m not sure that we have done with him.  The simple plan’s not always as easy as it looks.”

“I don’t think he can make much trouble.  If he does, one of us will knock him out again.  As it will hurt us less than it hurts him, he’ll probably get tired first.”

They let the matter drop, and Festing presently remarked:  “The rain makes things difficult, but it’s lucky the frost keeps off.  I must try to get the frames up at the awkward places before it begins.”

“You haven’t enough men.”

“I could use more.  Still, one couldn’t engage men to come here on short notices, and if we get a long cold-snap I might have trouble to keep them employed.  I could, of course, use a number of men and teams hauling out logs across the snow, but the heavier stuff won’t be needed for some time, and I can’t lock up my money.  The small man’s trouble is generally to finance his undertaking.”

Charnock looked thoughtful.  “Yes; that’s where the pinch comes.  You can’t work economically unless you have capital.  Sadie’s a good business woman, and she often said that if you want to save dollars, you must spend some.”

“Much depends on how you spend.”

“Just so,” said Charnock, smiling.  “Betting against marked cards doesn’t pay, but I’ve stopped that kind of thing.  However, I think I could get you the money you need.”

Festing looked hard at him.  “You have none.”

“Sadie has a pile.  She’d give me enough with pleasure if she thought it would help towards my reform.  But if you take the dollars, you’ve got to take me.”

“Ah!” said Festing.  “But why do you want to join?”

“To begin with, I’m getting avaricious and want to go home with my wallet full.  Then I’m tired of my job.  I suppose it’s a foreman’s privilege to insult his gang, but the brute we’ve got is about the limit.  He’s truculent but not very big, and some day, if I stop on, I’ll pitch the hog into the river.  Then I’ll certainly get fired, and there’ll be an end to my dreams of wealth.”

Festing was silent for a few moments.  He understood Charnock better now, and knew that when he was serious he often used a careless tone.  Bob wanted to help him as much as he wanted to help himself, and he saw no reason to reject his plan.  He must, however, be warned.