FinallyhelandedGoreebytellinghimhewascountinguponhishelpintheengineeringandtransportationofalargeamountoffelledtimberfromahighmountain-sidetoawaterway。HeknewthatGoreehadonceinventedadeviceforthispurpose——aseriesofslidesandchutes-
uponwhichhehadjustlypridedhimself。Inaninstantthepoorfellow，delightedattheideaofhisbeingofusetoanyone，hadpaperspreaduponthetable，andwasdrawingrapidbutpitifullyshakylinesindemonstrationofwhathecouldandwoulddo。
Themanwassickenedofthehusks；hisprodigalheartwasturningagaintowardthemountains。Hismindwasyetstrangelyclogged，andhisthoughtsandmemorieswerereturningtohisbrainonebyone，likecarrierpigeonsoverastormysea。ButColtranewassatisfiedwiththeprogresshehadmade。
Bethelreceivedthesurpriseofitsexistencethatafter-
noonwhenaColtraneandaGoreerodeamicablytogetherthroughthetown。Sidebysidetheyrode，outfromthedustystreetsandgapingtownspeople，downacrossthecreekbridge，anduptowardthemountain。Theprodigalhadbrushedandwashedandcombedhimselftoamoredecentfigure，buthewasunsteadyinthesaddle，andheseemedtobedeepinthecontemplationofsomevexingproblem。Coltranelefthiminhismood，relyingupontheinfluenceofchangedsurroundingstorestorehisequilibrium。