“No, I never did,” said McLean.  “I am sure there was no one besides him.  You see, it was only with the arrival of our company that the other fellows scented good stuff in the Limberlost, and tried to work in.  Jack knew the swamp better than anyone here.  When he found there were two companies trying to lease, he wanted to stand in with the one from which he could realize the most.  Even then he had trees marked that he was trying to dispose of.  I think his sole intention in forcing me to discharge him from my gang was to come here and try to steal timber.  We had no idea, when we took the lease, what a gold mine it was.”

“That’s exactly what Wessner said that first day,” said Freckles eagerly.  “That ’twas a ‘gold mine’!  He said he didn’t know where the marked trees were, but he knew a man who did, and if I would hold off and let them get the marked ones, there were a dozen they could get out in a few days.”

“Freckles!” cried McLean.  “You don’t mean a dozen!”

“That’s what he said, sir—­a dozen.  He said they couldn’t tell how the grain of all of them would work up, of course, but they were all worth taking out, and five or six were real gold mines.  This makes three they’ve tried, so there must be nine more marked, and several of them for being just fine.”

“Well, I wish I knew which they are,” said McLean, “so I could get them out first.”

“I have been thinking,” said Freckles.  “I believe if you will leave one of the guards on the line—­say Hall—­that I will begin on the swamp, at the north end, and lay it off in sections, and try to hunt out the marked trees.  I suppose they are all marked something like that first maple on the line was.  Wessner mentioned another good one not so far from that.  He said it was best of all.  I’d be having the swelled head if I could find that.  Of course, I don’t know a thing about the trees, but I could hunt for the marks.  Jack was so good at it he could tell some of them by the bark, but all he wanted to take that we’ve found so far have just had a deep chip cut out, rather low down, and where the bushes were thick over it.  I believe I could be finding some of them.”

“Good head!” said McLean.  “We will do that.  You may begin as soon as you are rested.  And about things you come across in the swamp, Freckles—­the most trifling little thing that you think the Bird Woman would want, take your wheel and go after her at any time.  I’ll leave two men on the line, so that you will have one on either side, and you can come and go as you please.  Have you stopped to think of all we owe her, my boy?”

“Yis; and the Angel—­we owe her a lot, too,” said Freckles.  “I owe her me life and honor.  It’s lying awake nights I’ll have to be trying to think how I’m ever to pay her up.”

“Well, begin with the muff,” suggested McLean.  “That should be fine.”

He bent down and ruffled the rich fur of the otter lying at his feet.