CHAPTER XIV 

THE RECKONING 

When the line reached the settlement Jim and his party returned to Vancouver. Shortly after their arrival Martin came to see them. 

"I've been in town some time, and seeing a notice in the _Colonist_ that you had finished the job, thought I'd like to tell you I was glad," he said. 

Carrie thanked him and by and by he asked: "Have you had a fresh offer from Baumstein for your copper claim?" 

Jim said they had not and Martin smiled. "I reckon the offer will arrive, and now he knows you have got your pay he'll put up his price." 

"If it does arrive, we won't reply," said Carrie, firmly. 

"I don't know if that's a good plan," Martin remarked. "Baumstein will offer about half as much as he's willing to give, but I'd take hold and negotiate until I thought he'd reached his limit. It will be under what the claim is worth. Then I'd go along and try the Combine." 

"Would they buy?" Jim asked. 

"Go and see. Although Baumstein's pretty smart, he doesn't know they're quietly investing in Northern copper; I do. There's another thing; if you have got specimens, send some for assay to a different man." 

Jim pondered. The analysis of the ore was not as good as he had expected and the miner who had examined the specimens at his camp agreed. For all that, assayers were generally honest and skillful. 

"What's the matter with the man I went to?" he asked. 
why ?
 had finished the job