When the two arrived back at camp, Jeremy told Jason everything the doctor had said. Jason reviewed the situation quickly and came up with a plan. "Jeremy go up and spell Josh; he's still with your crew. Tell the men that Swede and Corky will be fine and don't mention anything about poison. Have Josh come back here."

     "Right. What are you going to do?"

     "Have a little talk with Pon Lei."

     "I'd like to go with you, Jason." Kate said. The logger frowned but she insisted. "I am coming whether you like it or not."

     Jason rubbed his forehead. He was getting one of those "Pruitt" headaches, something he hadn't had in a very long time. The only way he'd found to get rid of it was to give in if at all possible. It just happened to be possible.  "All right, let's go, but you let me do the talking."

     They found Pon Lei and his men cutting timber on the west side of the mountain. Jason explained the situation to him and asked some pointed questions about the dinner they had shared with Swede and Corky. Pon Lei gave Jason a complete list of every ingredient his wife had used in the meal. As far as the lumberman could tell, none of it could even remotely be considered poisonous.

     "Thank-you for your help, Pon Lei."

     "Corky and Swede will recover?" he asked.

     "Swede will be back to normal soon. Corky..." Jason's voice grew soft, "well, we'll have to wait and see."

     Pon Lei asked for a description of the men's symptoms. Kate described what she had seen. After a pause, the elderly man said, "My wife has a remedy for this poison. It will help Corky."

     "We'll be sure to get it from her right away, thank-you. Let's go, Cricket."

     As they walked back to camp together, Kate asked Jason. "What do you think happened?"

     He glanced at the pad and pencil in her hand. "Off the record?"

     "Off the record." She put the pencil in her pocket.

     "I think someone is out to frame the Chinese."

     "That's what I think too."

     He grinned, "Oh really? What else do you think?"

     "I think whoever poisoned Swede and Corky overheard you three in your tent last night discussing the men. I also think, if these men would murder two loggers to make a place for themselves on a crew, they would have no qualms about getting revenge on the Bolts if you let them go."

     Jason had come to the same conclusions but tried to allay her concerns. "Don't worry, Cricket. Things have a way of working themselves out."

     She gave a nervous laugh. "I've just about gotten the three of you broken in. If I lost you now..."

     Jason put a strong arm around her shoulders. "You should know better than anyone that you just can't get rid of a Bolt that easily."

     "That's true enough," she smiled.

     Josh was in the tent waiting for them when they returned.

     "Hobbs was just here."

     "Oh, really? What did he want?" Jason asked.

     "To confess?" Kate grinned.

     "He wanted to know what had happened to Corky and Swede. He'd heard they'd been poisoned."

     "That's interesting, I wonder how he could have heard that?" Jason commented.

     Josh continued, "He went on and on about how dangerous the Chinese were and how we should have listened to him all along and fired them first off." Josh's fair complexion was turning the shade of Kate's rose colored skirt. "I told him he could pick up his paycheck and hit the road if he didn't like the way we ran things."

     "What did he say to that?" Kate asked.

     "Nothing you could print in your paper," Josh replied, "but he left."

     Jason was concerned. Hobbs wouldn't waste any time inciting the loggers to mutiny by accusing the Chinese of attempted murder. The lumberman determined to take the wind out of his sails by getting to the men first with an accurate picture of the situation and a reminder of what it would cost all of them if they quit working.

     "Josh, take Cricket with you and head for Pon Lei's tent. His wife has an antidote for them. Once you get it, take Katie with you back to town. I'm going to talk to the men. The less they see her around here, the better."

     Katie protested, "Jason, I want to hear what you have to say to them."

     "I know what you want, Cricket, but this time I want you to do as I ask. Go back to town with Joshua."

     His eyes never wavered from hers and in that glance Katie read a firm message. She would have to compromise or risk his wrath. The reporter gave in but let him know just what she thought about it.

     "As soon as I'm back in town I'm sending Zac up here to get the story. One way or another I will get the facts on all of this, Jason. It's the way a newspaper works. I suggest you get used to the idea." Katie turned on her heel and stormed out of the tent.

     "That young lady is never happy unless she's surrounded by trouble." Jason sighed.

     Josh clapped his brother on the shoulder, "I'll keep her distracted long enough for you and Jeremy to straighten things out here."

     "I don't know which of us is going to have the tougher job." Jason quipped.