job, a little easing-up under stress of weather, are taken as so
many indications of a desire to conciliate. And conciliation means
weakness every time. Your lumber-jack likes to be met front to
front, one strong man to another. As you value your authority, the
love of your men, and the completion of your work, keep a bluff
brow and an unbending singleness of purpose.

Radway's peculiar temperament rendered him liable to just this
mistake. It was so much easier for him to do the thing himself
than to be harsh to the point of forcing another to it, that he was
inclined to take the line of least resistance when it came to a
question of even ordinary diligence. He sought often in his own
mind excuses for dereliction in favor of a man who would not have
dreamed of seeking them for himself. A good many people would call
this kindness of heart. Perhaps it was; the question is a little
puzzling. But the facts were as stated.

Thorpe had already commented on the feeling among the men, though,
owing to his inexperience, he was not able to estimate its full
value. The men were inclined to a semi-apologetic air when they
spoke of their connection with the camp. Instead of being honored
as one of a series of jobs, this seemed to be considered as merely
a temporary halting-place in which they took no pride, and from
which they looked forward in anticipation or back in memory to
better things.

"Old Shearer, he's the bully boy," said Bob Stratton. "I remember
when he was foremap for M. & D. at Camp 0. Say, we did hustle them
saw-logs in! I should rise to remark! Out in th' woods by first
streak o' day. I recall one mornin' she was pretty cold, an' the