The next moment the door flew open to the bounding step and laughing face of Barker.

Whatever of thoughtfulness or despondency he had carried from the room with him was completely gone.

With his amazing buoyancy and power of reaction he was there again in his usual frank, cheerful simplicity.
"I thought I'd come in and say goodnight," he began, with a laugh.
"I got Sta asleep after some high jinks we had together, and then I reckoned it wasn't the square thing to leave just you two together, the first night you came.

And I remembered I had some business to talk over, too, so I thought I'd chip in again and take a hand.

It's only the shank of the evening yet," he continued gayly, "and we ought to sit up at least long enough to see the old snow-line vanish, as we did in old times.