For many years Bertram had been a good and generous friend, and Blake sincerely wished him well.
The Challoners left by the Pacific Express the next morning, and that evening a group of men were engaged in conversation at one end of the hotel rotunda.

One was a sawmill owner; another served the Hudson Bay Company in the northern wilds; the third was a young, keen-eyed American, quick in his movements and concise in speech.
"You're in lumber, aren't you ?" he said, taking a strip of wood from his pocket and handing it to the mill owner.

"What would you call this ?" "Cedar, sawn from a good log." "That's so; red cedar.

You know something about that material ?" "I ought to, considering how much of it I've cut.

Been in the business for twenty years." The American took out another strip.
"The same stuff, sir.