"We're going up the river. I've got some land I've
got to look at up there."
"How d'you figure to go?"
"On the Cormorant; we know she's going up. We're going on her--by
force, if necessary."
"I'm engineer on the Cormorant."
"Well, your clothes'll 'bout fit me. Maybe she's going to have a new
engineer."
They laughed together.
"Buddy," said Higgins suddenly, "you don't belong down here, do you?"
The engineer did not reply.
"I see you don't. And we ain't crackers either."
"I see that. Where is your land?"
"At the head of the river. Prairie land."
"What? In Garman's---- Who did you do business with?"
"The Prairie Highlands outfit--Senator Fairclothe is its president. Do
you run up there?"
"No. It's bad enough to get up to what they call the Colony; never
been there myself," said the stranger, "but you're beyond that. We
don't go there ourselves."
"How far up do you go?"
"To what's on the maps as the Colony. Get there at about noon."
"My land is Sections 16 and 17."
"That prairie tract is beyond the headwaters. Do you know this
country--anything about the people, and so on?"
"All I know is that I've got some money invested in some land up the
river and I'm going up to have a look at it."
The stranger had made up his mind.
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