"I'll tell you what we'll do. You scale every pile of logs at the highway
and make a record of your measurements. When Lumley turns in his official
record we can compare your figures with his. Then you will know how nearly
right you are." They went down the mountain and climbed into the
motor-car.

"Perhaps you would rather do this some other time," said the forester
suddenly. "You'll have to walk back, for I must go right along to my
office. And it's a great deal farther back here than it would have been to
Lumley's house."

Charley's reply was a good-natured laugh. "Have you ever found me afraid
of a little hike?" he asked. "I may not have another opportunity as good
as this, for I'm going to be mighty busy when my crew gets back."

They drove on, and at the skidways Mr. Marlin dropped his subordinate.
"I'll be out to see you to-morrow," he said, "with some maps and
specifications I must work out to-night. Good-bye."

"He's a prince," muttered Charley, and fell to measuring logs.

Applying his log-rule to the small end of each log, he noted the diameter
of the log and from the scale on the rule read the number of board-feet in
the log. Already Charley had done a little scaling of logs and he went at
the work readily. As he scaled pile after pile of logs, he worked faster
and faster, acquiring greater facility with every measurement. The
contents of each pile he noted down, a log at a time, on a bit of paper.
When he had finished the work, he totaled up the board-feet, and whistled
when he realized what a tremendous quantity of lumber was contained in the