Evening star., 1932-03-13

can get Don on the Forest Service private
wire, and tell him the news"
Bill got his call through to Fagin and talked
to the ranger in charge, who promised TO
communicate with Don at once.
half-hour later the phone in the Leeds
ranchhouse rang, and Mrs. Leeds, after an
swering 1t, called Bill.
Hello" said Bill into the mouthpece, won
dering who could be on the other end Of the
wire. It proved to be the ranger in Fagin.
II just talked to your brother" announced
the ranger, "and he told me to tell you that
he'd like to have that letter. said we'd send
it up in q few days by one of the patrols, but
he suggested that maybe you'd like to come up
and spend a couple Of days with him at the
lookout. Then you could take the letter"
Gee. that's greati" cried Bill wait until
I talk to my mother"
"An right" said the ranger. Tell her that
I think q visitor would do Don lot Of good.
He gets pretty lonesome up there you know"
Bill turned from the phone and held q
hurried consultation with his mother. A mo-
ment later he was back at the instrument.
'Tts o. K.." he announced happily. Dad
will drive me as far as the road goes the first
thing in the morning, and I'll hike up the
trail the rest Of the way. Tell Don I ought
to get there sometime tomorrow afternoon"
Ill call him right away promised the
ranger. "And I'll tell him to have some bacon
and beans all ready for you when you get
there"
DILL was up almost with the sun on the fol-
lowing morning. He put on his corduroy
breeches. high leather boots, and light fan
mel shirt That certainly would be more than
enough clothes during the hot climb, he told
himself and while it would be chilly after
sundown up on the Goats Head, he didn't
expect to be outside after dark, and Don would
have q fire and plenty of blankets
Breakfast over, Bill had to wait until his
father came in from the ranch. Then they
got the car out, and Bill rounded up his final
equipment. He had a canteen of water.
although he knew that there were springs
along the trail he would follow, and q haver-
sack that had attained astonishing proper
tions under his mothers care There was
not only lunch for Bill, but huge con-
signment OF Don'S fayorite cookies baked by Mrs
Leeds after her other work had been finished
the night before. She knew as only a mother
can, now tired Don must get Of his limited
diet at the lookout station-and of his own
cooking.
With Mr.. Leeds at the wheel, they started.
standing In the doorway. The little car lurched
down the lane to the road, and turned toward
the Goats Head some thirty miles away
rive miles from the ranch they struck an
improved highway, but they followed this for
only few miles, turning off upon the road
That circled another mountain to the base Of
the Goats Head. This road carried them to
the end OF their journey by car and left Bill
with about six miles to traverse over a mar
row mountain trail.
CO slow had been the going that it was al
- most noon when they reached the end Of
the road Mr.. Leeds declined to share Bnls
lunch saying that he would stop for bite
to eat at a village several miles back. And
So with a hearty farewell, Bill watched his
father turn the car and start back to the
ranch. Then he shifted his haversack so that
it rested comfortably on his shoulder. and be-
gan his long. arduous climb UP the Goats
Head.
Meanwhile, high up in the lonely lookout
station on the top of the Goats Head. DON
Leeds was keeping constant watch over the
miles Of forest land below him. Seated ut
his table before the windows Of the little cabin.
he glued his eyes to his binoculars, slowly