The sound of voices woke old David, and sitting suddenly up he looked inquiringly around the room as if uncertain where he was.

“Don’t be afraid, Mr. David,” Betty assured him.  “Supper’s all ready, and we have a visitor as hard up as we are to share it with us.  So come at once and let us get through.”

Jasper was greatly amused at the way Betty took full possession of everything in the place.  There was nothing forward about her, for she seemed more like a grown-up woman than a girl.  He admired her confident and buoyant manner, as well as the thoughtful and deferential way she looked after the old man.  The best on the table was for him and he had to be served first.  She treated him sometimes as a child, but more often as a superior being.  He noted the look of reverential respect in her eyes as she turned them upon him, and he wondered.

During the meal David acted the part of a perfect gentleman.  His manners could not have been better had he been at a royal banquet instead of a most humble repast in a rude cabin.  He asked Jasper no questions but talked merely about his experience upon the river that afternoon.  He was somewhat anxious lest the owner of the cabin should return and resent their intrusion.  Jasper endeavoured to allay his fears, reminding him that no one in his senses would be angry at people seeking refuge on such a night.

During the meal Betty had been observing Jasper quite closely, and once the semblance of a twinkle might have been detected in her eyes.  She made no remark, however, as to what she was thinking, but while the men smoked when supper was over, she busied herself washing up the few dishes.

Under the soothing influence of the tobacco David became talkative.  He was pleased to have so attentive a listener as Jasper, and unfolded to him his wonderful secret.

“Mr. David is going to be a very rich man some day,” Betty remarked, as she paused in wiping the dishes.

“I am pleased to hear that,” Jasper replied.  “Money is the only thing that counts these days.”

“Yes,” the girl continued, “he is going to be very rich, and I am going to look after him.  We shall have such a nice little house and be so very, very happy.”

While Betty was talking, the old man fumbled in an inside pocket and brought forth several papers.

“See,” and he held one of them up so the light of the lamp would fall upon it, “it is all here.  You can understand my plan much better from this.  Here is Break Neck Falls, and just below it the plant will be placed.  From there power will radiate throughout the entire country.  The whole thing is so simple that it is a wonder to me that it has not been thought of before.”

“Isn’t it great!” Betty exclaimed, looking over the old man’s shoulder.  “And to think that Mr. David worked it all out himself.”

As Jasper sat and watched the two animated faces before him, he had not the heart to say a word that would in any way dampen their enthusiasm.  Nevertheless, it seemed to him so ridiculous that old David’s scheme could ever meet with any success.  How was he to interest people who had the means to carry his plan into effect?  But if the thought of doing great things would give him any happiness, he would be the last one to remove such a hope.