He could not urge Norton to go farther than his employer would approve, and the payment agreed upon was small.

Besides, if the frost returned before he had made the track secure, he would have spent enough money in extra wages to prevent his going on, and should this happen it might be difficult to obtain payment for other work already completed.

He would be at the mercy of Norton's employer, who might contend that by throwing up his contract he had forfeited his claim.

It was obvious that he must make the utmost use of every hour of open weather, and for the rest of the day he worked with a stubborn energy that conquered fatigue.
For a time, the logs went screaming and grinding down the skids, but darkness made launching them dangerous, and they could not light the lumber road on the hill.

They worked in the dark, rolling out the sawn trunks from among the brush and melting snow until there was room to hook on the team.