The Young Engineers in Colorado

or, At Railwood Building in Earnest

By H. Irving Hancock

CONTENTS

CHAPTERS I. The Cub Engineers Reach Camp II. Bad Pete Becomes Worse III. The Day of Real Work Dawns IV. "Trying Out" the Gridley Boys V. Tom Doesn't Mind "Artillery" VI. The Bite from the Bush VII. What a Squaw Knew VIII. 'Gene Black, Trouble-Maker IX. "Doctored" Field Notes? X. Things Begin to go Down Hill XI. The Chief Totters from Command XII. From Cub to Acting Chief XIII. Black Turns Other Colors XIV. Bad Pete Mixes in Some XV. Black's Plot Opens With a Bang XVI. Shut Off from the World XVII. The Real Attack BeginsXVIII. When the Camp Grew Warm XIX. Sheriff Grease Drops Dave XX. Mr. Newnham Drops a Bomb XXI. The Trap at the Finish XXII. "Can Your Road Save Its Charter Now?"XXIII. Black's Trump Card XXIV. Conclusion

CHAPTER I

THE CUB ENGINEERS REACH CAMP

"Look, Tom! There is a real westerner!" Harry Hazelton's eyessparkled, his whole manner was one of intense interest. 

"Eh?" queried Tom Reade, turning around from his distant viewof a sharp, towering peak of the Rockies. 

"There's the real thing in the way of a westerner, " Harry Hazeltoninsisted in a voice in which there was some awe. 

"I don't believe he is, " retorted Tom skeptically. 

"You're going to say, I suppose, that the man is just some freakescaped from the pages of a dime novel?" demanded Harry. 

"No; he looks more like a hostler on a leave of absence from astranded Wild West show, " Tom replied slowly. 

There was plenty of time for them to inspect the stranger in question. Tom and Harry were seated on a mountain springboard wagon drawnby a pair of thin horses. Their driver, a boy of about eighteen, sat on a tiny make-believe seat almost over the traces. Thisyouthful driver had been minding his own business so assiduouslyduring the past three hours that Harry had voted him a sullenfellow. This however, the driver was not. 

"Where did that party ahead come from, driver?" murmured Tom, leaning forward. "Boston or Binghamton?"

"You mean the party ahead at the bend of the trail?" asked thedriver. 

"Yes; he's the only stranger in sight. "

"I guess he's a westerner, all right, " answered the driver, aftera moment or two spent in thought. 

"There! You see?" crowed Harry Hazelton triumphantly. 

"If that fellow's a westerner, driver, " Tom persisted, "have youany idea how many days he has been west?"

"He doesn't belong to this state, " the youthful driver answered. "I think he comes from Montana. His name is Bad Pete. "

"Pete?" mused Tom Reade aloud. "That's short for Peter, I suppose;not a very interesting or romantic name. What's the hind-legof his name?"

"Meaning his surnames" drawled the driver. 

"Yes; to be sure. "

"I don't know that he has any surname, friend, " the Colorado boyrejoined. 

"Why do they call him 'Bad'?" asked Harry, with a thrill of pleasurableexpectation. 

As the driver was slow in finding an answer, Tom Reade, afteranother look at the picturesque stranger, replied quizzically:

"I reckon they call him bad because he's counterfeit. "

"There you go again, " remonstrated Harry Hazelton. "You'd betterbe careful, or Bad Pete will hear you. "

"I hope he doesn't, " smiled Tom. "I don't want to change BadPete into Worse Pete. "

There was little danger, however, that the picturesque-lookingstranger would hear them. The axles and springs of the springboardwagon were making noise enough to keep their voices from reachingthe ears of any human being more than a dozen feet away. 

Bad Pete was still about two hundred and fifty feet ahead, nordid he, as yet, give any sign whatever of having noted the vehicle. Instead, he was leaning against a boulder at the turn in theroad. In his left hand he held a hand-rolled cigarette from whichhe took an occasional reflective puff as he looked straight aheadof him as though he were enjoying the scenery. The road---trail---ranclose along the edge of a sloping precipice. Fully nine hundredfeet below ran a thin line of silver, or so it appeared. In realityit was what was left of the Snake River now, in July, nearly driedout. 

Over beyond the gulch, for a mile or more, extended a rather flat, rock-strewn valley. Beyond that were the mountains, two peaksof which, even at this season, were white-capped with snow. Onthe trail, however, the full heat of summer prevailed. 

"This grand, massive scenery makes a human being feel small, doesn'tit?" asked Tom. 

Harry, however, had his eyes and all his thoughts turned towardthe man whom they were nearing. 

"This---er---Bad Pete isn't an---er---that is, a road agent, ishe?" he asked apprehensively. 

"He may be, for all I know, " the driver answered. "At presenthe mostly hangs out around the S. B. & L. Outfit. "

"Why, that's our outfits---the one we're going to join, I mean, "cried Hazelton. 

"I hope Pete isn't the cook, then, " remarked Tom fastidiously. "He doesn't look as though he takes a very kindly interest insoap. "

"Sh-h-h!" begged Harry. "I'll tell you, he'll hear you. "

"See here, " Tom went on, this time addressing the driver, "you'vetold us that you don't know just where to find the S. B. & L. Fieldcamp. If Mr. Peter Bad hangs out with the camp then he oughtto be able to direct us. "

"You can ask him, of course, " nodded the Colorado boy. 

Soon after the horses covered the distance needed to bring themclose to the bend. Now the driver hauled in his team, and, blockingthe forward wheels with a fragment of rock, began to give hisattention to the harness. 

Bad Pete had consented to glance their way at last. He turnedhis head indolently, emitting a mouthful of smoke. As if by instincthis right hand dropped to the butt of a revolver swinging in aholster over his right hip. 

"I hope he isn't bad tempered today!" shivered Harry under hisbreath. 

"I beg your pardon, sir, " galled Tom, "but can you tell us-----"

"Who are ye looking at?" demanded Bad Pete, scowling. 

"At a polished man of the world, I'm sure, " replied Reade smilingly. "As I was saying, can you tell us just where we can find theS. B. & L. 's field camp of engineers?"

"What d'ye want of the camp?" growled Pete, after taking anotherwhiff from his cigarette. 

"Why, our reasons for wanting to find the camp are purely personal, "Tom continued. 

"Now, tenderfoot, don't get fresh with me, " warned Pete sullenly. 

"I haven't an idea of that sort in the world, sir, " Tom assuredhim. "Do you happen to know the hiding-place of the camp?"

"What do you want of the camp?" insisted Pete. 

"Well, sir, since you're so determined to protect the camp fromquestionable strangers, " Tom continued, "I don't know that itwill do any harm to inform you that we are two greenhorns---tenderfeet, I believe, is your more elegant word---who have been engaged tojoin the engineers' crowd and break in at the business. "

"Cub engineers, eh, tenderfoot?"

"That's the full size of our pretensions, sir, " Tom admitted. 

"Rich men's sons, coming out to learn the ways of the Rookies?"questioned Bad Pete, showing his first sign of interest in them. 

"Not quite as bad as that, " Tom Reade urged. "We're wholly respectable, sir. We have even had to work hard in order to raise money forour railway fare out to Colorado. "

Bad Pete's look of interest in them faded. 

"Huh!" he remarked. "Then you're no good either why. "

"That's true, I'm afraid, " sighed Tom. "However, can you tellus the way to the camp?"

From one pocket Bad Pete produced a cigarette paper and from anothertobacco. Slowly he rolled and lighted a cigarette, in the meantimeseeming hardly aware of the existence of the tenderfeet. At last, however, he turned to the Colorado boy and observed:

"Pardner, I reckon you'd better drive on with these tenderfeetbefore I drop them over the cliff. They spoil the view. Ye knowwhere Bandy's Gulch is?"

"Sure, " nodded the Colorado boy. 

"Ye'll find the railroad outfit jest about a mile west o' there, camped close to the main trail. "

"I'm sure obliged to you, " nodded the Colorado boy, stepping upto his seat and gathering in the reins. 

"And so are we, sir, " added Tom politely. 

"Hold your blizzard in until I ask ye to talk, " retorted Bad Petehaughtily. "Drive on with your cheap baggage, pardner. "

"Cheap baggage, are we?" mused Tom, when the wagon had left BadPete some two hundred feet to the rear. "My, but I feel properlyhumiliated!"

"How many men has Bad Pete killed?" inquired Harry in an awedvoice. 

"Don't know as he ever killed any, " replied the Colorado boy, "but I'm not looking for trouble with any man that always carriesa revolver at his belt and goes around looking for someone togive him an excuse to shoot. The pistol might go off, even byaccident. "

"Are there many like Mr. Peter Bad in these hills nowadays?" Tominquired. 

"You'll find the foothills back near Denver or Pueblo, " repliedthe Colorado youth coldly "You're up in the mountains now. "

"Well, are there many like Peter Bad in these mountains?" Tomamended. 

"Not many, " admitted their driver. "The old breed is passing. You see, in these days, we have the railroad, public schools, newspapers, the telegraph, electric light, courts and the otherthings that go with civilization. "

"The old days of romance are going by, " sighed Harry Hazelton. 

"Do you call murder romantic?" Reade demanded. "Harry, you camewest expecting to find the Colorado of the dime novels. Now we'vetraveled hundreds of miles across this state, and Mr. Bad worethe first revolver that we've seen since we crossed the stateline. My private opinion is that Peter would be afraid to handlehis pistol recklessly for fear it would go off. "

"I wouldn't bank on that, " advised the young driver, shaking hishead. 

"But you don't carry a revolver, " retorted Tom Reade. 

"Pop would wallop me, if I did, " grinned the Colorado boy. "Butthen, I don't need firearms. I know enough to carry a civil tongue, and to be quiet when I ought to. "

"I suppose people who don't possess those virtues are the onlypeople that have excuse for carrying a pistol around with theirkeys, loose change and toothbrushes, " affirmed Reade. "Harry, the longer you stay west the more people you'll find who'll tellyou that toting a pistol is a silly, trouble-breeding habit. "

They drove along for another hour before a clattering soundedbehind them. 

"I believe it's Bad Pete coming, " declared Harry, as he made out, a quarter of a mile behind them, the form of a man mounted ona small, wiry mustang. 

"Yep; it is, " nodded the Colorado boy, after a look back. 

The trail being wider here Bad Pete whirled by them with a swiftdrumming of his pony's hoofs. In a few moments more he was outof sight. 

"Tom, you may have your doubts about that fellow, " Hazelton remarked, "but there's one thing he can do---ride!"

"Humph! Anyone can ride that knows enough to get into a saddleand stick there, " observed the Colorado boy dryly. 

Readers of the "_Grammar School Boys Series_" and of the "_High SchoolBoys Series_", have already recognized in Tom Reade and Harry Hazeltontwo famous schoolboy athletes. 

Back in old Gridley there had once been a schoolboy crowd of six, known as Dick & Co. Under the leadership of Dick Prescott, theseboys had made their start in athletics in the Central GrammarSchool, winning no small amount of fame as junior schoolboy athletes. 

Then in their High School days Dick & Co. Had gradually madethemselves crack athletes. Baseball and football were their especialsports, and in these they had reached a degree of skill that hadmade many a college trainer anxious to obtain them. 

None of the six, however, had gone to college. Dick Prescottand Greg Holmes had secured appointments as cadets at the UnitedStates Military Academy, at West Point. Their adventures aretold in the "_West Point Series_. " Dave Darrin and Dan Dalzell, feeling the call to the Navy, had entered the United States NavalAcademy at Annapolis. Their further doings are all describedin the "_Annapolis Series_. "

Tom Reade and Harry Hazelton, however, had found that their aspirationspointed to the great constructive work that is done by the big-minded, resourceful American civil engineer of today. Bridge building, railroad building, the tunneling of mines---in a word, the buildingof any of the great works of industry possessed a huge fascinationfor them. 

Tom was good-natured and practical, Harry at times full of mischiefand at others dreamy, but both longed with all their souls toplace themselves some day in the front ranks among civil engineers. 

At high school they had given especial study to mathematics. At home they had studied engineering, through correspondence coursesand otherwise. During more than the last year of their home lifeour two boys had worked much in the offices of a local civil engineer, and had spent part of their school vacations afield with him. 

Finally, after graduating from school both boys had gone to NewYork in order to look the world over. By dint of sheer push, three-quarters of which Tom had supplied, the boys had securedtheir first chance in the New York offices of the S. B. & L. Notmuch of a chance, to be sure, but it meant forty dollars a monthand board in the field, with the added promise that, if they turnedout to be "no good, " they would be promptly "bounced. "

"If 'bounced' we are, " Tom remarked dryly, "we'll have to walkhome, for our money will just barely take us to Colorado. "

So here they were, having come by rail to a town some distancewest of Pueblo. From the last railway station they had been obligedto make thirty miles or more by wagon to the mountain field campof the S. B. & L. 

Since daybreak they had been on the way, eating breakfast andlunch from the paper parcels that they had brought with them. 

"How much farther is the camp, now that you know the way. " Readeinquired an hour after Bad Pete had vanished on horseback. 

"There it is, right down there, " answered the Colorado youth, pointing with his whip as the raw-boned team hauled the wagonto the top of a rise in the trail. 

Of the trail to the left, surrounded by natural walls of rock, was an irregularly shaped field about three or four acres in extent. Here and there wisps of grass grew, but the ground, for the mostpart, was covered by splinters of rock or of sand ground fromthe same. 

At the farther end of the camp stood a small wooden building, with three tents near try. At a greater distance were severalother tents. Three wagons stood at one side of the camp, thoughhorses or mules for the same were not visible. Outside, nearthe door of one tent, stood a transit partially concealed by theenveloping rubber cover. Near another tent stood a plane table, used in field platting (drawing). Signs of life about the campthere were none, save for the presence of the newcomers. 

"I wonder if there's anyone at home keeping house, " mused TomReade, as he jumped down from the wagon. 

"There's only one wooden house in this town. That must be wherethe boss lives, " declared Harry. 

"Yes; that's where the boss lives, " replied the Colorado youth, with a wry smile. 

"Let's go over and see whether he has time to talk to us, " suggestedReade. 

"Just one minute, gentlemen, " interposed the driver. "Where doyou want your kit boxes placed? Are you going to pay me now?"

"Drop the kit boxes on the ground anywhere, " Tom answered. "We'restrong enough to carry 'em when we find where they belong. "

And---yes: we are going to pay you now. Eighteen dollars, isn't it?"

"Yes, " replied the young driver, with the brevity of the mountaineer. 

Tom and Harry went into their pockets, each producing nine dollarsas his share of the fare. This was handed over to the Coloradoyouth. 

"'Bliged to you, gentlemen, " nodded the Colorado boy pocketingthe money. "Anything more to say to me?"

"Nothing remains to be said, except to thank you, and to wishyou good luck on your way back, " said Reade. 

"I wish you luck here, too, gentlemen. Good day. "

With that, the driver mounted his seat, turned the horses aboutand was off without once looking back. 

"Now let's go over to the house and see the boss, " murmured Tom. 

Together the chums skirted the camp, going up to the wooden building. As the door was open, Tom, with a sense of good manners, approachedfrom the side that he might not appear to be peeping in on theoccupants of the building. Gaining the side of the doorway, withHarry just behind him, Reade knocked softly. 

"Quit yer kidding, whoever it is, and come in, " called a roughvoice. 

Tom thereupon stepped inside. What he saw filled him with surprise. Around the room were three or four tables. There were many utensilshanging on the walls. There were two stoves, with a man bendingover one of them and stirring something in a pot. 

"Oh, I beg your pardon, " said Tom. "I thought I'd find Mr. TimothyThurston, the chief engineer, here. "

"Nope, " replied a stout, red-faced man of forty, in flannel shirtand khaki trousers. "Mr. Thurston never eats between meals, andwhen he does eat he's served in his own mess tent. Whatcher wanthere, pardner?"

"We're under orders to report to him, " Tom answered politely. 

"New men in the chain gang?" asked the cook, swinging around tolook at the newcomers. 

"Maybe, " Reade assented. "That will depend on the opinion thatMr. Thurston forms of us after he knows us a little while. Ibelieve the man in New York said we were to be assistant engineers. "

"There's only one assistant engineer here, " announced the cook. "The other engineers are Just plain surveyors or levelers. "

"Well, we won't quarrel about titles, " Tom smilingly assured thecook. "Will you please tell us where Mr. Thurston is?"

"He's in his tent over yonder, " said the cook, pointing throughthe open doorway. 

"Shall we step over there and announce ourselves?" Tom inquired. 

"Why, ye could do it, " rejoined the red-faced cook, with a grin. "If Tim Thurston happens to be very busy he might use plain talkand tell you to git out of camp. "

"Then do you mind telling us just how we should approach the chiefengineer?"

"Whatter yer names?"

"Reade and Hazelton. "

"Bob, trot over and tell Thurston there's two fellows here, namedReade and Hazelnut. Ask him what he wants done with 'em. "

The cook's helper, who, so far, had not favored the new arrivalswith a glance, now turned and looked them over. Then, with anod, the helper stepped across the ground to the largest tentin camp. In a few moments he came back. 

"Mr. Thurston says to stay around and he'll call you jest as soonas he's through with what he's doing, " announced Bob, who, dark, thin and anemic, was a decrepit-looking man of fifty years orthereabouts. 

"Ye can stand about in the open, " added the cook, pointing withhis ladle. "There's better air out there. "

"Thank you, " answered Tom briskly, but politely. Once outside, and strolling slowly along, Reade confided to his chum:

"Harry, you can see what big fellows we two youngsters are goingto be in a Rocky Mountain railroad camp. We haven't a blessedthing to do but play marbles until the chief can see us. "

"I can spare the time, if the chief can, " laughed Harry. "Hello---lookwho's here!"

Bad Pete, now on foot, had turned into the camp from the fartherside. Espying the boys he swaggered over toward them. 

"How do you do, sir?" nodded Tom. 

"Can't you two tenderfeet mind your own business?" snarled Pete, halting and scowling angrily at them. 

"Now, I come to think of it, " admitted Tom, "it _was_ meddlesomeon my part to ask after your health. I beg your pardon. "

"Say, are you two tenderfeet trying to git fresh with me?" demandedBad Pete, drawing himself up to his full height and gazing atthem out of flashing eyes. 

Almost unconsciously Tom Reade drew himself up, showing hintsof his athletic figure through the folds of his clothing. 

"No, Peter, " he said quietly. "In the first place, my friendhasn't even opened his mouth. As for myself, when I _do_ tryto get fresh with you, you won't have to do any guessing. You'llbe sure of it. "

Bad Pete took a step forward, dropping his right hand, as thoughunconsciously, to the butt of the revolver in the holster. Hefixed his burning gaze savagely on the boy's face as he muttered, in a low, ugly voice:

"Tenderfoot, when I'm around after this you shut your mouth andkeep it shut! You needn't take the trouble to call me Peter again, either. My name is Bad Pete, and I am bad. I'm poison! Understand?Poison!"

"Poison?" repeated Tom dryly, coolly. "No; I don't believe I'dcall you that. I think I'd call you a bluff---and let it go atthat. "

Bad Pete scowled angrily. Again his hand slid to the butt ofhis revolver, then with a muttered imprecation he turned and stalkedaway, calling back threateningly over his shoulder:

"Remember, tenderfoot. Keep out of my way. "

Behind the boys, halted a man who had just stepped into the campover the natural stone wall. This man was a sun-browned, smooth-faced, pleasant-featured man of perhaps thirty-two or thirty-three years. Dressed in khaki trousers, with blue flannel shirt, sombreroand well-worn puttee leggings, he might have been mistaken fora soldier. Though his eyes were pleasant to look at, there wasan expression of great shrewdness in them. The lines around hismouth bespoke the man's firmness. He was about five-feet-eightin height, slim and had the general bearing of a strong man accustomedto hard work. 

"Boys, " he began in a low voice, whereat both Tom and Harry facedswiftly about, "you shouldn't rile Bad Pete that way. He's anugly character, who carries all he knows of law in his holsters, and we're a long way from the sheriff's officers. "

"Is he really bad?" asked Tom innocently. 

"Really bad?" laughed the man in khaki. "You'll find out if youtry to cross him. Are you visiting the camp?"

"Reade! Hazelton!" called a voice brusquely from the big tent. 

"That's Mr. Thurston calling us, I guess, " said Tom quickly. "We'll have to excuse ourselves and go and report to him. "

"Yes, that was Thurston, " nodded the slim man. "And I'm Blaisdell, the assistant engineer. I'll go along with you. "

Throwing aside the canvas flap, Mr. Blaisdell led the boys insidethe big tent. At one end a portion of the tent was curtainedoff, and this was presumably the chief engineer's bedroom. Nearthe centre of the tent was a flat table about six by ten feet. Just at present it held many drawings, all arranged in orderlypiles. Not far from the big table was a smaller one on whicha typewriting machine rested. 

The man who sat at the large table, and who wheeled about in arevolving chair as Tom and Harry entered, was perhaps forty-fiveyears of age. His head was covered with a mass of bushy blackhair. His face was as swarthy, in its clean-shaven condition, as though the owner had spent all of his life under a hot sun. His clothing like that of all the rest of the engineers in campwas of khaki, his shirt of blue flannel, with a long, flowingblack tie. 

"Mr. Thurston, " announced the assistant engineer, "I have justencountered these young gentlemen, who state that they are underorders from the New York offices to report to you for employment. "

Mr. Thurston looked both boys over in silence for a few seconds. His keen eyes appeared to take in everything that could possiblyconcern them. Then he rose, extending his hand, first to Reade, next to Hazelton. 

"From what technical school do you come?" inquired the engineeras he resumed his chair. 

"From none, sir, " Tom answered promptly "We didn't have moneyenough for that sort of training. "

Mr. Thurston raised his eyebrows in astonished inquiry. 

"Then why, " he asked, "did you come here? What made you thinkthat you could break in as engineers?"

CHAPTER II

BAD PETE BECOMES WORSE

Timothy Thurston's gaze was curious, and his voice a trifle cold. Yet he did not by any means treat the boys with contempt. Heappeared simply to wonder why these young men had traveled sofar to take up his time. 

"We couldn't afford to take a college course in engineering, sir, "Tom Reade continued, reddening slightly. "We have learned allthat we possibly could in other ways, however. "

"Do you expect me, young men, to detail an experienced engineerto move about with you as instructor until you learn enough tobe of use to us?"

"No, indeed, we don't, sir, " Tom replied, and perhaps his voicewas sharper than usual, though it rang with earnestness. "Webelieve, sir, that we are very fair engineers. We are willingto be tried out, sir, and to be rated exactly where you find thatwe belong. If necessary we'll start in as helpers to the chainmen, and we have pride enough to walk back over the trail at any momentwhen you decide that we're no good. We have traveled all theway from the east, and I trust, sir, that you'll give us a fairchance to show if we know anything. "

"It won't take long to find that out, " replied Mr. Thurston gravely. "Of course you both understand that we are doing real engineeringwork and haven't any time to instruct amateurs or be patient withthem. "

"We don't want instruction, Mr. Thurston, " Hazelton broke in. "We want work, and when we get it we'll do it. "

"I hope your work will be as good as your assurance, " repliedthe chief engineer, with a slight twinkle in his eyes. "Whatcan you do?"

"We know how to do ordinary surveying, sir, " Tom replied quickly. "We can run our courses and supervise the chaining. We knowhow to bring in field notes that are of some use. We can do ourwork well within the limits of error allowed by the United StatesGovernment. We also consider ourselves competent at leveling. Give us the profile plan and the notes on an excavation, and wecan superintend the laborers who have to make an excavation. We have a fair knowledge of ordinary road building. We have thestrength of usual materials at our finger's ends, and for beginnersI think we may claim that we are very well up in mathematics. We have had some all-around experience. Here is a letter, sir, from Price & Conley, of Gridley, in whose offices we have donequite a bit of work. "

Mr. Thurston took the letter courteously, though he did not \immediately glance at it. 

"Country surveyors, these gentlemen, I suppose?" he asked, lookinginto Tom's eyes. 

"Yes, sir, " nodded Reade, "though Mr. Price is also the engineer forour home county. Both Mr. Price and Mr. Conley paid us thecompliment of saying that we were well fitted to work in a railwayengineering camp. "

"Well, we'll try you out, until you either make good or convinceus that you can't, " agreed the chief engineer, without any showof enthusiasm. "You may show them where they are to live, Mr. Blaisdell, and where they are to mess. In the morning you canput these young men at some job or other. "

The words sounded like a dismissal, but Blaisdell lingered a moment. 

"Mr. Thurston, " he smiled, "our young men ran, first thing, intoBad Pete. "

"Yes?" inquired the chief. "Did Pete show these young men hisfighting front?"

Blaisdell repeated the dialogue that had taken place between Tomand Bad Pete. 

The chief listened to his assistant in silence. Tom flushed slightlyunder the penetrating glance Mr. Thurston cast upon him duringthe recital. 

When the assistant had finished, the chief merely remarked: "Blaisdell, I wish you could get rid of that fellow, Bad Pete. I don't liketo have him hanging about the camp. He's an undesirable character, and I'm afraid that some of our men will have trouble with him. Can't you get rid of him?"

"I'll do it if you say so, Mr. Thurston, " Blaisdell answered quietly. 

"How?" inquired his chief. 

"I'll serve out firearms to five or six of the men, and the nexttime Pete shows his face we'll cover him and march him miles awayfrom camp. "

"That wouldn't do any good, " replied Mr. Thurston, with a shakeof his head. "Pete would only come back, uglier than before, and he'd certainly shoot up some of our men. "

"You asked me, a moment ago, Mr. Thurston, what I could do, " Tombroke in. "Give me a little time, and I'll agree to rid the campof Peter. "

"How?" asked the chief abruptly. "Not with any gun-play! Petewould be too quick for you at anything of that sort. "

"I don't carry a pistol, and don't wish to do so, " Tom retorted. "In my opinion only a coward carries a pistol. "

"Then you think Bad Pete is a coward, young man?" returned thechief. 

"If driven into a corner I'm pretty sure he'd turn out to be one, sir, " Tom went on earnestly. "A coward is a man who's afraid. If a fellow isn't afraid of anything, then why does he have tocarry firearms to protect himself?"

"I don't believe that would quite apply to Pete, " Mr. Thurstonwent on. "Pete doesn't carry a revolver because he's afraid ofanything. He knows that many other men are afraid of pistols, and so he carries his firearms about in order that he may enjoyhimself in playing bully. "

"I can drive him out of camp, " Tom insisted. "All I'll wait forwill be your permission to go ahead. "

"If you can do it without shooting, " replied the chief, "try yourhand at it. Be careful, however, Reade. There are plenty ofgood natural lead mines in these mountains. "

"Yes---sir?" asked Reade, looking puzzled. 

"Much as we'd like to see Pete permanently out of this camp, rememberthat we don't want you to give the fellow any excuse for turningyou into a lead mine. "

"If Peter tries anything like that with me, " retorted Tom solemnly, "I shall be deeply offended. "

"Very good. Take the young men along with you, Blaisdell. I'llhear your report on them tomorrow night. "

The assistant engineer took Tom and Harry over to a seven by ninetent. 

"You'll bunk in here, " he explained, "and store your dunnage here. There are two folding cots in the tent, as you see. Don't shake'em out until it's time to turn in, and then you'll have moreroom in your house. Now, come on over and I'll show you the messtent for the engineers. "

This Blaisdell also showed them. There was nothing in the tentbut a plain, long table, with folding legs, and a lot of campchairs of the simplest kind. 

"What's that tent, Mr. Blaisdell?" inquired Harry, pointing tothe next one, as they came out of the engineers' mess. 

"Mess tent for the chainmen and rod men laborers, etc. , " repliedtheir guide. "Now, the fellows will be in soon, and supper willbe on in half an hour. After you get your dunnage over to yourtent amuse yourselves in any way that you care to. I'll introduceyou to the crowd at table. "

Tom and Harry speedily had their scanty dunnage stored in theirown tent. Then they sat down on campstools just outside the door. 

"Thurston didn't seem extremely cordial, did he?" asked Hazeltonsolemnly. 

"Well, why should he be cordial?" Tom demanded. "What does heknow about us? We're trying to break in here and make a living, but how does he know that we're not a pair of merely cheerfulidiots?"

"I've an idea that Mr. Thurston is always rather cool with hisstaff, " pursued Harry. 

"Do your work, old fellow, in an exceptionally fine way, and Iguess you'll find that he can thaw out. Mr. Thurston is probablyjust like other men who have to employ folks. When he finds thata man can really do the work that he's paid to do I imagine thatThurston is well satisfied and not afraid to show it. "

"What's that noise?" demanded Harry, trying to peer around thecorner of their tent without rising. 

"The field gang coming in, I think, " answered Tom. 

"Let's get up, then, and have a look at our future mates, " suggestedHarry Hazelton. 

"No; I don't believe it would be a good plan, " said Tom. "We mightbe thought fresh if we betrayed too much curiosity before thecrowd shows some curiosity about us. "

"Reade!" sounded Blaisdell's voice, five minutes later. "Bringyour friend over and inspect this choice lot of criminals. "

Tom rose eagerly, followed by Harry. As they left the tent andhurried outside they beheld two rows of men, each before a longbench on which stood agate wash basins. The toilet precedingthe evening meal was on. 

"Gentlemen, " Mr. Blaisdell, as the two chums drew near, "I presenttwo new candidates for fame. One is named Reade, the other Hazelton. Take them to your hearts, but don't, at first, teach them allthe wickedness you know. Reade, this is Jack Rutter, the spottedhyena of the camp. If he ever gets in your way just push himover a cliff. "

A pleasant-faced young man in khaki hastily dried his face andhands on a towel, then smilingly held out his right hand. 

"Glad to know you, Reade, " he laughed. Hope you'll like us anddecide to stay. "

"Hazelton, " continued the announcer, "shake hands with Slim Morris, whether he'll let you or not. And here's Matt Rice. We usuallycall him 'Mister' Rice, for he's extremely talented. He knowshow to play the banjo. "

The assistant engineer then turned away, while one young man, at the farther end of the long wash bench stood unpresented. 

"Oh, on second thoughts, " continued Blaisdell, "I'll introduceyou to Joe Grant. "

The last young man came forward. 

"Joe used to be a good fellow---once, " added the assistant engineer. "In these days, however, you want to keep your dunnage boxeslocked. Joe's specialty is stealing fancy ties---neckties, Imean. "

Joe laughed good-humoredly as he shook hands, adding:

"We'll tell you all about Blaisdell himself, boys, one of thesedays, but not now. It's too far from pay day, and old Blaze standsin too thickly with the chief. "

"If you folks don't come into supper soon, " growled the voiceof the cook, Jake Wren, from the doorway of the engineer's messtent, "I'll eat your grub myself. "

"He'd do it, too, " groaned Slim Morris, a young man who neverthelessweighed more than two hundred pounds. "Blaze, won't you takeus inside and put us in our high chairs?"

There was infinite good humor in this small force of field engineers. As was afterwards learned, all of them were graduates eitherof colleges or of scientific schools but not one of them affectedany superiority over the young newcomers. 

Just as the party had seated themselves there was a step outside, and Bad Pete stalked in looking decidedly sulky. 

"Evening, " he grunted, and helped himself to a seat at the table. 

"Reade and Hazelton, you've had the pleasure of meeting Pete, I believe?" asked Blaisdell, without the trace of a smile. 

"Huh!" growled Pete, not looking up, for the first supply of foodwas on the table. 

"We've had the pleasure, twice today, of meeting Mr. Peter, " repliedTom, with equal gravity. 

"See here, tenderfoot, " scowled Bad Pete, looking up from hisplate, "don't you call me 'Peter' again. Savvy?"

"We don't know your other name, sir, " rejoined Tom, eyeing thebad man with every outward sign of courtesy. 

"I'm just plain Pete. Savvy that?

"Certainly, Plain Pete, " Reade nodded. 

Pete dropped his soup spoon with a clatter letting his right handfall to the holster. 

"Be quiet, Pete, " warned Blaisdell, his eyes shooting a cold glanceat the angry man. "Reade is a newcomer, not used to our waysyet. Remember that this is a gentleman's club. "

"Then let him get out, " warned Pete blackly. 

"He belongs here by right, Pete, and you're a guest. Of course weenjoy having you here with us, but, if you don't care to take usas you find us, the fellows in the chainmen's mess will be glad tohave you join them. "

"That tenderfoot is only a boy, " growled Pete. "If he can't holdhis tongue when men are around, then I'll teach him how. "

"Reade hasn't done anything to offend you, " returned Blaisdell, half sternly, half goodhumoredly. "You let him alone, and he'lllet you alone. I'm sure of that. "

"Blaisdell, if you don't see that I'm treated right in this mess, I'll teach you something, too, " flared Bad Pete. 

"Threatening the president of the mess is a breach of courtesyon the part of any guest who attempts it, " spoke Blaisdell again. "Gentlemen, what is your pleasure?"

"I move, " suggested Slim Morris quietly, "that Pete be consideredno longer a member or guest of this mess. "

"Second the motion, " cried Rutter, Rice and Grant together. 

"The motion appears to have been carried, without the necessityfor putting it, " declared Mr. Blaisdell. "Pete, you have heardthe pleasure of the mess. "

"Huh!" scowled Bad Pete, picking up his soup plate and draining it. 

Jake Wren, at this moment, entered with a big platter of roastbeef, Bob, the helper, following with dishes of vegetables. ThenBob came in with plates, which he placed before Blaisdell. Thelatter counted the plates, finding eight. 

"We shan't need this plate, Bob, " declared Blaisdell evenly, handingit back. Then he began to carve. 

"Put that plate back with the rest, Bob, you pop-eyed coyote, "ordered Bad Pete. 

Bob, looking uneasy, started to do so, but Blaisdell waved himaway. At that instant Jake Wren came back into the tent. 

"For the present, Jake, " went on the assistant engineer, "serveonly for seven in this tent. Pete is leaving us. "

"Do you mean-----" flared Pete, leaping to his feet and stridingtoward the engineer. 

"I mean, " responded Blaisdell, without looking up, "that we hopethe chainmen's mess will take you on. But if they don't likeyou, they don't have to do so. "

For ten seconds, while Pete stood glaring at Blaisdell, it lookedas though the late guest would draw his revolver. Pete was swallowinghard, his face having turned lead color. 

"Won't you oblige us by going at once, Pete?" inquired Blaisdellcoolly. 

"Not until I've settled my score here, " snarled the fellow. "Notuntil I've evened up with you, you-----"

At the same time Pete reached for his revolver in evident earnest. Both his words and his movement were nipped short. 

Morris and Rice were the only men in the engineers' party whocarried revolvers. They carried weapons, in the day time, forprotection against a very real foe, the Rocky Mountain rattlesnakes, which infested the territory through which the engineers werethen working. 

Both these engineers reached swiftly for their weapons. 

Before they could produce them, however, or ore Pete could finishwhat he was saying, Tom Reade leaped up from his campstool, closingin behind the bad man. 

"Ow-ow! Ouch!" yelled Pete. "Let go, you painted coyote. "

"Walk right out of the tent, and I shall rejoice to let you depart, "responded Tom steadily. 

Standing behind the fellow, he had, with his strong, wiry fingers, gripped Pete hard right over the biceps muscle of each arm. Likemany another of his type Pete had developed no great amount ofbodily strength. Though he struggled furiously, he was unableto wrench himself free from this youth who had trained hard infootball training squads. 

"Step outside and cool off, Peter, " advised Tom, thrusting thebad man through the doorway. "Have too much pride, man, to forceyourself on people who don't want your company. "

Reade ran his foe outside a dozen feet, then released him, turningand reentering the tent. 

"No, you don't! Put up your pistol, " sounded the warning voiceof Cook Jake Wren outside. "You take a shot at that young feller, Pete, and I'll never serve you another mouthful as long as I'min the Rockies!"

Bad Pete gazed fiercely toward the engineers' tent, hesitateda moment, and then walked wrathfully away. 

CHAPTER III

THE DAY OF REAL WORK DAWNS

The meal was finished in peace after that. It was so hearty ameal that Tom and Harry, who had not yet acquired the keen edgeof appetite that comes to hard workers in the Rockies, had finishedlong before any one else. 

"You fellers had better hurry up, " commanded Jake Wren finally. "It'll soon be dark, and I'm not going to furnish candles. "

As the cook was an autocrat in camp, the engineers meekly calledfor more pie and coffee, disposed of it and strolled out of themess tent over to their own little village under canvas. 

"Bring over your banjo, Matt, " urged Joe. "Nothing like the merryold twang to make the new boys feel at home in our school. "

Rice needed no further urging. As darkness came down a volumeof song rang out. 

"What time do we turn out in the morning?" Tom asked, as Mr. Blaisdell brought over a camp stool and sat near them. 

"At five sharp, " responded the assistant engineer. "An hour laterwe hit the long trail in earnest. This isn't an idling camp. "

"I'm glad it isn't, " Reade nodded. 

Then Blaisdell chatted with the boys, drawing out of them whatthey knew, or thought they knew, of civil engineering, especiallyas applied to railroad building. 

"I hope you lads are going to make good, " said Blaisdell earnestly. "We're in something of a fix on this work at best, and we needeven more than we have, of the very best hustling engineers thatcan be found. "

"I am beginning to wonder, " said Tom, "how, when you have suchneed of men of long training, your New York office ever came topick us out. "

"Because, " replied the assistant candidly, "the New York officedoesn't know the difference between an engineer and a railroadtie. Tim Thurston has been making a long yell at the New Yorkoffices of the company for engineers. Knowing the little thatthey do, our New York owners take anyone who says he's an engineer, and unload the stranger on us. "

"I hope we prove up to the work, " sighed Harry. 

"We're going to size up. We've got to, and that's all there isto it, " retorted Tom. "We've been thrown in the water here, Harry, and we've got to swim---which means that we're going to do so. Mr. Blaisdell, " turning to the assistant, "you needn't worryas to whether we're going to make good. We _shall_!"

"I like your spirit, at any rate, and I've a notion that you'regoing to win through, " remarked the assistant. 

"You try out a lot of men here, don't you?" asked Harry. 

"A good many, " assented Blaisdell. 

"From what I heard at table, " Hazelton continued, "Mr. Thurstondrops a good many of the new men after trying them. "

"He doesn't drop any man that he doesn't have to drop, " returnedBlaisdell. "Tim Thurston wants every competent man that he canget here. Let me see-----"

Blaisdell did some silent counting on his fingers. Then he wenton:

"In the last eleven weeks, Thurston has dropped just sixteen newmen. "

"Whew!" gasped Harry, casting a sidelong glance at his shoes, with visions of a coming walk at least as far back as Denver orPueblo. 

"Mr. Thurston isn't going to drop us, " Tom declared. "Mr. Blaisdell, Hazelton and I are here and we're going to hang on if we haveto do it with our teeth. We're going to know how to do what'srequired of us if we have to stay up all night finding out. We'vejust got to make good, for we haven't any money with which toget home or anywhere else. Besides, if we can't make good herewe're not fit to be tried out anywhere else. "

"We're in an especially hard fix, you see, " the assistant engineerexplained. "When we got our charter something less than two yearsago we undertook to have every mile of track ballasted and laidon the S. B. & L. , and trains running through, by September 30thof this year. There are three hundred and fifty-four miles ofroad in all. Now, in July, less than three months from the time, this camp is forty-nine miles from the terminus of the road atLoadstone, while the constructing engineers and the track-layersare thirty-eight miles behind us. Do you see the problem?"

"You can get an extension of time, can't you?" asked Tom. 

"We can---_not_! You see, boys, the S. B. & L. Is the popularroad. That is, it's the one that the people of this state backedin the main. When we got our charter from the legislature therewas a lot of opposition from the W. C. & A. Railroad. That organizationwishes to add to their road, using the very locations that ourpreliminary engineering force selected for the S. B. & L. TheW. C. & A. Folks have such a bewildering number of millions attheir back that they would have won away from us, had they beenan American crowd. The W. C. & A. Has only American officersand a few small stockholders in this country. The W. C. & A. Is a foreign crowd throughout in reality, and back of them theyhave about all the money that's loose in London, Paris and Berlin. The W. C. & A. Spent a lot of money at the state capital, I guess, for it was common report that some of the members of the legislaturehad sold out to the foreign crowd. So, though public clamor carriedour charter through the legislature by sheer force, the best concessionwe could get was that our road must be built and in operationover the entire length by September 30th, or the state has theprivilege of taking over our road at an appraised value. Do yousee what that means?"

"Does it mean that the state would then turn around and sell thisroad to the W. C. & A. At a good profit?" asked Reade. 

"You've hit it, " nodded Mr. Blaisdell. "The W. C. & A. Would bedelighted to take over our road at a price paid to the state thatwould give Colorado quite a few millions in profits. The legislaturewould then have a chance to spend those millions on public improvementsin the state. I think you will understand why public clamor nowseems to have swung about in favor of the W. C. & A. "

"Yet it seems to me, " put in Harry, "that, even if the S. B. & L. Does fail to get the railroad through in time, the stockholderswill get their money back when the state takes the road over. "

"That, one can never count on, " retorted Blaisdell, shaking hishead. "The state courts would have charge of the appraising ofthe value of the road, and one can never tell just what courtswill award. Ten chances to one the appraisal wouldn't cover morethan fifty per cent. Of what the S. B. & L. Has expended, andthus our company would be many millions of dollars out of pocket. Besides, if the courts could be depended upon to appraise thisuncompleted road at twenty per cent. More than has been expendedupon it, our company would still lose, for what the S. B. & L. Really expects to do is to bag the big profits that can be madeout of the section of the state that this road taps. Take itfrom me, boys, the officials of this road are crazy with anxietyto get the road through in time, and not lose the many millionsthat are waiting to be earned by the S. B. & L. Getting this roadthrough is all that Tim Thurston dreams of, by night or day. His reputation---and he has a big one in railroad building---iswholly at stake on his carrying this job through. It'll be abig prize for all of us, professionally, if we can back Thurston'sfight to win. "

"I'll back it to win, " glowed Tom ardently "Mr. Blaisdell, I amwell aware that I'm hardly more than the lens cap on a transitin this outfit, but I'm going to do every ounce of my individualshare to see this road through and running on time, and I'll carryas much of any other man's burden as I can load onto my shoulders!"

"Good!" chuckled Blaisdell, holding out his hand. "I see thatyou're one of us, heart and soul, Reade. What have you to say, Hazelton?"

"I always let Tom do my talking, because he can do it better, "smiled Harry. "At the same time, I've known Tom Reade for a goodmany years, and his performance is always as good as his promise. As for me, Mr. Blaisdell, I've just told you that Tom does mytalking, but I back up all that he promises for me. "

"Pinkitty-plank-plink!" twanged Matt Rice's banjo, starting intoanother rollicking air. 

"I guess it's taps, boys, " called Blaisdell in his low but resonantvoice. "Look at the chief's tent; he's putting out his candles now. "

A glance at the gradually darkening walls of the chief engineersbig tent showed that this was the case. 

"We'll all turn in, " nodded Blaisdell. 

So Tom and Harry hastened to their tent, where they unfolded theircamp cots and set them up. There was not much bed-making. Thebody of the cot was of canvas, and required no mattress. Fromout of their baggage each took a small pillow and pair of blankets. At this altitude the night was already rather chilly, despitethe fact that it was July. 

Rapidly undressing in the dark the young engineers crawled inbetween their blankets. 

"Well, at last, " murmured Harry, "we're engineers in earnest. That is, " he added rather wistfully, "if we last. "

"We've got to last, " replied Tom in a low voice, hardly abovea whisper, "and we're going to. Harry, we've left behind us theplaytime of boyhood, and we're beginning real life! But in thatplaytime we learned how to play real football. From now on we'llapply all of the best and most strenuous rules of football tothe big art of making a living and a reputation. Good night, old fellow! Dream of the folks back in Gridley. I'm going to. "

"And of the chums at West Point and Annapolis, " gaped Hazelton. "God bless them!"

That was not the only short prayer sent up, but within five minutesboth youngsters had fallen sound asleep. The man who can sleepas they did, when the head touches the pillow, has many successesstill ahead of him!

Nor did they worry about not waking in season in the morning. Slim Morris had promised to see to it that they were awake on time. 

Slam! Bump! Tom Reade was positive he had not been asleep morethan a minute when that rude interruption came. He awoke to findhimself scrambling up from the ground. 

Tom had his eyes open in time to see Harry Hazelton hit the groundwith force. Then Slim Morris retreated to the doorway of the tent. 

"Are you fellows going to sleep until pay days" Slim demanded jovially. 

Tom hustled into his clothes, reached the doorway of the tentand found the sun already well up in the skies. 

"The boys are sitting down to breakfast, " called Slim over hisshoulder. "Want any?"

"_Do_ I want any?" mocked Tom. He had laid out his khaki clothingthe night before, and was now in it, save for his khaki jacket, which he caught up on his arm as he raced along toward the wash bench. 

Nor had he gone very far with the soap and water when Harry Hazeltonwas beside him. 

"Tom, Tom!" breathed Harry in ecstacy. "Do you blame people forloving the Rocky Mountains? This grand old mountain air is foodand drink---almost. "

"It may be for you. I want some of the real old camp chuck---plentyof it, " retorted Reade, drawing a pocket comb out and running itthrough his damp locks while he gazed into the foot-square camp mirrorhanging from a tree. 

"May we come in?" inquired Tom, pausing in the doorway of theengineers' mess tent. 

"Not if you're in doubt about it, " replied Mr. Blaisdell, whowas already eating with great relish. The boys slid into theirseats, while Bob rapidly started things their way. 

How good it all tasted! Bacon and fried eggs, corn bread andpotatoes, coffee and a big dish of that time-honored standby inengineers' camp---baked beans. Then, just as Tom and Harry, despitetheir appetites, sat back filled, Bob appeared with a plate offlapjacks and a pitcher of molasses. 

"Ten minutes of six, " observed Mr. Blaisdell, consulting his watchas he finished. "Not much more time, gentlemen. "

Tom and Harry followed the assistant engineer out into the open. 

"Can you tell us now, Mr. Blaisdell, what we're to do today?"Reade inquired eagerly. 

"See those transits?" inquired Blaisdell, pointing to two of thetelescoped and compassed instruments used by surveyors in runningcourses. "One for each of you. Take your choice. You'll goout today under charge of Jack Rutter. Of course it will be alittle bit slow to you the first two or three days, but betweenyou, I hope to see you do more than Rutter could do alone. You'lleach have two chainmen. Rutter will give you blank form booksfor your field notes. He'll work back and forth between the twoof you, seeing that you each do your work right. Boys, don'tmake any mistakes today, will you, So much depends, you know, upon the way you start in at a new job. "

"We'll do the best that's in us, " breathed Tom ardently. 

"Engineer Rutter, " called Blaisdell, "your two assistants areready. Get your two sets of chainmen and make a flying start. "

Animated by the spirit of activity that pervaded the camp, Tomand Harry ran to select their instruments, while Rutter hastenedafter his chainmen. 

Bad Pete had not appeared at either mess this morning. He hadsmall need to, for, in the still watches of the night, he hadburglarized the cook's stores so successfully that not even thatargus-eyed individual had noticed the loss. 

Having breakfasted heartily in a deep thicket, Pete now lookeddown over the camp, his eyes twinkling in an evil way. 

"I'll get bounced out of mess on account of two pasty-faced tenderfeetlike those boys, will I?" Pete grumbled to himself. "Beforethis morning is over I reckon I'll have all accounts squaredwith the tenderfeet!"

CHAPTER IV

"TRYING OUT" THE GRIDLEY BOYS

The chainmen picked up the transits, carrying also the chainsand rods. Rutter led the way, Tom and Harry keeping on eitherside of him, except when the rough mountain trail narrowed. Thenthey were obliged to walk at his heels. 

"We are making this survey first, " Rutter explained, "and thenthe leveling over the same ground follows within a few days. Both the surveying and the leveling have to be done with greatcare. They must tally accurately, or the work will all go wrong, and the contractors would be thrown out so badly that they'd hardlyknow where they stood. A serious mistake in surveying or levelingat any point might throw the work down for some days. As you'vealready heard explained, any delay, now, is going to lose us ourcharter as sure as guns. "

For more than a mile and a half the brisk walk continued. Atlast Rutter halted, pointing to a stake driven in the ground. 

"See the nail head in the top of the stake?" he inquired. 

"Yes, " Tom nodded. 

"You'll find a similar nail head in every stake. The exact pointof the plummet of your bog-line must centre on the middle of thatnail head. You can't be too exact about that, remember. "

Turning to one of the chainmen, Rutter added:

"Jansen, take a rod and hustle along to the next stake. "

"Yes, sir, " answered the man, and started on a run. Nor did hepause until he had located the stake. Then he signaled back withhis right hand. Tom Reade, in the meantime, had quickly set uphis transit over the first stake on his part of the course. Hedid some rough shifting, at first, until the point of the plummetwas exactly over the nail head. Then followed some careful adjustingof the instrument on its supports until two fine spirit levelsshowed that the compass of the instrument was exactly level. "Now, let me see you get your sight, " urged Rutter. 

Tom did so, coolly, manipulating his instrument as rapidly ashe could with safety, yet not with speed enough to cause himselfconfusion or worry. 

"I've got a sight on the rod, " announced Reade, without emotion. 

"Are the cross-hairs, as you see them through the telescope, juston the mark?" Rutter demanded. 

"Yes, sir. "

"Let me have a look, " ordered Rutter. "A fine, close sight, " heassented, after taking a careful look through the telescope. "Now, take your reading. "

This showed the course by the compass, and was expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds. The poor reading of a course is one of thefrequent faults of new or careless engineers. 

"Here is a magnifier for the vernier, " continued Rutter, justafter Tom had started to make his reading. 

"Thank you; I have a pretty good one of my own, " Tom answered, diving into one of his pockets and bringing to light a small butpowerful reading glass with an aplanatic lens. 

"You carry a better magnifier than I do, " laughed Rutter. "Hazelton, do You carry a pocket glass?"

"Yes, sir, " nodded Harry "I have one just like Reade's. "

"Good! I can see that you youngsters believe in good tools. "

Tom in the meantime was busy with the vernier of his transit. This is an ingenious device for showing the smaller divisionsinto which the circles of the compass are divided. Tom quicklyjotted down his field note in degrees, minutes and seconds. Onechainman now held an end of a hundred-link chain at the nail headon the stake, while a second man started toward the rodman, unfoldingthe chain as he went. 

Tom remained over his transit. The traveling chainman frequentlyglanced back for directions from Reade whether or not he was offthe course of a straight line to the next stake. 

Soon the chain-bearer was a little to the left of the line. 

Tom held a hand over the telescope of the transit, moving it veryslowly to the right. The chain-bearer, glancing slowly back, stepped slowly to the right of the course until Tom's hand fellabruptly. Then the chain-bearer stopped, knowing that he wason the right line. A metal stake, having a loop at the top fromwhich fluttered a marker of red flannel, the man stuck uprightin the ground. Tom took a peep, signaling so gently that theman moved the stake just half an inch before Reade's hand againfell. 

"That stake is right; go ahead, " ordered Tom, but he said it not byword of mouth, but merely with a slight gesture of pushing forward. 

"You've been well trained, I'll bet a hat, " smiled Butter. "Ican tell that by the practiced way that you signal. O'Brien!"

"Yes, sir, " answered another chainman, stepping forward. 

"Take Thane with you, and carry Mr. Hazelton's transit to GrizzlyLedge. Mr. Hazelton and I will be there presently. "

Two more chainmen started away. 

Now, both of Tom's chainmen started forward, the rear one movingto the first metal stake that displayed the red marker. Tom stillremained at the transit, motioning to the men whenever they gotthe least out of a true straight line to the rodman. It was nothard work for Reade at this point, but it required his closestattention. 

After some time had passed the chainmen had "chained" the wholedistance between Tom's stake and the rod resting on the next stake. Now the rodman, after making a close measurement, signaled back. Nine downward sweeps of his right arm signified nine chains;next the movements of his arm signaled the forty-four links ofa tenth chain. Then seven movements of the left hand across infront of the eyes, and Reade knew that stood for seven-tenthsof a link. Hence on the page of his field note book Tom wrotethe distance between the stakes as nine chains and forty-fourand seven-tenths links. 

"That's good, " nodded Rutter, who had been watching every moveclosely. The forty-four signaled by the rodman's left arm, insteadof being made up of forty-four downward strokes, had consistedof four such strokes, followed by a pause, and then four morestrokes. 

"I'll go along and see you get the course and distance to thethird rod, " said Rutter. 

This course and distance, too, in time, had been measured andcarefully noted by Reade. 

"You'll get along all right, if you pay strict attention and don'tbecome confused or careless, " nodded Jack Rutter. "Now, I'llwrite 'Reade' on this starting stake of yours, and I'll writeHazelton on your friend's starting stake. After you've surveyedto Hazelton's starting stake let your rodman bring you forwarduntil you overhaul me. "

"Very good, sir, " nodded Tom coolly. 

Rutter and Harry moved along the trail, leaving Tom with his own"gang. "

"Nothing very mentally wearing in this job, " reflected Tom, whenhe found himself left to his own resources. "All a fellow hasto do is to keep his head clear, be faithful and exactly honestwith his work, and move with all the speed that good, straightwork will allow. "

So Reade moved ahead, getting courses and distances to five morestakes. Then, as he reached the sixth, he gazed ahead and smiled. A mountain pond lay right in his straight path to the seventh stake. 

"Can that pond be easily forded?" Reade asked the nearer chainman. 

"No, sir; it's about ten feet deep in the centre. "

Tom smiled grimly to himself. 

"Rutter didn't say anything about this to me, " Tom muttered tohimself. "He put this upon me, to see how I'd get over an obstaclelike an unfordable pond. Well, it's going to take a lot of timebut I'll show Mr. Jack Rutter!"

Accordingly, Reade allowed his chainmen to proceed measuring untilthey were fairly close to the pond. Then he went forward to themetal stake that had just been driven. From this stake he laidout a new course to the north and at exact right angles with theproper course, sending his chainmen forward with markers. Whenhe had thus passed the end of the pond Reade took another courseat exactly right angles to the northerly course, but now goingwesterly. This he extended until it passed the pond by a fewfeet. Once more Reade laid out a course, southerly, at exactright angles with the westerly course, the southerly line beingexactly four chains in length, as the northerly line had been. Now, the young engineer was able to resume his surveying towardthe seventh stake. The extra route that he had followed madethree sides of a square. Tom was now in line again, with thepond passed, and the exact distance between the sixth and seventhstakes. 

"I guess that was where Rutter was sure he'd have me, " chuckledTom quietly. "He's probe ably waiting ahead to see me come hot-footingover the trail to ask for orders. "

At the tenth stake Tom found "Hazelton" written thereon. 

"Men, " said the young engineer, "I guess this is where we go forwardand look for the crowd. Get up the stuff and we'll trot along. "

Nearly an hour of solid tramping over the trail followed beforeTom and his party, guided by the rodman, came upon Harry Hazelton. Jack Rutter, chewing a blade of grass, sat under a tree at alittle distance from where Harry was watching and signaling totwo chainmen who were getting a distance. 

"Is your own work all done?" asked Rutter. 

"Yes, sir, " Tom answered. 

"Let me see your field notes. "

Reade passed over the book containing them. From an inner pocketRutter drew out his own field note book. Before another minutehad passed Tom had opened his eyes very wide. 

"Your field notes are all straight, my boy. If you've made anyerrors, then I've made the same. "

"You've already been over this work that we've been doing?" demandedTom, feeling somewhat abashed. 

"Of course, " nodded the older and more experienced engineer. "You don't for a moment suppose we'd trust you with original workuntil we had tried you out, do you? We have all the field notesfor at least three miles more ahead of here. Hazelton!"

"Coming, " said Harry, after jotting down his last observationsand the distance. 

"Let me see your last notes, Hazelton, " directed Rutter. "Yes;your work is all right. "

"What do you know about this, Harry?" laughingly demanded Reade. 

"I've suspected for the last two hours that Mr. Rutter was merelytrying us out over surveyed courses, " laughed Harry. 

"If you don't know how to do anything other than transit work, "Rutter declared, "the chief can use all your time at that. He'llbe pleased when I tell him that you're at least as good surveyorsas I am. And, Reade, I see from your notes that you knew howto measure across a pond that your chainmen couldn't ford. "

"Mr. Price taught me that trick, back in Gridley, " Tom responded. 

Suddenly Jack Rutter sprang to his feet sniffing vigorously. 

"Boys, " he announced, "an adventure is coming our way. Can youguess what it is?"

Tom and Harry gazed at him blankly. 

CHAPTER V

TOM DOESN'T MIND "ARTILLERY"

"I give it up, " Reade replied. 

"Well, it's dinner time, " declared Rutter, displaying the faceof his watch. 

"Do we have to walk all the way back to camp?" queried Harry, who knew that no provisions had been brought with them. 

"No; camp is going to be brought to us, " smiled Rutter. "At least, a part of the camp will be brought here. Look up the trail there, at that highest rise. Do you see dust near there?"

"Yes, " nodded Tom. 

"A burro pack-train, conveying our food and that of the othersurveying parties ahead of us, " nodded Rutter. "You'll find thecook's helper, Bob, in charge of it. "

"Is that the way the meals are brought out every day?" asked Hazelton. 

"No; but now we're getting pretty far from camp, and it wouldwaste a lot of our time to go back and forth. So our noon mealswill come by burro route. Tomorrow or the day after the campwill be moved forward. "

"How long before that train will be here?" Tom wanted to know. 

"Probably ten minutes, " guessed Rutter. 

"Then I'm going to see if I can't find some little stream suchas I've passed this morning, " Tom went on. "I want to wash beforeI'm introduced to clean food. "

"I'll go along presently, " nodded Harry to his chum. "There'ssomething about the spirit level on this transit of mine thatI want to inspect. "

So Tom Reade trudged off into the brush alone. After a few minuteshe returned. 

"That burro outfit in sight?" he called, as he neared the trail. 

"No, " answered Rutter. "But it's close. Once in a while I canhear a burro clicking his hoofs against stones. "

Harry appeared two minutes later, just as the foremost burro, with Bob by its head, put in an appearance about fifty yards away. 

"All ready for you, Bob, " called Rutter good-humoredly. 

"You gentlemen of the engineer corps are always ready, " gruntedthe cook's helper. 

A quick stop was made, Bob unloading tin plates, bowls and cups. 

"Soup!" cried Rutter in high glee. "This is fine living for buckengineers, Bob!"

"There's even dessert, " returned the cook's helper gravely, exposingan entire apple pie. 

There was also meat, still fairly warm, as well as canned vegetablesin addition to potatoes. A pot of hot coffee finished the repastthat Bob unloaded at this point. 

"Everything but napkins!" chuckled Rutter, as he and the boysquickly "set table" on the ground. 

"No; something else is missing, " answered Tom gravely. "Bob forgotthe finger-bowls. "

The helper, beginning to feel that he was being "guyed, " tookrefuge in cold indifference. 

"Just stack the things up at this point when you're through, " directedBob. "I'll pick 'em up when I come back on the trail. "

Rutter, like a good chief, saw to it that his two assistants andthe chainmen were started on their meal ere he himself began. In half an hour every morsel of food and the final drop of coffeehad disappeared. 

"Twenty minutes to loaf, " advised Rutter, throwing himself onthe ground and closing his eyes. "I'll take a nap. You'd betterfollow my example. "

"Then who'll call us?" asked Tom. 

"I will, " gaped Rutter. 

"Without a clock to ring an alarm?"

"Humph! Any real backwoods engineer can wake up in twenty minutesif he sets his mind on it, " retorted Jack. 

This was a fact, though it was the first that Tom or Harry hadheard of it. 

"See the time?" called Rutter, holding out his watch. "Twentyminutes of one. I'll call you at one o'clock---see if I don't. "

In that fine air, with all the warmth of the noon hour, therewas no difficulty in going to sleep. Truth to tell, Tom and Harryhad tramped so far that forenoon that they were decidedly tired. Within sixty seconds both "cubs" were sound asleep. 

"One o'clock!" called Rutter, sitting up and consulting his watch. "Fall to, slaves! There is a big batch of work awaiting us. Hazelton, you can go right on where you left off. Survey alongcarefully until you come upon a stake marked 'Reade. ' Then comeforward until you find us. Reade, I'll go along with you andshow you where to break in. "

Preceded by their chainmen, Rutter and Reade trudged along thetrail for something like a mile. 

"Halt, " ordered Jack Rutter. "Reade, write your autograph on thatstake and begin. "

Tom stepped over to the transit, adjusting it carefully and settingthe hanging plummet on dead centre with the nail head in the topof the short stake. 

"Never set up a transit again, " directed Rutter, "without makingsure that your levels are absolutely true, and that your vernierarrangement is in order. "

"I don't believe you'll ever catch me at that, Mr. Rutter, " Tomanswered, busying himself with the finer adjustments of the transit. "Mr. Price pounded that into me every time that he took me outin the field. "

"Nevertheless, " went on Rutter, "I have known older engineersthan you, Reade, who became careless, and their carelessness costtheir employers a lot of wasted time and money. Now, you-----"

At this juncture Jack Rutter suddenly crouched behind a low ledgeat the right. 

"Get behind here, quickly, Reade!" called Rutter. "Bad Pete isup the hillside, about two hundred yards from you-----"

"I haven't time to bother with him, now, " Tom broke in composedly. 

"Duck fast, boy! Pete has an ugly grin on his face, and he'sreaching for his pistol. He's got it out---he's going to shoot!"whispered Rutter, drawing his head down where it would be safefrom flying bullets. 

The chainmen, lounging nearby, had wasted no time in getting safelyto cover. 

"Going to shoot, is he?" murmured Tom, without glancing away fromthe instrument. "Does Peter really know how to shoot, "

"You'll find out! Jump---like a flash, boy!"

Tom went calmly on tinkering with the mechanism of his instrument. 

Bang! sounded up the trail. Tom's fingers didn't falter as headjusted a small, brass screw. 

Bang! came the second shot. Tom betrayed no more annoyance thanbefore. Bad Pete was aiming to drive bullets into the ground closeto the young engineer's feet, making him skip about. The sixth shotPete was saving for clipping Reade's hat from his head. 

The shots continued to ring out. Tom, though he appeared to beabsorbed in his instrument, counted. When he had counted thesixth shot Reade dropped suddenly, picked up a stone that layat his feet, and whirled about. 

Tom Reade hadn't devoted years to ball-playing without knowinghow to throw straight. The stone left his hand, arching upward, and flew straight toward Bad Pete, who had advanced steadily ashe fired. 

Whiff! Though Pete tried, too late, to dodge the stone, it landedagainst his sombrero, carrying that away without injuring theowner. 

"Kindly clear out!" called Tom coolly. "You and your noise annoy mewhen I'm trying to do a big afternoon's work. "

Snatching up his sombrero, Bad Pete vanished into a clump of brush. 

Jack Rutter leaped up from his haven of safety, advancing swiftlyto his cub assistant. 

"Reade, " he exclaimed, with ungrudging admiration, "you're thecoolest young fellow I ever met, without exception. But you'refoolhardy, boy. Bad Pete is a real shot. One of these days, when you're just as cool, he'll fill you full of lead!"

"If he does?" retorted Tom, again bending over his transit, "andif I notice it, I'll throw a bigger stone at him than I did thattime, and it'll land on him a few inches lower down. "

"But, boy, don't you understand that the days of David and Goliathare gone by, " remonstrated Rutter. "It's true you're turned thelaugh on Pete, but that fellow won't forgive you. He may openon you again within two minutes. "

"I don't believe he will, " replied Tom, with his quiet smile. "At the same time, I'll be prepared for him. "

Bending to the ground, and rummaging about a bit, Reade selectedthree stones that would throw well. These he dropped into oneof his pockets. 

"Now, let the bad man trot himself on, if he has to, " added thecub engineer, waving a signal to the rodman, who had just haltedat the next stake. 

"Well, of all the cool ones!" grunted Rutter, under his breath. "But, then, Reade's a tenderfoot. He doesn't understand justhow dangerous a fellow like Pete can be. "

The chainman started away to measure the distance. From up thehillside came sounds of smothered but very bad language. 

"There's our friend Peter again, " Tom chuckled to Rutter. 

"Yes, and the ruffian may open on you again at any moment, " warnedJack, keeping an anxious glance turned in the direction whencecame the disturbing voice of Bad Pete. 

"Oh, I don't think he will, " drawled Tom, making a hand signalto the leading chainman to step a little more to the left. "Ihope not, anyway, for the noise of revolver shots takes my thoughtsaway from my work. "

Jack Rutter said no more after that, though through the rest ofthe afternoon he kept an alert lookout for signs of Pete. Therewere none, however. Rather earlier than usual, on account ofthe distance back to camp, Rutter knocked off work for the entireparty and the start on the return to camp was made. 

Harry Hazelton was considerably excited when he heard the newsof the firing on his chum. Reade, however, appeared to be butlittle interested in the subject. 

Pete was not in camp that evening. 

Rutter went at once to the tent of the chief, to tell him howwell the "cubs" had done during the day. Nor did Jack forgetto relate the encounter with Bad Pete. 

Just as the underlings of the staff were seating themselves aroundthe table in their mess, Mr. Thurston thrust his head in at thedoorway. 

"Reade, " called the chief engineer, "I have heard about your troublewith Pete today. "

"There wasn't any real trouble, sir, " Tom answered. 

"Fortunately for you, Reade, Pete didn't intend to hit you. Ifhe had meant to do so, he'd have done it. I've seen him shootall the spots out of a ten of clubs. Don't provoke the fellow, Reade, or he'll shoot you full of fancy holes. Of course it showedboth grit and coolness on your part in keeping steadily on withyour work all the time the fellow was firing at you. Still, itwas unwise to expose yourself needlessly to danger. "

"I didn't consider Bad Pete particularly dangerous, " Tom rejoined. 

"A lawless man with a loaded revolver is hardly a safe personto trifle with, " retorted Mr. Thurston dryly. 

"I see that I shall have to make a confession, " smiled Tom. "Itwas this way, sir. When Hazelton and I were on our way west Harryinsisted that we were coming into a dangerous country and thatwe'd need firearms. So Harry bought two forty-five six-shootersand several boxes of cartridges, too. I was provoked when I heardabout it, for we hadn't any too much money, and Harry had boughtthe revolvers out of our joint treasury. "

"I felt sure we'd need the pistols, " interrupted Hazelton. "Today'saffair shows that I was right. Tom, you'll have to carry oneof the revolvers after this. "

"I'm no gun-packer, " retorted Tom scornfully. "Young men haveno business carting firearms about unless they're hunting or goingto war. Any fellow who carries a pistol as he would a lead pencilis either a coward or a lunatic. "

"I'm glad to hear you say that, Reade, " nodded Mr. Thurston approvingly. "Two of my staff carry pistols, but they do so under my orders. In the first place they're grown men, not boys. In the secondplace, they're working over a stretch of ground where rattlesnakesare thick. Your coolness today served you better than a pistolwould have done. If you had had a revolver, and had drawn it, Pete would have drilled you through the head. "

"Drilled me through the head---with what?" asked Tom, smiling. 

"With a bullet, of course, young man, " retorted Mr. Thurston. 

"I don't believe he would have gone as far as that, " laughed Tom. "You see, sir, it was like this: When I found Harry so set oncarrying a pistol, I went down deep in my own pocket and boughttwo boxes of blank cartridges to fit the forty-fives. I thoughtif Harry were going to do some shooting, it would be the partof friendship to fix him so that he could do it in safety to himselfand others. "

Harry's face turned decidedly red. He was beginning to feel foolish. 

"Now, this morning, " Tom continued, "when I got the khaki outof my dunnage, I ran across the blanks. I don't know what mademe do it, but I dropped the box of blanks into one of my pockets. This noon, when I went off to find a stream where I could washup, I almost stepped on our friend Peter, asleep under a bush. For greater comfort he had taken off his belt and holster. Somehow, I didn't like the idea of his being there. As softly as I couldI crept close. I emptied his revolver and fitted in blanks frommy own box. Then I took about twenty cartridges out of Peter'sbelt and replaced them with blanks. "

"Do you mean to tell me, " broke in Rutter, "that Bad Pete, whenhe turned his revolver loose on you, was shooting nothing butblanks?"

"That was all he had to shoot, " Tom returned coolly. "And blankswere all he had in his belt to reload with. Don't you rememberwhen we heard him making a noise up the hillside, and talkingin dots and dashes!"

"I do, " nodded Rutter, looking half dazed. 

"That, " grinned Reade, "was when he started in to reload? anddiscovered that he had nothing on hand but temperance cartridges. Here-----" Tom began to unload one of his pockets upon the woodentable before the astonished eyes of the others. There was a mixtureof his own blank cartridges with the real ammunition that he hadstealthily abstracted from Bad Pete's revolver and belt. 

Such a whoop of glee ascended that the head chainman came runningfrom the other nearby mess tent to see what was up. 

"Just a little joke among our youngsters, my man, " explained Mr. Thurston. "The young gentlemen are going to keep the joke tothemselves for the present, though. "

So the mystified and disappointed chainman returned to his owncrowd. 

"Let me see, Reade, " continued Mr. Thurston, turning once moreto Tom, "what is your salary?"

"I was taken on, sir, at forty dollars a month, as a starter, "Tom replied. 

"A young man with your size of head is worth more than that tothe company. We'll call it fifty a month, Reade, and keep oureyes on you for signs of further improvement, " said the chiefengineer, as he turned to go back to his own waiting dinner. 

CHAPTER VI

THE BITE FROM THE BUSH

From the time that they parted in the morning, until they startedto go back to camp in the afternoon, Tom and Harry did not meetthe next day. Each, with his chainmen, was served from Bob'sburro train at noon. 

"Did you see Bad Pete today?" was Harry's greeting, as they Startedback over the trail. 

"No. "

"Did you hear from him or of him in any way?" pressed Hazelton. 

"Not a sign of any sort from Peter, " Tom went on. "I've a theoryas to what's keeping him away. He's on a journey. "

"Journey?"

"Yes; between you and me, I believe that Peter has gone in searchof someone who can sell him, or give him, a few forty-five cartridges. "

"He'd better apply to you, then, Tom, " grinned Harry. 

"Why, I couldn't sell him any, " Tom replied. 

"What did you do with those you had last night?"

"You remember the unfordable pond that came in one of my coursesyesterday?"

"Yes. "

"To-day I threw all of Peter's . 45's into the middle of the pond. They must have sunk a foot into the mud by this time. "

"Seriously, Tom, don't you believe that you'd better take oneof the revolvers that I bought and wear it on a belt?"

"Not I, " retorted Reade. "Harry, I wish you could get that sortof foolishness out of your head. A revolver is of no possibleuse to a man who hasn't any killing to do. I'm trying to learnto be a civil engineer, not a man-killer. "

"Then I believe that Bad Pete will 'get' you one of these days, "sighed Hazelton. 

"Wait until he does, " smiled Tom. "Then you can have the funof coming around and saying 'I told you so. '"

Their chainmen were ahead of the "cub" engineers on the trail. Tom and Harry were talking earnestly when they heard a pony'shoofs behind them. Hazelton turned with a start. 

"Oh, it's Rutter mounted, " Hazelton said, with a sigh of relief. "I was afraid it was Bad Pete. "

"Take my word for it, Harry. Peter is a good deal of a coward. He won't dare to show up until he has some real cartridges. The temperance kind do not give a man like Peter any real senseof security in the world. "

Rutter rode along on his sure-footed mountain pony at a rapidjog. When he came close, Tom and Harry stepped aside into thebrush to let him go by on the narrow trail. 

"Don't get off into the brush that way, " yelled Rutter from thedistance. 

"We're trying to give you room, " Tom called. 

"I don't need the room yet. I won't run over you, anyway. Stand outof the brush, I tell you. "

Tom good-humoredly obeyed, Harry moving, too, though startingan instant later. 

Prompt as he was, however, Tom Reade was a fraction of a secondtoo late. 

Behind them there was a half-whirring, half-clicking sound. 

Then Reade felt a stinging sensation in his left leg three orfour inches from the heel. 

"Look out!" yelled Rutter, more excitedly than before. "Get awayfrom there!"

Tom ran some distance down the trail. Then he halted, laughing. 

"I wonder what's on Rut's mind, " he smiled, as Hazelton joinedhim. 

Jack Rutter came at a gallop, reining up hard as he reached whereTom had stood. 

Again that whirring, clicking sound. Rutter's pony reared. 

"Still, you brute!" commanded Rutter sternly. Then, without waitingto see whether his mount would stand alone, Rutter leaped fromsaddle, going forward with his quirt---a rawhide riding whip---uplifted. 

Into the brush from which Tom had stepped Rutter went cautiously, though he did not lose much time about it. 

Swish! swish! swish! sounded the quirt, as Rutter laid it onthe ground ahead of him. Then he stepped out. The pony had drawnback thirty or forty feet and now stood trembling, nostrils distended. 

"Is that the way you take your exercise?" Reade demanded. 

Rutter, however, came running along the trail, his face whiteas though from worry. 

"Reade, " he demanded, "Did that thing strike you?"

"What thing, " asked Tom in wonderment. 

"The rattler that I killed!"

"Rattler?" gasped both cub engineers. 

"Yes. From the distance I thought I saw it strike out at you. There's a nest of the reptiles at some point near that brush. That's why I warned you to get away from there. Never standin brush, in the Rockies, unless you've looked before stepping. Were you struck?"

"I believe something did sting me, " Reade admitted, rememberingthat smarting sensation in his left leg. 

"Which leg was it? demanded Rutter, halting beside the cub. 

"Left---a little above the ankle, " replied Tom. 

"Take off your legging. I must have a look. Hazelton, call toone of your chainmen and send him back to make sure of my pony. "

Harry hastened to obey, then came back breathless. Rutter, inthe meantime, had turned up enough of Tom's left trousers' legto bare a spot on the flesh that was red. There were fang marksin the centre of this reddened surface. 

"You got it, boy, " spoke Rutter huskily. "Now we'll have to goto work like lightning to save you. "

"How are you going to do it?" asked Tom coolly, though he feltdecidedly queer over the startling news. 

"Hazelton, " demanded Rutter, turning upon the other cub engineer, "have you nerve enough to put your lips to that wound, and draw, draw draw as hard as you can, and keep on until you've drawn allthe poison out?"

"I have, " nodded Harry, sinking to his knees beside his chum. "I'll draw all the poison out if I have to swallow enough tokill me. "

"You won't poison yourself, Hazelton, " replied Rutter quickly, as one of the chainmen came near with the recaptured pony. "Snakevenom isn't deadly in the stomach---only when it gets into theblood direct. There's no danger unless you've a cut or a deepscratch in your mouth. Spit the stuff out as you draw. "

Having given these directions, Jack Rutter turned, with the helpof one of the chainmen to fasten a blanket behind the saddle tomake a sort of extra saddle. The blanket had been lying rolledat the back of the saddle. 

Harry, in the meantime, without flinching, performed his taskwell. Had he but known it, Rutter's explanation of the lack ofdanger was true; but in that moment, with his chum's life at stake, Harry didn't care a fig whether the explanation were true or not. All he thought of was saving Tom. 

"I reckon that part of the job has been done well, " nodded Rutter, turning back from the horse. "Now, Reade, I want you to mountbehind me and hold on tightly, for we're going to do some hard, swift riding. The sooner we get you to camp the surer you willbe of coming out of this scrape all right. "

"I've never had much experience in horsemanship, and I may outa sorry figure at it, " laughed Reade, as, with Harry's help hegot up behind Rutter. 

"Horsemanship doesn't count---speed does, " replied Rutter tersely. "Hold on tightly, and we'll make as good time as possible. I'mgoing to start now. "

Away they went, at a hard gallop, Tom doing his best to hold on, but feeling like a jumping-jack. 

"It won't take us more than twenty minutes, " promised Jack Rutter. 

CHAPTER VII

WHAT A SQUAW KNEW

All the way to camp Rutter kept the pony at a hard gallop. 

"Thurston! Mr. Thurston!" he shouted. "Be quick, please!"

Even as the young man called, Mr. Thurston ran out of his tent. 

"You know something about rattlesnake bites, I believe?" Rutterwent on hurriedly, as Tom Reade slipped to the ground. "The boyhas been bitten by one and we'll have to work quickly. "

"Don't bring any liquor, though, " objected Reade, leaning up againsta tree. "If liquor is your cure for snakebites I prefer to takemy chances with the bite. "

"Get the shoe off and roll up the trousers, " directed the chiefengineer, without loss of words. "Fortunately, I believe we havesomeone here who knows more about treating the bites than I do. Squaw!"

An Indian woman who had been sitting on the grass before the chief'stent, a medley pack of Indian baskets arranged before her, glanced up. 

"Snake! You know what to do, " went on Mr. Thurston hurriedly. "Youknow what to do----eh? Pay you well. "

At the last three magic words the aged squaw rose and hobbled quicklyforward. 

"Take boy him tent, " directed the Indian woman. 

"I can walk, " remarked Tom. 

"No; they take you. Heap better, " commanded the woman. 

Instantly Mr. Thurston and Rutter took hold of Tom, raising himinto their arms. Through the flap of his tent they bore him, depositing him on his cot. The Indian woman followed them inside. 

"Now you go out, " she ordered, with a sweep of her hand. "Sendhim cookman. Hot water---heap boil. "

Thus ordered, Jake Wren came on the run with a kettle of boilingwater. The Indian squaw received it with a grunt, ordering thatbowls and cups be also brought. When Wren came the second timehe lingered curiously. 

"You go out; no see what do, " said the squaw. 

So Jake departed, the squaw tying the flap of the tent after hehad gone. Then, from the bosom of her dress she drew out a fewsmall packages of herbs. The contents of these she distributedin different bowels and cups. 

"I'd like to see what the old witch is doing, and how she's doingit, " declared Rutter in a whisper. 

"She'll stop short if she catches you looking in on her, " repliedthe chief, with a smile. "For some reason these Indians are veryjealous of their secrets in treating snakebites. They're wizards, though, these same red-skinned savages. "

"You believe, then, that she can pull Reade through?" asked Ruttereagerly. 

"If she knows her business, and if there's any such thing as savingthe boy she'll do it, " declared Mr. Thurston, as they reachedthe door of the chief's tent. "Will you come inside, Rutter!You look badly broken up. "

"I am, and I shall be, just as long as Reade is in any danger, "Rutter admitted. "Reade is a mighty fine boy and I'm fond ofhim. Besides, more than a little of our success in getting theroad through on time depends on the boy. "

"Is Reade really so valuable, then?"

"He goes over the course, Mr. Thurston, as rapidly as any manin our corps, and his work is very accurately done. Moreover, he never kicks. If you told him to work half the night, on topof a day's work, he'd do it. "

"Then Reade, if he recovers, must be watched and rewarded foranything he does for us, " murmured Mr. Thurston. 

"Don't say, 'if he recovers, ' chief, " begged Jack. "I hate tothink of his not pulling through from this snakebite. "

"What became of the reptile that did the trick?" asked Mr. Thurston. 

"That crawler will never bite anything else, " muttered Rutter. "I got the thing with my riding quirt. "

Not very long after Harry Hazelton reached camp, well in advanceof the chainmen, for Harry, good school athlete that he was, hadjog-trotted every step of the way in. 

"Where's Tom?" Hazelton demanded. 

"Here, " called a voice from Reade's tent. 

Hazelton turned in that direction, but Mr. Thurston looked outfrom the large tent, calling:

"Don't go there now, Hazelton. You wouldn't be admitted. Come here. "

Despite his long run, Harry's face displayed pallor as he camebreathlessly into Mr. Thurston's field abode. In a few words, however, the lad was acquainted with the situation as far as ithad developed. 

In the meantime what was the squaw doing with Tom? It must beadmitted that Reade hadn't any too clear an idea. The gaunt oldred woman poured hot water, small quantities at a time, into thebowls and cups in which she had distributed the herbs. Then shestirred vigorously, in the meantime muttering monotonously inher own language. 

"She isn't relying on the herbs alone, " muttered Tom curiouslyto himself. "She's working up some kind of incantation. I wonderwhat effect she expects an Indian song to have on snake poison?"

Presently the squaw turned, bringing one of the cupfuls to thewounded boy. 

"Sit up, " she ordered. "Drink!"

Tom nearly dropped it, it was so hot. 

"Drink!" repeated the squaw. 

"But it's so hot it'll burn my gullet out, " remonstrated Reade. 

"You know more I do?" demanded the squaw stolidly. "Drink!"

Tom took a sip, and shuddered from the intense heat of the stuff. 

"Humph! White man him heap papoose!" muttered the squaw, scornfully. "You want live, drink!"

Tom took a longer swallow of the hot stuff. Whew, but it wasbitter!

"The bronze lady is trying to turn me inside out!" gasped theboy to himself. 

"Drink---all down!" commanded the squaw with scarcely less scornthan before in her voice. 

This time Tom took a hard grip on himself and swallowed all theliquid. For a moment, he thought the nauseating stuff would kill him. 

"Now, eat grass, " ordered the squaw. 

"Meaning eat these herbs, " demanded Tom, glancing up. 

"Yes. Heap quick. "

"To make a fellow eat these herbs after drinking the brew fromthem is what I call rubbing it in, " grimaced Reade. 

"Now, this, " continued the squaw, calmly handing a second cupto Tom. 

"It's all right for _you_ to be calm, " thought Tom, as he tookthe cup from her. "All you have to do is to stand by and watchme. You don't have to drink any of these fearful messes. "

However, Tom brought all his will power into play, swallowinga second brew, compared with which the first had been delicious. 

"Eat this grass, too"? inquired Tom, gazing at the squaw. 

"Yes. "

Tom obeyed. 

"I shall be very, very careful not to meet any more snakes, " heshuddered, after getting the second dose down. 

Now the squaw busied herself with spreading soaked herbs on apiece of cloth that she had torn from one of Tom's white shirts'to which she had helped herself from his dunnage box. 

"What's a dollar shirt, anyway, when an interesting young man'slife is at stake" mused Reade. "Ow---ow---ooch!"

"You baby---papoose?" inquired the squaw calmly. She had slappedon Tom's leg, over the bite, a poultice that, to his excited mind, was four hundred degrees hotter than boiling water. 

"Oh, no, " grimaced Tom. "That's fine and soothing. But it'sgrowing cool. Haven't you something hotter?"

Just five seconds later Reade regretted his rashness, for, snatchingoff the first poultice, the squaw slapped on a second that seemed, in some way, ten times more powerful---and twenty times hotter. 

"It's queer what an awful amount of heat a squaw can get out ofa kettle of hot water, thought the suffering boy. I'll wagersome of the heat is due to the herbs themselves. O-o-o-o-ow! Ouch!"

For now the third poultice, most powerful of all, was in place, and Mrs. Squaw was binding it on as though she intended it neverto come off. 

Two minutes after that Tom Reade commenced to retch violently. With a memory of the messes that he had swallowed he didn't wonder. The squaw now stepped outside, calling for coffee. This wasbrought. Tom was obliged to drink several cupfuls, after whichhe began to feel decidedly more comfortable. 

"Now, take nap, " advised the squaw, and quitted the tent. 

"The bronze lady seems to know what she's doing, " thought Tom. "I guess I'll take the whole of her course of treatment. " Thereuponhe turned his face to the wall. Within sixty seconds he slept. 

"How's Reade?" demanded Harry, rising eagerly as the squaw steppedinside the chief's tent. 

"He sleep, " muttered the squaw. 

"He---he---isn't dead!" choked Harry, turning deathly pale. 

"You think I make death medicine?" demanded the squaw scornfully. "You think me heap fool?"

"The young man will be all right, squaw?" asked Mr. Thurston. 

"Humph! Maybe, " grunted the red woman. "Yes, I think so. Youknow bimeby. "

"That's the Indian contempt for death, " explained the chief engineer, turning to Harry. "I imagine that Reade is doing all right, orshe wouldn't have left him. "

However, Hazelton was not satisfied with that. He slipped out, crossed camp and stealthily peeped inside of the tent. ThenHazelton slipped back to Mr. Thurston to report. 

"If Tom doesn't swallow some of those big snores of his, and choketo death, I think he'll get well, " said Harry, with a laugh thattestified to the great relief that had come to his feelings. Withthat all hands had to be content for the time being. 

CHAPTER VIII

'GENE BLACK, TROUBLE-MAKER

In the morning Tom Reade declared that he was all right. Theold Indian squaw had pronounced him safe, and had gone on her way. 

"You'll stay in camp today, Reade, " announced Mr. Thurston, droppinginto the mess tent. 

"With all the work there is ahead of us, sir?" cried Reade aghast. 

"That's why you'll stay, " nodded Mr Thurston. "Your life hasbeen saved, but after the shock you had yesterday you're not asstrong as you may feel. One day of good rest in camp will fityou for what's ahead of us in the days to come. The strain oftramping miles and working like a steam engine all day is notto be thought of for you today. Tomorrow you'll go out with therest. "

Tom sighed. True, he did not feel up to the mark, and was eatinga very light breakfast. Still he chafed at the thought of inactionfor a whole day. 

"The chief wouldn't order you to stay in, " remarked Blaisdell, after Mr. Thurston had gone, "unless he knew that to be the bestthing for you. "

So, after the engineers, their chainmen and rodmen had left campTom wandered about disconsolately. He tried to talk to the cook, but Jake and his helper were both rushed in getting the meal thatwas to be taken out over the trail by burro train. 

"Lonely, Reade?" called the chief from his tent. 

"Yes, sir, " Tom nodded. "I wish I had something to do. "

"Perhaps I can find work for you in here. Come in. "

Tom entered eagerly. Mr. Thurston was seated at the large table, a mass of maps and field notes before him. 

"How are you on drawing, Reade?" queried his chief. 

"Poor, sir. "

"Never had any training in that line?"

"I can draw the lines of a map, sir, and get it pretty straight, as far as the mathematics of map-drawing goes, " Tom answered. "But another man has to go over my work and put in the fine touchesof the artist. You know what I mean, sir; the fancy fixings ofa map. "

"Yes, I know, " nodded Mr. Thurston. "I can sympathize with you, too, Reade, for, though I always longed to do artistic platting(map-work) I was always like yourself, and could do only the mathematicalpart of it. You can help me at that, however, if you are carefulenough. Take a seat at that drawing table; and I'll see whatyou can do. "

First, Reade stepped to a box that held map paper. Taking outa sheet, he placed it on the surface of the drawing table, thenstuck in thumb-tacks at each of the four corners. 

"All ready, sir, " he announced. 

Mr. Thurston stepped over with an engineer's field note book. 

"See if these notes are all clear, " directed the chief engineer. 

"Yes, sir; I know what the notes call for, " Tom answered confidently. 

"Then I'll show you just what's wanted Reade, " continued the chief. 

After some minutes of explanation Tom picked up the T-square, placing the top at the side of the drawing surface. Then againstthe limb of the "T" Tom laid the base of a right-angled triangle. Along this edge he drew his perpendicular north-and-south linein the upper left-hand corner. He crossed this with a shorterline at right angles, establishing his east-and-west line. Mr. Thurston, standing at the cub engineer is back, looked on closely. 

Tom now settled on his beginning point, and made the dot withhis pencil. From that point he worked rapidly, making all hismeasurements and dotting his points. Then he began to draw in. The chief engineer went back to his table. 

After Tom had worked an hour the chief interrupted him. 

"Now, Reade, get up and let me sit down there for a little while. I want to go over your work. "

For some minutes Mr. Thurston checked off the lad's work. 

"You really know what you are doing, Reade, " he said at last. "Your line measurements are right, and your angles tally faultlessly, I'm glad I kept you back today. You can help me here even morethan in the field. Tomorrow, however, I shall have to keep Riceback. He's our ornamental draughtsman, and puts in the fine, flowery work on our maps. Here's some of his work. "

Tom gazed intently at the sheet that Mr. Thurston spread for hisinspection. 

"Rice does it well, " remarked Reade thoughtfully. "You've oneother man in the corps who can do the pretty draughting about as well. "

"Who is he?"

"Hazelton. Harry doesn't do the mathematical part as easily asI do, but he has a fine talent for fancy drawing, sir. "

"Then I'll try Hazelton tonight, " decided Mr. Thurston aloud. "You may go on with your drawing now, Reade. Hello; someoneis coming into camp. "

Mr. Thurston stepped over to the doorway in time to see a youngman riding up on a pony. 

"Where's the chief engineer?" called the newcomer. 

"You're looking at him, " replied Mr. Thurston. 

The young man, who appeared to be about twenty-eight years ofage, rode his horse to a near-by tree, then dismounted gracefullyand tied his mount. 

The young man was well-built, dark-haired and smooth-faced, withsnapping black eyes. There was an easy, half-swaggering graceabout him suggesting one who had seen much of free life in theopen air. For one attired for riding in saddle over mountaintrails the stranger was not a little of a dandy in appearance. His khaki trousers and leggings, despite his probably long ride, were spotless. His dark-blue flannel shirt showed no speck ofdust; his black, flowing tie was perfection; his light-hued sombrerolooked as though it had just left the store. 

"If you are Mr. Thurston, I have the honor to present a letter, "was the stranger's greeting as he entered the large tent. 

Mr. Thurston glanced at the envelope, reading: "Mr. Eugene Black. "

"Be seated, Mr. Black, " requested the chief, then opened the letter. 

"Oh, you're a new engineer, sent out from the offices in New York, "continued the chief. 

"Yes, " smiled the newcomer. 

"An experienced engineer, the vice-president of the company informsme. "

"Six years of experience, " smiled the newcomer, showing his white, handsome teeth. 

Tom glanced up just in time to see that smile. "Somehow, I don'tquite like the looks of Mr. Black, " Reade decided. 

"What is your especial line of work, Mr. Black?" Thurston continued. 

"Anything in usual field work, sir. "

"This letter states that you expect one hundred and twenty-fivedollars a month. "

"Then the letter is correct, sir. "

"All right, Mr. Black; we'll put you at work and let you provethat you're worth it, " smiled Mr. Thurston pleasantly. 

"How soon shall I go to work, sir?" asked Black. 

"I expect my assistant, Mr. Blaisdell, here in about an hour. I'll send you out with him when he returns to field. "

"Then, if you're through with me at present, sir, I'll step outsideand be within call. "

Tom and his chief were again alone. Reade kept steadily on withhis work, and no word was spoken for half an hour. Then therecame a commotion in camp, for four drovers came in with two dozenhorses that had been ordered for the use of the engineering party. 

"Step outside, Reade, and see the horses, if you care to do so, "suggested Mr. Thurston, reaching for his sombrero. 

"Thank you, sir; but the horses will keep, and I'm greatly interestedin finishing my drawing so that I can take up more work. "

"That young cub, Reade, is no idler. " thought the chief, as hestepped into the open. 

Tom kept steadily at work. 

Ten minutes later, Thurston still being absent, Eugene Black strolledinto the tent. He glanced at Tom's drawing with some contempt, then inquired:

"Drawing, boy?"

"Why, not?" laughed Tom. "I'm only one of the stable boys, and, as you can see, I'm currying a horse. "

"Stop that sort of nonsense with me, right at the start, " flashedBlack angrily, striding closer. "I don't allow boys to be freshwith me. "

"Where's the boy?" drawled Tom, turning slightly, for a better view \of the stranger's face. 

"You're one, " snapped Black. 

"What are you?" Tom asked curiously. 

"I'm an engineer. "

"If that is anything to be chesty about, then I'm an engineer also, "Reade replied, rising. 

"Sit down, boy!" commanded Black angrily. 

The trace of frown on Reade's face disappeared. He smiledgood-humoredly as he observed. 

"Black, I'm a bit uncertain about you. "

"_Mister_ Black, boy!" warned the other, his dark eyes snapping. "Why are you uncertain about me?"

"I'm wondering, " purred Tom gently, "whether you are just _trying_to be offensive, or whether you don't know any better than to talkand act the way you do?"

"You young puppy, I'll teach you something right now, " cried Black, stepping closer and raising a clenched fist. 

"Look out, " begged Tom. "You'll upset my drawing table. "

Eugene Black closed in, striking out. Reade who felt that thesituation didn't call for any fighting, retreated, still smiling. 

Whether by accident or design, Black, as he made a half turn tostart after the cub engineer anew, brushed a corner of the unstabledrawing table hard enough to tip it over. A bottle of drawingink fell, too, splashing ugly black blotches over Tom's carefullydrawn outlines of a map. 

"Now, you've done it!" exclaimed Tom. 

"I haven't quite finished, " snapped the stranger, rushing after Reade. 

"I'm going to box your ears soundly, boy!"

"Are you, indeed?" demanded Tom, halting. He was still smiling, but there was a stern look in his eyes. Tom no longer retreated, but stood awaiting Black's assault. 

Blanks fist shot out straight, but Reade didn't stop the blow. Instead, he ducked low. When he came up his arms enveloped Black'slegs in one of the swift football tackles that Tom had learnedwith the Gridley High School football team. 

"You annoy me, " drawled Tom, and hurled the fellow ten feet away. Black landed on his back with an angry roar, followed by cursing. 

"Profanity is always objectionable to a gentleman, " declared Tomdryly, running over ere the newcomer could regain his feet. Oncemore Reade bent and rose. As he did so, Eugene Black shot throughthe tent doorway, landing on the ground a dozen feet beyond. 

Tom stood in the doorway, smiling. Black leaped to his feet. 

"You puppy!" gasped Black, sending his right hand back to hiship pocket. Tom didn't wait to see what he would bring out, butdarted forward. This time he seized the stranger in a dead tackle, dropping him over on his back without throwing him. 

"Now, roll over, " ordered Reade grimly. "I'm curious to see whatyou have in your pocket. Ah! So---this is it! You're anotherPeter Bad, are you?"

Tom held in one hand a silver-plated revolver with ivory handlethat he had snatched out of Black's pocket. 

"I wonder why it is, " mocked Tom, grinning, "that nine out ofevery ten dude tenderfeet from the east come west with one ofthese things. "

Black charged the cub, intent on recapturing his pistol, but Readeshot out a foot, tripping him. Then Tom ran nimbly over to thecook tent. Here he halted, breaking the weapon at the breechand allowing the cartridges to drop into his hand. He transferredthem to his pocket, then wheeled and picked up Jake's kitchenhatchet. 

With a few swift strokes from the head of the hatchet Tom putthat firearm on the retired list for good. 

"Give me my pistol, boy!" choked Black, running up. 

"Certainly, " rejoined Reade, wheeling and politely offering theruined firearm. "I don't want it. I've no use for such things"

Black took his weapon, gasped, then, seizing it by the barrel, leaped at Tom, intent on battering his head. 

"Here, what's the trouble?" cried Mr. Thurston, appearing aroundthe corner of the cook house and promptly seizing Black by thecollar of his flannel shirt. 

"Nothing much, sir, " laughed Tom. "Mr. Black has just been showingme how bad men behave out in this part of the country. "

"This boy is a troublesome cub, Mr. Thurston, " declared Blackhotly. "Do you see what he has done to my revolvers"

"How did Reade come to have it?" inquired Mr. Thurston. 

"He snatched it away from me. "

"Reade, is this true?" demanded the chief engineer, turning tothe youth. 

"Yes, sir; as far as the story goes. "

"Tell me the whole truth of this affair, " ordered Mr. Thurstonsternly. 

Tom started to do so, modestly, but Black broke in angrily atpoints in the narrative. 

"The principal thing that I have against Mr. Black, " Tom said, "is that he spoiled all my drawing work of this morning. "

"Yes; but how did I come to do it?" insisted the newcomer. "Youpushed me against your drawing table. "

Tom started with astonishment. 

"My friend, " he remarked, "Baron Munchausen never had anythingon you!"

"Careful, Reade! Don't pass the lie, " ordered the chief engineersternly. "I shall look fully into this matter, but at presentI'm inclined to believe that you're more at fault than is Black. Return to the tent and start your drawing over again. "

There was a smile again on Tom's face as he turned back to makehis spoiled work good. 

Mr. Thurston went back to his inspection of the ponies. Later, the chief engineer was able to pick up some details of the troublefrom Jake Wren, who had seen Black reach for his revolver. 

"Understand two things, Mr. Black, " said the chief briskly. "Inthe first place, it is not expected that the engineers of thiscorps will find any real cause for fighting. Second, I will tolerateno pistol nonsense here. "

Then he went back to Tom Reade and spoke to him more quietly. 

"Reade, if Black doesn't turn out to be a valuable man here hewon't last long. If he is a good man, then you will find it necessary, perhaps, to use a little tact in dealing with him. Did you noticewhat snapping black eyes the man has? Men with such black eyesare usually impulsive. Remember that. "

"I never thought of that before, sir, " Tom admitted dryly. "Ireally didn't know that people with black eyes are impulsive. This I do know, however, people who are too impulsive generallyget black eyes!"

CHAPTER IX

"DOCTORED" FIELD NOTES?

There was no more trouble---immediately. When the other engineersheard of the row---which news they obtained through Jake, notfrom Reade---they soon made it plain to 'Gene Black that Tom Readewas a favorite in the corps. Black was therefore treated witha coldness that he strove hard to overcome. 

In the matter of being a capable civil engineer 'Gene Black speedilyproved himself efficient. Assistant Chief Engineer Blaisdellsoon reported at headquarters that the new member of the corpswas an exceedingly valuable man. Black was therefore placed atthe head of a leveling squad that obtained the field notes fromwhich were to be estimated the cost of making excavations in severalcuts that must be made ere the coming tracks could be laid. 

In the days that passed Tom and Harry saw little of the fieldwork. They were kept at the chief's tent. Hence Reade had butlittle to do with 'Gene Black, which may have been fortunate, as Tom still retained his first instinctive dislike for the black-eyedfellow. 

* * * * * * * * *

"Reade and Hazelton, you two young men are going to forge aheadrapidly, and you are sure to earn good salaries, if you don'tmake the too common mistake of young engineers first startingout, " Mr. Thurston told the cubs one forenoon. 

"And what is that mistake, sir, if you please?" Tom queried. 

"Don't make the mistake of getting too large an idea of the valueof your services, " replied the chief. "Just work hard all thetime and be wholly unassuming. 

"I think we can follow that advice, sir, " Tom replied, with asmile. 

"If you can, you'll get along rapidly. I have already writtento our officers in New York, thanking them for having sent youtwo young men. "

"Here's the map I have just finished, sir, " said Harry, risingfrom his drawing table on which were arranged the various draughtsman'sinks and washes---the latter being thin solutions of water colorswith which some parts of the maps were colored. 

"Very handsomely done, Hazelton. Reade, what are you doing?"

"I'm at work on Black's field notes of the leveling, " Tom answered. 

"I am very much pleased with Black's work, " replied Mr. Thurston. "His notes show that we are going to get out of the excavatingin the cuts at about one third of the trouble and expense thatI had looked for. "

"Black's field notes certainly do look good, sir, for they showthat you can get the work through on this division in much lesstime than you had supposed. "

As he turned around to speak, Tom sat where he could easily seethe colored field map that Harry had just turned in to the chief. 

"Hold on, there, Harry, " Tom objected. 

"You've lined in a pretty high hill on Section Nineteen. You'llhave to cut that down a bit. "

"The surveyor's field notes call for that hill, " Hazelton retorted. 

"But, as it happens, " objected Tom, "I'm just working out theprofile drawing of Section Nineteen from Black's notes. See here-----"Tom rested a pencil point on a portion of the hill depicted onHazelton's map. "You've drawn that pretty steep. Now, as you'llsee by Black's notes, the upgrade at that point is only a threeper cent. Grade. "

"Humph! It's all of an eight per cent. Grade, " grunted Hazelton. "See, here are the surveyor's field notes. "

"Three per cent. Grade, " insisted Tom, holding forward Black'sleveling notes. 

"There's a difference there, then, that must be reconciled, " brokein Mr. Thurston, rising, a look of annoyance on his face. "Wecan't have any such disagreement as that between the field mapand the profile sheet. Let us find out, at once, where the troublelies. "

Yet the more the three pondered over the matter the greater becamethe puzzle. The notes of the surveyor, Matt Rice, and of theleveler, 'Gene Black, were at utter variance. 

"We must get hold of these men as soon as they come in tonight, "exclaimed Mr. Thurston, much disturbed. "We must find out justwhich one is at fault. "

"Rice is a very reliable man, sir, " spoke up Tom. 

"Yes; but Blaisdell reports that Black thoroughly understandshis work, too, " grumbled the chief. "We must settle this tonight. "

"May I make a suggestion, sir?" asked Tom. 

"Certainly. Go ahead. "

"There is no use, sir, in my going ahead with this profile drawing, if there's a chance that the sights turned in by Black are wrong. Until we know, my time at this drawing board may all be wasted. Trotter, one of the rodmen, is in camp today. I might take him, and a level along, and go over the foresights and backsights myself. All of the stakes will be in place. In two hours I ought tohave a very good set of leveling notes. Then I can bring themback and compare them with Black's sights. "

"Can you run a level well?" inquired Mr. Thurston. 

"Of course I can, sir. It's simple enough work, and I've donea good bit of it in the east. "

"Go along, then, and see if you can throw any light on this, "sighed the disturbed chief. 

"Reade really ought to have two rodmen, " broke in Harry eagerly. "May I go along, sir, to serve as the other rodman?"

"Run along, " assented Mr. Thurston. "Remember, boys, I can'tgo any further until this tangle is settled. Come back as speedilyas you can. "

Tom and Harry snatched up their sombreros, hurrying forth. Trotterwas found readily, and was ordered to saddle three ponies. Tombusied himself in picking out the best leveling instrument incamp, while Hazelton secured the rods and a chain. Then the partyset forth in Indian file, Tom riding in advance. 

A trot of half an hour brought them to Section Nineteen. HereTom speedily adjusted his instrument, taking up his post overthe first stake at the bottom of the hill. 

Leveling is not difficult work, though it calls for some judgmentand a good deal of care. For instance, when Tom set his telescopeexactly level and took a reading of the rod at the second stake, which Harry held, he read the height as eight feet and four inches. Then he trudged forward, carrying his instrument, while Trotterheld his rod exactly perpendicular over the first stake. Fromthe second stake Tom sighted back through his telescope, readingtwo feet three inches. The difference between these two readingswas six feet and one inch, showing that, for the distance betweenfirst and second stakes the rise in the hillside was six feetone inch. Thereupon Reade turned and sighted, from stake numbertwo to stake number three, noting in his book the reading he securedfrom the rod at number three. Once at number three he turnedhis telescope backward, taking a reading from Trotter's rod atnumber two. Ten stakes were thus covered, and not only were theforesights and backsights read and recorded, but the distancebetween each pair of stakes was measured with the chain and thedistances entered on the record. 

At stake number ten Tom halted. 

"Harry, " he directed, "you take Black's leveling notes and holdthem while I read my own notes. Stop me every time that you notea difference between the two records. "

After that Harry steadily stopped his chum at every reading. By the time that they had finished the comparisons Hazelton'sface looked blank from sheer astonishment. 

"Why, every single one of Blacks foresights and backsights iswrong!" gasped Harry. "And yet Mr. Blaisdell reported that 'GeneBlack is such a fine engineer. "

Tom turned to make sure that Trotter was resting out of hearingbefore he replied:

"Harry, Black isn't such a fool as to bring in an absolutely wrongrecord of sights, and yet do it innocently. If he didn't do itunintentionally, then he must have tangled the record purposely. "

"But why should he do it purposely?" Harry insisted. "He wouldknow that, sooner or later, his blunders or lies would be discovered, and that he would be discharged. Now, Black really wants to holdhis job with this outfit. "

"Does he?" asked Tom bluntly. 

"Why, what do you mean?"

"I don't know, " Reade confessed. "I never heard of any such bungleas this before by an engineer. Why, Harry, this hillside averagesan eight and a third grade, yet Black's field notes show it tobe only a three per cent. Grade. Hang it, the fellow must haveplayed the trick purposely!"

"Yet why?" pressed Hazelton. 

"I'll admit that I can't understand. Unless, well---unless-----"

"Say it!"

"Unless Black joined this outfit with the express purpose ofqueering all the work of the entire corps as he could easilydo. Harry, do you think that Black could possibly be servingwith this outfit as the paid tool of the rival road, the W. C. & A. ? Can he be the enemy's spy within our lines---sent to preventour finishing the road on time?"

CHAPTER X

THINGS BEGIN TO GO DOWN HILL

"I suppose I'm thick, " Harry murmured. "How would Black, by turningin some wrong backsights and foresights, expect to delay the buildingof the road, even if he wanted to do it?"

"How?" repeated Tom Reade, showing an amount of heat and excitementthat he rarely displayed. "Why, Harry, this same old SectionNineteen is one of the hard spots on the road. A lot of excavatinghas to be done before the tracks can be laid here. It's not amere matter of scooping up dirt and removing it, either. A largeamount of solid rock has to be blasted out here before the roadbedcan be laid. "

"I know it, " Harry nodded. 

"Well, then, at the present moment our chief, Mr. Thurston, ispreparing the estimates for the work that must be done. On hisestimates will be based the strength of the laboring gangs thatmust come forward to do the work. "

"Yes. "

"Then, suppose that Mr. Thurston has been misled into making acertain estimate as to the number of thousand cubic yards of stuffthat must be taken out of the outs that are to be made. Afterhe gets his laborers here, and at work, he finds that he has atleast three times as much rock and dirt to get out-----"

"I see, " cried Hazelton. "Before the chief could get men andwagons, and make all necessary changes in the work, the time wouldhave slipped by so far that the finishing of the road would beblocked. "

"And the S. B. & L. Would lose its charter, " finished Tom grimly. 

"It's mighty lucky that we came out here today, then, " exclaimedHazelton, now fully alive to the danger that menaced their employers. "Come, we must hustle back to camp and show Mr. Thurston howhe has been imposed on. There can't be a doubt that 'Gene Blackhas been deliberately crooked. "

"Go slowly, " advised Tom. "Don't be in a rush to call any otherman a crook. Mr. Thurston can hear our report. Then he can lookinto it himself and form his own opinion. That's as far as wehave any right to go in the matter. "

"Thurston is at fault in not having come out here himself, " Harrycontinued. "The chief engineer in charge of a job should knowevery foot of the way. "

"Thurston, from the nature of his own work, is obliged to leavemuch of the detail to his assistant, Mr. Blaisdell, " Tom explained. 

"Then why doesn't Blaisdell look out that no such treacherouswork is done by any member of the engineer corps?" flared Harry. 

"'Gene Black is plainly a very competent man, " Reade argued. "The work has had to be rushed of late, and, on so simple a matteras leveling, I don't suppose Blaisdell has thought it at all necessaryto dig into Black's field notes. "

"I hope Black is fired out of this outfit, neck and crop!" finishedHazelton. 

"That's something with which we have nothing to do, " Reade retorted. "Harry, we'll confine ourselves to doing our work well and reportingour results. Mr. Thurston is intelligent enough to form all hisown conclusions when he has our report. Come, it's high timefor us to be putting the ponies to real speed on the trail back. "

Not long afterwards the young engineers rode into the engineercamp. Harry dismounted, seating himself on the ground, whileTom hurried toward the chief's big tent. 

It was Blaisdell who sat in the chief's chair when Tom entered. 

"Oh, hello, Reade, " was the assistant's pleasant greeting. 

"Where's the chief?"

"Gone back to the track builders. You know, they're within fourteenmiles of us now. "

"When will Mr. Thurston be back?"

"I don't know, " Blaisdell answered. "In the meantime, Reade, youknow, I'm acting chief here. "

"I beg your pardon, " Tom murmured hastily. 

"The chief told me, just before leaving, that you thought some ofBlack's sights on Section Nineteen are wrong, " Blaisdell pursued. 

"They're all wrong, " Reade rejoined quietly. 

"_All_?" echoed Blaisdell, opening his eyes very wide. 

"Yes, sir; everyone of them. "

"Come, come, Reade!" remonstrated the acting chief. "Don't tryto amuse yourself with me. All of the sights can't be wrong. "

"But they are, sir. Hazelton and I have been over them most carefullyin the field. Here are _our_ notes, sir. Look them over andyou'll find that Section Nineteen calls for three or four timesas much excavating as Black's notes show. "

"This is strange!" mused Blaisdell, after comparing the two setsof notes. "I can't credit it. Reade, you and Hazelton are veryyoung---mere cubs, in fact. Are you sure that you know all youowlet to know about leveling?"

"Mr. Blaisdell, I'll answer you by saying, sir, that though Hazeltonand I are nothing but cubs, we have the success of this railroadbuilding game at heart. We're deeply in earnest. We'll workourselves to our very bones in order to see this road get throughin time. I don't ask you, sir, to take our word about these sights, but we both beg you, sir, to go out with a gang of men and goover some of the work yourself. Keep on surveying, sir, untilyou're satisfied that Black is wrong and that Hazelton and I areright. You know what it would mean, sir, if we're right and youdon't find it out in time. Then you simply couldn't get the cutthrough Section Nineteen in time and the S. B. & L. Would loseits charter. "

"By Jove, you're right, " muttered Blaisdell uneasily, as he slowlystood up. "Reade, I'm going to take men and go out, carryingyour notes and Black's. Let me warn you, however, that if I findthat Black is right and you're wrong, then it will give you twocubs such a black eye that the chief will run you out of camp. "

"If we had made any such gigantic blunder as that, " returned Tomfirmly, "then we'd deserve to be run out. We wouldn't have thenerve to put in another night in camp. "

"Hey, you, don't unsaddle those ponies. Hold yourselves readyto go out, " called Blaisdell from the doorway of the tent. 

"Will you give us our orders on drawing before you go, sir?" askedReade. 

"No, " smiled Blaisdell. "If you've made a blunder out on Nineteen, then you're not to be trusted with drawing. Wait until I return. Take it easy until then. "

"Very good. "

"And---Reade!"

"Yes, sir. "

"Neither you nor Hazelton are to let a word cross your lips regardingthe disagreement over Section Nineteen. "

"You'll never have any trouble, sir, over our talking when we oughtnot to do it, " promised Reade. 

Two minutes later the assistant engineer rode out with a pair ofrodmen whom he picked up on the way to Nineteen. 

"What happened?" asked Harry, coming into the big tent. 

Tom told him all that had taken place, adding the caution thatnothing was to be said about the matter for the present. 

"Whew! I wish Mr. Blaisdell had let me go along, " murmured Hazelton. "I'd like to have seen his face when he finds out!"

Hearing footsteps approaching outside, Reade signaled for silence. Then the flap of the tent was pulled back and Bad Pete glanced in. 

"Howdy, pardners?" was the greeting from the bad man, that causedTom Reade almost to fall from his campstool. 

"How are you, Peter?" returned Tom. "This is, indeed, a pleasure. "

"Where's the boss?" continued Bad Pete. 

"If you mean Mr. Thurston, he's away. "

"Where's Blaisdell, then?"

"He hit the trail, just a few minutes ago, " Tom responded. 

"Then I suppose you have no objections if I sit in here a while?"

"Peter, " replied Tom solemnly, "you'll be conferring a great honoron us. "

The bad man's present mood was so amiable that Harry did not deemit desertion to go outside. Bad Pete had his cartridge belt restockedwith sure-enough cartridges, and his revolver swung as jauntilyin its holster as ever. Pete seemed to have no idea, however, oftrying to terrify anyone with his hardware. 

"You've been away?" suggested Tom, by way of making conversation, after an awkward silence had endured for nearly two minutes. 

"Yep, " admitted the bad one. "Pardner, it seems like home toget back. Do you know, Reade, I've taken a big liking to you?"

"Peter, " protested Tom, "if you don't look out you'll make methe vainest cub on earth. "

"I mean it, " asserted Pete. "Pardner, I've a notion me and youare likely to become big friends. "

"I never dared to hope for so much, " breathed Tom, keeping backa laugh. 

"'Cause, " continued Bad Pete, "I reckon you're one of the kindthat never goes back on a real pardner. "

"I should hope not, " Tom assured him. 

"Have a cigar?" urged Pete, doffing his sombrero and taking outa big, black weed that he tendered the cub. 

"What's the matter with it?" asked Tom curiously. 

For just a second Bad Pete's eyes flashed. Then he choked backall signs of anger as he drawled:

"The only matter with this cigar, pardner, is that it's a gen-u-wineHavana cigar. "

"I couldn't tell it from a genuine Baltimore, " asserted Tom. "But I suppose that is because I never smoked. "

"You never smoked? Pardner, you've got a lot to learn, " repliedBad Pete, as he put the cigar back in his hat and replaced thelatter on his head. "And, while we're talking about such matters, pardner, you might just hand me a twenty for a few days. "

"Twenty dollars?" returned Tom. "Peter, until payday gets aroundI won't have twenty cents. "

Bad Pete gazed at the cub keenly. 

"Fact!" Tom assured him. 

"Huh!" grunted Pete, rising. "I've been wasting my time on a pauper!"

Saying which, he stalked out. 

Tom discreetly repressed his desire to laugh. Hazelton glidedinto the tent, grinning. 

"Tom, be careful not to string Bad Pete so hard, or, one of thesedays, you'll get him so mad that he won't be able to resist drillingyou through with lead. "

"Let's go over to the cook tent and either beg or steal somethingto eat, " proposed Reade. 

It was two hours later when a rodman rode hurriedly into camp. 

"Hey, you cubs, " he called, "come and help me get Mr. Blaisdell'sbed ready for him. He's coming back sick. "

"Sick?" demanded Reade, thunderstruck. "Why, he looked healthyenough when he went out of camp a little while ago. "

"He's sick enough, now, " retorted the rodman. 

"What ails Mr. Blaisdell?" asked Harry. 

"It's mountain fever, I reckon, " rejoined the rodman. "Blaisdellmust have been off color for days, and didn't really know it. "

All three worked rapidly getting everything in readiness for thecoming of the assistant engineer. Then Mr. Blaisdell was broughtin, on a stretcher rigged between two ponies. The acting chiefis face was violently flushed, his eyes seemed bright as diamonds. 

"Reade, " said the acting chief thickly, as they lifted him fromthe litter to his cot, "if I'm not better by morning you'll haveto get word to the chief. "

"Yes, sir, " assented Reade, placing a hand on Blaisdell's forehead. It felt hot and feverish. "May I ask, sir, if you verified anyof the sights on Nineteen?"

"I---I took some of 'em, " replied the acting chief hesitatingly. "Reade, I'm not sure that I remember aright, but I think---Ithink---you and Hazelton were correct about that. I---wish Icould---remember. "

Bill Blaisdell closed his eyes, and his voice trailed off intomurmurs that none around him could understand. Even Reade, withhis very slight experience in such matters, realized that theacting chief was a very sick man. 

"You cubs better clear out of here now, " suggested one of therodmen. "I know better how to take care of men with mountain fever. "

"I hope you do know more about nursing than I do, Carter, " repliedTom very quietly. "In the future, however, don't forget that, though I may be a cub, I am an engineer, and you are a rodman. When you speak to me address me as Mr. Reade. Come, men, allout of here but the nurse. "

Once in the open Tom turned to Harry with eyes ablaze. 

"Harry, could anything be tougher? The chief away, the actingchief down with fever and on the verge of delirium---and a crookedengineer in our crowd who's doing his best to sell out the S. B. & L. ---bag, baggage and charter!"

CHAPTER XI

THE CHIEF TOTTERS FROM COMMAND

It was not like Tom Reade to waste time in wondering what to do. 

"Harry, " he continued, once more turning upon his chum, "I wantyou to get a pony saddled as fast as you can. You know that thetelegraph wire is being brought along as fast as it can be done. This morning I heard Rutter say that it was hardly five milesback of us on the trail. Get into saddle, wire the chief at theconstruction camp, and bring back his orders as fast as you canride. "

Hazelton replied only with a nod, then broke into a sprint forthe spot where the saddle animals were tethered. Two minuteslater Harry, though not a crack horseman, left camp at a gallop. 

In Blaisdell's tent matters dragged along. Ice was needed, butnone was to be had. Cloths were wrung out in spring water andapplied to the sick man's head. Within half an hour Tom receivedword that the acting chief was "out of his head. "

Later on Hazelton galloped back into camp bearing this despatch:

"Reade, Engineer Corps. Take charge of camp until Rutter returns. Then turn over chargeto him. Rush for the nearest physician; engage him to remainat camp and look after Blaisdell. I return tonight. (Signed) Thurston, Chief Engineer. "

"Men, " called Tom striding over to the little party of rodmen, "tell me where the nearest physician is to be found. "

"Doe Jitney, at Bear's Cave, " replied one of the men. 

"How far is that?"

"Fourteen miles, by the trail. "

"Get on to a pony, then, and go after Dr. Gitney. Bring him hereand tell him we'll want him here for the present. Tell the doctorto bring all the medicines he'll need, and both of you ride fast. "

"I'm not going on your orders, " retorted the man sullenly. 

"Yes, you are, " Tom informed him promptly. "I'm in charge, forthe present, and acting under Mr. Thurston's orders. If you don'tgo, you won't eat any more in this camp, or draw any more payhere. It's work or jump for you---and discharge if you lose orwaste any time on the way. Mr. Blaisdell's life is at stake. Rustle!"

The man so ordered scowled, but he rose, went over and saddleda pony and rode out of camp. 

"That part is attended to, " sighed Tom. "Hang it, I wish we couldget hold of some ice. I don't know much, but I do know that iceis needed in high fevers. I wonder if anyone here knows whereice can be had? By Jove, there's Peter! He knows more aboutthis country than anyone else around here. "

It was now within an hour of the time when the engineer partiesmight be expected hack into camp. Reade, however, was not ofthe sort to lose an hour needlessly. 

Tom had just caught sight of Bad Pete as the latter stepped througha little gully an eighth of a mile below the trail and vanishedinto some green brush. 

"I'll run after him, " Tom decided. "Pete wants a little money, and this will be a chance for him to earn it---if he can findsome man to drive a load of ice to camp. "

Being a trained runner, Tom did not consume much time in nearingthe spot where he had last seen Bad Pete. The lad put two fingersup to his mouth, intending to whistle, when he heard a twig snapbehind him. Tom turned quickly, then, warned by some instinct, stepped noiselessly behind high brush. The newcomer was 'GeneBlack. 

"Pete!" called Black softly. 

"Oy!" answered a voice some distance away. 

"That you, Pete?" called the engineer. 

"Yep. "

"Then close in here. I have doings for you. "

Tom Reade should have stepped out into sight. He was neitherspy nor eavesdropper. For once, something within urged him tokeep out of sight and silent. 

"Where be you, pardner?" called Pete's voice, nearer at hand now. 

"Right here, Pete, " called Black. 

"What do you want, pardner?" demanded the bad man, coming throughthe brush. 

"Lend me a couple of hundred dollars, Pete, " laughed 'Gene Black. 

"Did you call me here for any such fool talk as that?" scowled Pete. 

"No, " Black admitted. "Pete, I don't believe you have two hundreddollars. But you'd like to have. Now, wouldn't you!"

"Two hundred silver bricks, " retorted Bad Pete, his eyes gleaming, "is the price of shooting up a whole town. Pardner, just get me anextra box of cartridges and lead me to that town! But have you gotthe money?"

"Yes, " laughed Black, holding up a roll of greenbacks. "Thisand more, too!"

Bad Pete surveyed the money hungrily. 

"Some men who know me, " he muttered thickly, "would be afraidto show me a whole bankful of money when there was no one elselooking. "

"I'm not afraid of you, Pete, " replied Black quietly. "You mightshoot me, if you felt you could get away with it. Do you noticethat my left hand is in my pocket! I'm a left-handed shooter, you see. "

Pete glanced covertly at that bulging left trousers' pocket ofthe engineer. 

"You won't have to do anything like that to get the money, Pete. Save your cartridges for other people. There, I've let go ofmy gun. Come close and listen to what I have to say---but onlyin your ear. "

There followed some moments of whisperings Try as he would, Readecould not make out a word of what was being said until at lastBad Pete muttered audibly, in a low, hoarse voice:

"You're not doing that on your own account, Black?"

"No, Pete; I'm not. "

"Then you must really be working for the road that wants to stealthe charter away---the W. C. & A. ?"

"Perhaps so, Pete. You don't need to know that. All you haveto know is what I want done. I'm a business man, Pete, and moneyis the soul of business. Here!"

Black peeled some banknotes from his roll. 

"Ten twenties, Pete. That makes the two hundred I was talkingto you about. Understand, man, that isn't your pay. That's simplyyour expense money, for you to spend while you're hanging about. Stick to me, do things just as I want them done, and your paywill run several times as high as your expense money. "

"Do you know how long I've been looking for this sort o' thing, pardner?" Pete inquired huskily. 

"No; of course not, " rejoined 'Gene Black rather impatiently. 

"All my life, " returned Bad Pete solemnly. "Pardner, I'll sellmyself to you for the money you've been talking about. "

"Come along, then. We're too near the camp. I want to talk withyou where we're not so likely to be interfered with by people whohave too much curiosity. "

"If that means me, " quoth Tom Reade inwardly, "the shoe fits toa nicety. "

Tom followed the pair for a little way, with a stealth that wasborn in him for the present need. Then the plotters stepped intoa rocky, open gully, where the cub engineer could not have followedwithout being seen. 

"Oh, dear! I never wanted to follow anyone as much in my life!"groaned Reade in his disappointment. 

There was nothing to do but to go back. Then, too, with a guiltystart, Tom remembered the great need of ice for poor, fever-tossed, big-hearted Bill Blaisdell, who had been so kind to the two cubsfrom the hour of their arrival in the field camp. 

Just as he stepped into the camp area Tom espied Jack Rutter, who also saw him and came quickly forward. 

"I've been looking everywhere for you, Reade, " said Rutter, ina tone that was close to carrying reproach with it. 

"I've been absent on real business, Rutter, " Tom answered, witha flush, nevertheless. "Mr. Blaisdell must have ice a lot of it. "

"Great Scott! Where shall we find it in these mountains in midsummer?"Rutter demanded. 

"We've got to have it, haven't we?" Tom urged. "It will be thefirst thing that the doctor will call for. "

"Then he should bring it with him, " returned Rutter. 

"Would you want the doctor to be hampered with a ton or so ofice!" asked Reade. 

"Would we need that much?" Rutter seemed hopelessly ignorant insuch matters. 

"I imagine we'd want a lot of it, " Tom answered. "By the way, Mr. Rutter-----"

"Well?" Jack inquired. 

Tom was on the point of giving a hint of what he had heard inthe gully during the meeting between Black and Bad Pete. Then, on second thought, the cub engineer decided to hold that newsfor the ear of Mr. Thurston alone. 

"What were you going to say?" pressed Rutter. 

"Probably Hazelton has told you, " Tom continued, "that you'rein charge here until Mr. Thurston arrives. "

"Yes; and I'm mighty glad that the chief will be here before daylighttomorrow, " returned Jack. "I may be a fair sort of engineer, but I'mnot cut out for a chief engineer. "

Later, one of the rodmen was sent to guide Harry to the nearestsmall town, twenty-eight miles away, for ice. If they succeededin obtaining it they might be back by dark of the following day. 

Supper in camp was a gloomy meal. No one felt light-hearted. 

"Mr. Rutter, " asked Tom, approaching the temporary chief, soonafter the evening meal, "what do you want Hazelton and myselfto do this evening?"

"Don't ask me, " returned Jack, with a shrug of his shoulders. "What have you been doing? Drawing?"

"Yes. "

"Why don't you go on with it?"

"We're at a point where we need orders, for we've had to lay downone part of the work while waiting for further instructions. "

"I can't help you any, then, " replied Rutter. "Sorry, but beforeI could give any orders I'd need a few myself. "

At eleven o'clock that night Dr. Gitney arrived, with saddle-bagsfull of medicines and other necessaries. He saw Blaisdell, andpronounced the assistant engineer a very sick man. 

Shortly after midnight Mr. Thurston rode into camp. He totteredfrom saddle and reeled until Tom, on the lookout for him, ranforward and supported the chief engineer to his tent. 

Then Dr. Gitney was sent for and came. 

"Your chief has mountain fever, too, " said the medical attendantto Tom, after stepping outside the tent. 

"How long will it take them to get well?" asked Wade anxiously. 

"Weeks! Hard to say, " replied the physician vaguely. 

"Weeks!" groaned Tom Reade. "And the camp now in charge of JackRutter, who's a fine workman but no leader! Doc Gitney doesn'tknow it, but he has sentenced the S. B. & L. Railroad to death!"

It was a trying situation. The cub engineer felt it keenly, forhe had set his heart on seeing the S. B. & L. Win out over its rival. 

Then, too, all in a flash, the memory of 'Gene Black's treacheryto his employers came back to the mind of Tom Reade. 

CHAPTER XII

FROM CUB TO ACTING CHIEF

Tom didn't sleep that night. He sat by, silently, in the bigtent, nursing the patient as Dr. Gitney directed. 

In the morning, at five, Matt Rice came. Tom gladly surrenderedthe post to him and took a scant hour of deep slumber on the bareground outside. 

"Wake up, Reade, " ordered Rutter, at last shaking the cub andhauling him to his feet. "This is no place to sleep. Go to yourtent and stretch out full length on your cot. "

"On my cot?" demanded Tom, rubbing his eyes fiercely. "You can'tspare me from the day's work?"

"I don't believe there will be any day's work, " Rutter answered. 

"You're in charge, man! You must put us to work, " Tom insisted. 

"I don't know just what ought to be done, " complained Rutter. "I shall have to wait for orders. "

"Orders?" repeated Tom, in almost breathless scorn. "From whomcan you get orders?"

"Howe is Thurston's assistant at the lower camp, " Rutter rejoined. "He'll have to come over here and take real charge. I'm goingto send a messenger to the telegraph station and wire Mr. Howeto come here at once. "

"See here, Rutter, " blazed Tom insistently, "Mr Howe is in charge ofthe construction forces. He's laying the bed and the tracks. Hecan't be spared from the construction work for even a day, or theroad will fail to get through, no matter what we do here. Man, you've simply got to be up and doing! Make some mistakes, if youhave to, but don't lie down and kill the S. B. & L. With inaction. "

"Cub, " laughed Rutter good-humoredly, "you speak as if this werea big personal matter with you. "

"Oh, isn't it, thought" retorted Tom Reade with spirit. "My wholeheart is centered on seeing the S. B. & L. Win out within the timegranted by its charter. Rutter, if you don't take hold with arush and make a live, galloping start with your new responsibilities, I'm afraid I'll go wild and assault you violently!"

"Ha, ha, ha!" Jack laughed loudly. 

"Here, stop that cackling, " ordered Reade in the same low voicethat he had been using. "Let's get away from the chief's tent. We'll disturb him with our noise. "

Dr. Gitney, entering the big tent five minutes later, found Mr. Thurston very much awake, for he had heard the low-voiced conversationoutside the tent. Mr. Thurston was not quite as ill as was Blaisdell, and had not as yet reached the stage of delirium. 

"Doctor, I want you to summon the engineer corps here, " beggedthe patient. 

"When you're better, " replied the doctor, with a hand on the sickman's pulse. 

"Doc, you'd better let me have my way, " insisted Mr. Thurstonin a weak voice. "If you don't, you'll make me five times moreill than I am at present. "

Watching the fever glow in the man's face deepen, and feelingthe pulse go up several beats per minute, Dr. Gitney replied:

"There, there, Thurston. Be good, and I'll let you have threeminutes with your engineers. "

"That's all I ask, " murmured the sick man eagerly. 

Dr. Gitney went outside and rounded them up. All were presentexcept 'Gene Black, who, according to Matt Rice, had taken a littlewalk outside of camp. 

"I hope you'll soon be better, sir, " began Rutter, as the engineersgathered at the cot of their stricken chief. 

"Don't say anything unnecessary, and don't waste my time, " beggedMr. Thurston. "Rutter, do you feel equal to running this fieldcorps until either Blaisdell or I can take charge again?"

"No, I don't chief, " replied Jack. "I've sent a wire to Howe, urginghim to come here and take charge. "

"Howe can't come, " replied the chief. "If he does, the constructionwork will go to pieces. This corps will have to be led by someonenow present. "

Morris and Rice gazed eagerly at their chief. Butter showed hisrelief at being allowed to hack out from full control. 

As for Timothy Thurston, he let his gaze wander from face to face. 

"Reade!" he almost whispered. 

"Yes, sir!" answered Tom, stepping gently forward. "What canI do for you, sir?"

"Reade, " came in another whisper, "can you---have you the courageto take the post of acting chief?"

Several gasps of astonishment broke on the air, but the greatestgasp of all came from Reade himself. 

"I think you need a little sleep now, sir, " urged Tom. 

"I'm not out of my head, " smiled Timothy Thurston wanly. "DocGitney will tell you that. Come---for I'm growing very tired. Can you swing this outfit and push the S. B. & L. Through withincharter time?"

"I---I---hardly know what to say, " stammered Tom, who felt dizzyfrom the sudden rush of blood to his head. 

"Have you the courage to try?"

"Yes, sir---_I have_!" came, without further hesitation from TomReade. "I believe I'll succeed, at that, for I'll stake health, and even life, on winning out!"

"That's what I like to hear, " breathed Mr. Thurston, an added flushcoming to his own face. 

"Gentlemen, it's time to leave, " warned Dr. Gitney, watching hispatient. 

"One moment more, Doc, " insisted the chief engineer feebly. "Gentlemen, you've heard what has just been said. Will everyone ofyou pledge himself on his honor to drop all feeling that mightinterfere? Will you all stand loyally by Reade, take his ordersand help boost him and all the rest of us through to victory in thisbig game?"

"I will!" spoke Jack Rutter earnestly and with a deep sigh of relief. 

The others added their promises. 

"Reade, you will take full charge here, " continued Timothy Thurston. "Notify Mr. Howe, too, at once. You and he will not need toconflict with each other in any way. Also notify the presidentof the road, at the New York offices. Wire him at once. Now---thankyou all, gentlemen. I believe I shall have to stop and go to sleep. "

"Get out, all of you, " came firmly from bearded, middle-aged Dr. Gitney. "You fellows now have your acting chief to look to, andyou don't need to bother a sick man any more. "

When Tom Reade stepped outside, on the heels of the others, hecertainly didn't feel as though treading on air. Instead, hewondered if he were going to reel and totter, so dizzy did hefeel over the sudden realization of the responsibilities he hadtaken upon himself. 

"Give us our orders, chief, " begged Matt Rice, with a grin, when Tomjoined the others over by the mess tent. 

"Wait a few moments, " urged Reade. "I don't really know whetherI am chief or a joke. "

"Great Scott! After lecturing me the way you did, you are not goingto get cold feet, are you?" gasped Jack Rutter. 

"You'll know what I mean before long, " Tom murmured. "I signaledto Dr. Gitney to follow me as soon as he could. "

"How does it seem to know that you have only to beckon and that menmust follow?" laughed Joe Grant. It is doubtful whether Tom, gazingat the chief's big tent, even heard. 

Presently Dr. Gitney stepped outside and came toward them. 

"Doctor, " began Tom, "will you give me your word of honor thatMr. Thurston is in his right mind?"

"He certainly impresses me as being so, " the physician replied. 

"You fully believe that he knew just what he was doing?" Tom insisted. 

"I do, Reade. But why should you care? You have the reins in yourown hands now. "

"I wish to keep the reins there, " Tom returned quickly. "StillI don't want to hold the power for an instant if there is reasonto believe that Mr. Thurston didn't know what he was doing. "

"If that is all you required of me, Reade, rest easy and go aheadwith the big trust that has been placed in your hands, " repliedDr. Gitney. 

"Then help me to get a few things out of the chief's tent that weshall need, " replied Tom. 

"Tell me what the things are, " rejoined the physician, "and I'll passthem out. I don't want one of you in there, or Thurston will soon beas delirious as Blaisdell is, poor fellow. "

By stealth, drawing tables and instruments, several boxes of maps, books and papers and other necessary articles were taken fromMr. Thurston tent without awaking the sick man. 

These were removed to a tent that was not occupied at the moment. 

"Supper's ready, folks, " announced Bob, the cook's helper, steppingsoftly through camp. 

Tom joined the other engineers, taking a few hasty mouthfuls. Hardly had the party gathered in the mess tent when 'Gene Black, bright and cheery, stepped in swiftly, nodding here and there. 

"Well, Rutter, I take it you are running the camp from now on?"asked Black. 

"Guess just once more, " replied Jack. 

"Who is, then?"

"Mr. Reade. "

Black gulped, then grinned. 

"The cub? That's good!"

Black leaned back on his stool, laughing loudly. 

"But who _is_ going to boss the camp?" insisted Black, after he hadhad his laugh. 

"Mr. Reade!" flung back the other engineers in one voice. 

"What have you to say to this, cub?" asked 'Gene Black, turningto Tom. 

"Mr. Thurston placed me in charge because no one else would assumethe responsibility, " smiled Tom good-humoredly. 

"Then you're going to stay boss for the present?"

"Unless Mr. Thurston changes his mind. "

"Oh, what a fool I was to be away this afternoon!" groaned Blackto himself. "I could have gotten this chance away from a cub likeReade. Oh, but my real task would have been easy if I had been hereon deck, and had got Thurston to turn matters over to me. Readewill be easy! He's only a cub---a booby. Even if he provedshrewd---well, I have at my disposal several ways of getting ridof him!"

Then, aloud, Black went on:

"Reade, I'm a candidate for the post of acting assistant chiefengineer. "

"That goes to Rutter, if he'll take it, " replied Tom, with a smile. 

"Oh, I'll take it, " nodded Jack Rutter. "I can follow orders, whenI have someone else to give them. "

Tom was intentionally pleasant with 'Gene Black. He intendedto remain pleasant---until he was quite ready to act. 

Immediately after supper Tom ordered one of the chainmen to saddlea pony and be ready to take a message back to the telegraph servicethat was rapidly overtaking them. 

"I want you to be sure to get a receipt for the message from theoperator, " Tom explained. "Direct the operator to get the messagethrough to New York at once. "

"What's the use?" demanded the chainman. "It's night in New York, the same as it is here. If the message goes through at any timetonight it will do. "

"I didn't ask you that, " Tom replied quietly. "I told you toinstruct the operator, from me, to send the message at once. Then, if there is any delay on the way, the message will stillbe in New York in the morning when the company's offices open. "

Then Tom Reade went to the new headquarters' tent, seated himselfat the desk and picked up a pen. 

"Whew!" he muttered suddenly. "This message is going to be harderto write than I thought! When the president of the S. B. & L. Getsmy telegram, informing him that a cub is in command here, he'll blowup! If he recovers he'll wire me that he's sending a grown man forthe job!"

CHAPTER XIII

BLACK TURNS OTHER COLORS

Through the night Tom Reade managed to get some sound sleep. 

Had he been less exhausted physically the excitement caused byhis sudden and dizzying promotion might have interfered with hisrest. As it was, he slept like a log, though, by his own orders, he was called twice in the night to be informed as to the conditionof the two sick men. 

In the morning a male nurse for whom Dr. Gitney had arranged arrivedin camp. Thereafter the physician had a little opportunity for rest. 

Mr. Thurston reached the delirium stage in his illness that forenoon. 

"Reade, I don't feel like going out this morning, " announced 'GeneBlack, approaching the young head of the camp after early breakfast. 

"What's the matter?" Tom asked pleasantly. 

"I have rather a bad headache, " complained Black. 

"That's a woman's complaint, " smiled Tom. 

"Just the same, I'm not fit for duty, " retorted Black rather testily. "I hope I'm not going to come down with the fever, but I can't besure. "

"You'd better stay in camp, then, " nodded Reade. "Don't go out intothe field again until you feel like work. "

"Humph! He takes it easily enough, " grunted Black to himselfas the young chief strode away to confer with Butter. "I wonderif the cub suspects the game I'm playing here? Oh, pshaw! Ofcourse he doesn't suspect. Why should he? The truth is thatCub Reade doesn't realize how much every man is needed in thefield. Reade doesn't understand the big need for hustle here. Well, that all helps to make my task the easier. "

Within five minutes Rutter and the other engineers had their fullinstructions. As they started away Tom called after them:

"Gentlemen, if there is any possible way of putting fifty per cent. More work into each day, now, I know I can rely upon you all to doit. The S. B. & L. Must run its first train over the completed roadwithin charter time. "

Now, Tom had opportunity to wonder what had happened to HarryHazelton, who should have been back in camp the preceding evening. "He must have had to go farther for ice than we imagined, "was the only conclusion Reade could form. "At any rate, Harrywon't come back until he has it. He won't bring back merely anexcuse when his commission was for a ton of ice. "

Tom wandered into the new headquarters' tent, heaved a big sighas the weight of his new responsibilities struck him with fullforce, and began a systematic examination of all the piles ofpapers and maps now under his charge. 

By nine o'clock Harry Hazelton and his guide returned, followedby a four-mule transport wagon. 

Tom, hearing the approach, came out and beckoned. Harry rodeup, dismounting. 

"Well, I got the ice, you see, " announced Hazelton. 

"Did you have to go very far for it?"

"No; but you and I forgot to allow for the time that mules wouldneed for rest on such a steep, uphill climb. Where is the ice to go?"

"Send the man over to Jake Wren. Jake knows more about such thingsthan you or I will know within the next ten years. "

Harry carried the order to the driver, then hurried back. 

"How are our sick men?" he asked. 

"Both alive, but delirious. Doc Gitney has a man nurse to helphim now. "

"Did Mr. Rutter leave any orders for me?" pressed Harry. 

"No; Rutter is in charge of the actual field work only. "

"Who gives the main orders?"

"I do---unless New York changes the plan. "

Tom hastily narrated what had taken place in Mr. Thurston's tentthe day before. Harry listened, his eyes growing larger as heheard. 

"Tom! I'm mighty glad!" he cried delightedly. "You're goingto do the trick, too! You're going to put the S. B. & L. Throughwithin the time allowed by the charter!"

"I'm going to do it or wear myself out, " replied Reade, with aglint of determination in his eyes. "But, Harry, the road isn'tgoing to go through on mere wind. We've got to work---not talk!Come into the new headquarters' tent. Throw the front of yourshirt open, take a few deep breaths, tie down the safety valveand get ready to make the steam fly. I'm going over the mapsand documents, the field notes, the reports and what not. I wantyou to help me untangle them and set all matters straight. "

For two hours the cub engineers worked as they had never toiledbefore. Then a horseman drew up before their tent. 

"Telegram for Reade, acting chief engineer, " called the man fromsaddle. "The czar over at the cook house told me I'd find myman here. "

"I'm Reade, " admitted Tom, stepping outside and receiving theenvelope. "Do you belong with the telegraph construction crowd?"

"Yes, sir, " replied the young horseman. 

"How long before you expect to have the line up with the camp?"

"By tomorrow night, unless you move the camp forward again. "

"That's good news, " nodded Reade. "Wait until I see whether thereis to be an answer to this message. "

Tom stepped inside, breaking the flap of the envelope. From headto foot he trembled as his eyes took in the following message:

"Reade, Acting Chief Engineer. 

"Relying upon Thurston's judgment, and from your satisfactorywire, conclude that Thurston chose right man for post. Assumeall responsibilities. Advise New York offices daily as to conditionof work, also condition Thurston and Blaisdell. Spare no expensein their care. Shall join you within five days. "

(Signed) "Newnham, President S. B. & L. R. R. "

Having read the telegram, Tom turned to pick up a sheet of paper. After jotting down the address of President Newnham, he added:

"Shall hustle job through rapidly if there is any way of doingit. Shall engage extra engineers in this state. Hope to be ableto show you, on arrival, things moving at speed. "

(Signed) Reade, "Acting Chief Engineer. "

Then Tom shoved both despatches under his chum's eyes. NaturallyHazelton read the one from New York first. 

"Whew! The president seems to trust you, " murmured Harry. 

"No; he doesn't, " Tom retorted. "He doesn't know anything aboutme. His wire shows that he knows and trusts Mr. Thurston, theman who picked me out for this job. "

Then Tom wrote a second despatch, addressed to the State University. It ran as follows:

"Have heard that your university has party from engineering schoolin field this summer. Can you place me in immediate wire communicationwith professor in charge of party? Have practical work to offerstudents. "

This also Tom showed briefly to his chum. Then, picking up thetwo telegrams, Tom stepped outside, turning them over to the rider. "Ask your operator to rush both of these, the one to New Yorkgoing first. "

As the pony's hoofs clicked against the gravel, Reade steppedinside the tent. 

"What are you going to do with the State University students?"asked Harry curiously. 

"Put 'em at work on the smaller jobs here, " Tom answered. "Atleast, as many of them as the professor will vouch for. "

Three hours later Tom received an answer to his local despatch. It was from Professor Coles, sixty miles away, in camp with aparty of thirty engineering students. The professor asked forfurther particulars. Tom wired back:

"Can use your entire lot of students in practical railroad work, if they want experience and can do work. Will you bring themhere with all speed and let us try them out? For yourself, weoffer suitable pay for a man of your attainments. Students engagedwill be paid all they are worth. "

"Gracious, but you're going in at wholesale! What will PresidentNewnham say to you for engaging men at such a wholesale rate!"

"By the time he reaches here, " replied Tom in a tone that meantbusiness, "either he will see results that will force him toapprove---or else he'll give me my walking papers. "

"Now, what shall we do?" inquired Hazelton. 

"Nothing. It's nearly time for the field force to be back in camp. "

"We'd better work every minute of the time, " urged Harry. 

"We're going to take things more easily after this, " Tom yawned. 

"Is that what you mean by hustling?"

"In a way, yes, " Tom nodded. "See here, Harry, in the field wetried to do the work of a man and a half each, didn't we? Andhere at the drawing tables, too. "

"Of course. "

"Now there is need of hustling, and, if we work too hard, we simplywon't have time to plan for others, or even to know what they'redoing. There are a lot of students coming, Harry. Most of themwill be good men, for they're young, full of enthusiasm, and justcrazy to show what they can do. Some of them will doubtless begood draughtsmen. You'll take these men and see to it that thedrawing is pushed forward. But you won't work too hard yourself. You'll see to it that the force under you is working, and inthat way you'll be three times as useful as if you merely groundand dug hard by yourself. I shall go light on real work, justin order that I may have my eyes and brains where they will dothe most good every minute of the time. "

Someone was approaching. Tom threw open the flap of the tent, thus discovering that the man was Black. 

"Howdy, Reade, " was the greeting of the idle engineer. "I'm gladto say that my headache is better. I'm not going to have thefever, after all. Tomorrow I'll be out on the leveling job. "

Tom shook his head. 

"I want you to rest up tomorrow, Black. "

"I won't do it, " retorted the other flatly. "Tomorrow I go outand continue running my levels. "

"Then I may as well tell you, " Tom continued, "what I would havepreferred to break to you more easily later on. "

"What do you mean?" questioned the other sharply, an uneasy lookcreeping into his face. 

"You're not going to do any more work for us, Black, " replied theyoung chief coolly. 

"Not do any more work, What do you mean, Reade? Am I dischargedfrom this corps?"

"Not yet, Black, for I haven't the money at hand to pay you todate. So you may stay here until the paymaster comes. Then, whenyou have your full amount of pay, you can leave us. "

"What does this mean?" demanded 'Gene Black angrily, as he steppedcloser, his eyes blazing. 

Some young men would have shrunk back before Black's menacingmanner. Tom had never yet met the man who could make him reallyafraid. 

"I've already told you the whole story, Black. "

"Why am I discharged?"

"I am not obliged to give you my reasons. "

"You'll find you'll have to do so!" stormed 'Gene Black. 

"Well, then, " Tom answered, "you get through here because you kickedone of the tripod legs of your leveling instrument the other day, andleft a mark on the wood. "

"Don't you try to be funny with me, you young hound!" hissed Black, stepping so close that Tom gently pushed him back. "You youngidiot! Do you think you can fire me---and get away with it?"

"We won't talk about it any more, " Tom answered. "Your time willbe all your own until the paymaster arrives. After you've receivedyour money you will leave camp. "

"Are any of the others going?"

"No. "

"Then you're discharging me for personal reasons!" snarled 'GeneBlack. "However, you can't do it! I'll wire the president ofthe road, at New York. "

"He won't receive your wire, " Tom assured the irate one. "PresidentNewnham is on his way here. Probably he'll arrive here beforethe paymaster does. You may take your case to President Newnhamin person if you wish. "

"That's what I'll do, then!" breathed 'Gene Black fiercely. "And I'll take your place in charge here, cub! If I don't, _you_shall never finish the S. B. & L!"

CHAPTER XIV

BAD PETE MIXES IN SOME

Forty-Eight hours later Professor Coles arrived in camp with thirtyhealthy, joyous young students of engineering. 

It didn't take Tom half an hour to discover that he had some excellentmaterial here. As for the professor himself, that gentleman wasa civil engineer of the widest experience. 

"I shall need you to advise me, professor, " Tom explained. "WhileI had the nerve to take command here, I'm only a boy, after all, and you'll be surprised when you find out how much there is thatI don't know. "

"It's very evident, Mr. Reade, " smiled the professor, "that youknow the art of management, and that's the important part in anyline of great work. "

The student party had brought their own tents and field equipmentwith them. Their arrival had been a total surprise in camp, asnone of the other engineers, save Harry, had known what was inthe wind. 

"If these boys don't make mistakes by wholesale, " declared JackButter, "we'll just boost the work along after this. I wonderwhy Mr. Thurston never hit upon the idea of adding such a force?"

"It's very likely he has been thinking of it all along, " Tom rejoined. "The main point, however, is that we seem to have a bully fieldforce. "

Four of the students had been selected to serve as map-makingforce under Harry Hazelton. The rest were going out into thefield, some of them as engineers in embryo, the rest as chainmenand rodmen. 

Though the field outfit now presented a lively appearance, allwas kept as quiet as possible in and near the camp, for neitherMr. Thurston nor Mr. Blaisdell knew what was going on about them. Both were still delirious, and very ill. 

"Now I see why you could afford to 'fire' me and let the workslack up for a while, " sneered Black, meeting Reade after dark. 

"Do you?" asked Tom. 

"These boys will spoil the whole business. You don't seem tohave any idea of the numbers of fool mistakes that boys can make. "

"They're good fellows, anyway, and honest, " Tom rejoined. 

"Give some of 'em leveling work out on Section Nineteen, " suggested'Gene, apparently seized with a sudden thought. "Then comparetheir field notes with mine, and see how far out they are. "

"I happen to know all about your leveling notes on Nineteen, "Reade retorted rather significantly. 

"What do you mean?" flared Black. 

"Just before Mr. Thurston was taken ill, as it happened, Hazeltonand I took a leveling instrument out on Nineteen one day and ranyour sights over after you. "

"So that's why you 'fired'-----" began Black, his thoughts movingswiftly. Then, realizing that he was about to say too much, hewent on: "What did you find wrong with my sights on Nineteen?"

"I didn't say that anything was wrong with your work, " Reade rejoined. "What I was about to say was that, if I put any of the studentsat leveling on Nineteen, by way of test, I shall have my own noteswith which to compare theirs. "

"Humph!" muttered the fellow. Then shaking with anger, he walkedaway from the young chief. 

"Now, Black knows that much against himself, " smiled Reade inwardly. "He doesn't yet know, however, that I heard him talking withBad Pete. "

Though he was pretending to take things easily, Tom's head wasall but whirling with the many problems that presented themselvesto him. To get away from it all for a while Tom strolled a shortdistance out of camp, seating himself on the ground under a bigtree not far from the trail. 

Five minutes later the young chief heard halting footsteps thatstruck his ear as being rather stealthy. Someone, from camp, was heading that way. Stealth in the other's movements made Readedraw himself back into the shadow. 

'Gene Black halted not far from the tree. Turning back towardthe camp, the fellow shook his fist violently in that direction. 

"He's certainly thinking of me, " grimaced Reade. 

"You young cub, you may laugh for a day or two more!" mutteredBlack, with another shake of his fist. 

"If that's meant for me, I'm much obliged, I'm sure, " thoughtReade. "Laughing is always a great pleasure for me. "

"It's your turn now, " continued Black, in the same low, passionatetone, "but I'll soon have you blocked---or else under the sod!"

"Oho!" reflected the young acting chief engineer, not withouta slight shudder. "Is assassination in the plans of the peoplebehind 'Gene Black's treachery? Or is putting me under the sodmerely an addition that Black has made for his own pleasure?"

The plotter, still unaware of the eavesdropper, had now turnedand was walking down the trail. He was now so far from camp thathe did not need to be soft-footed. 

Out of the shadow, after a brief pause, stole Tom Reade. 

"If Black is going to meet anyone tonight I'd better be near tothe place of meeting. I might hear something that would teachme just what to do to checkmate the plotters against us. "

For fully half a mile the chase continued. Two or three times Readestepped against some slight obstacle in the darkness, making asound which, he feared, would travel to the ears of Black. Butthe latter kept on his way. 

Finally 'Gene Black halted where three trees grew in the formof a triangle and threw a dense shadow. In the same instant theyoung chief engineer dropped out of sight behind a boulder closeto the path. 

Black's low, thrilling whistle sounded. A night bird's call answered. Soon afterwards, another form appeared, and Tom, peering anxiously, was sure that he recognized the man whom he expected to see---BadPete. 

What Tom heard came disjointedly---a few words here and there, but enough to set him thinking "at the rate of a mile a minute, "as he told himself. 

Up the trail came the pair, after some minutes. Tom crouchedflat behind his boulder. 

"Great! I hope they'll halt within a few feet and go on talkingabout the things that I want to hear---_must_ hear!" quivered Reade. 

It was provoking! Black and Bad Pete passed so close, yet theonly sound from either of them, while within earshot, was a chucklefrom Pete. 

"That's right! Laugh, " gritted disappointed Tom. "Laughing is inyour line! You're planning, somehow, to put the big laugh over thewhole line of the S. B. & L. Railroad. If I could only hear a littlemore I might be able to turn the laugh on you!"

The pair went on out of sight. Tom waited where he was for morethan half an hour. 

"Now, the coast is surely clear, " thought Reade at last. He roseand started campward. 

"The soft-foot, the rubber shoe won't work now, " Tom decided. "If I were to go along as if trying not to run into anyone, andthat pair got first sight of me, it would make them suspicious. I haven't been eavesdropping---oh, no! I'm merely out takinga night stroll to ease my nerves. "

Therefore the cub chief puckered his lips, emitting a cheery whistlingas he trudged along up the trail. 

As it happened the pair whom Tom sought had not yet parted. Frombehind a boulder a man stepped out in his path. From the otherside of the boulder another man moved in behind him. 

"Out for the air, Reade?" asked the sneering voice of 'Gene Black. 

"Hello, Black---is that you?"

"Now, Black, " broke in the voice of Bad Pete, "you wanted thiscub, and he's all yours! What are you going to do with him?"

CHAPTER XV

BLACK'S PLOT OPENS WITH A BANG

"Some mistake here, gentlemen, " interjected Tom Reade coolly. "Unless I'm very badly informed I don't belong to either of you. If anyone owns me, then I belong to the S. B. & L. "

"I told you I'd make you settle with me for throwing me out ofthe camp, " remarked Black disagreeably. 

"You're not out yet---more's the pity, " Tom retorted. "You willbe, however, as soon as the paymaster arrives. "

"You're wrong, " jeered 'Gene. "You're out---from this minute!"

"What do you mean?" Tom inquired, looking Black steadily in the eye. 

Yet the young chief engineer had a creepy realization of justwhat the pair _did_ mean. Black must have confederates somewherein the mountains near. It was evidently the rascal's intentionto seize Tom and carry him away where he would be held a prisoneruntil he had lost all hope of regaining his position at the headof the railroad's field force. 

"You say that I'll be thrown out of camp very soon, " sneered Black. "The fact is, you are not going back to camp. "

"What's going to stop me?" Reade inquired, with no sign of fear. 

"You're not going back to camp!" Black insisted. 

"Someone has been giving you the wrong tip, " smiled Tom. 

He started forward, brushing past Black. It was mainly a pretense, for Reade had no notion but that he would be stopped. 

With a savage cry Black seized him by the shoulders. 

Tom made a quick turn, shaking the fellow off. While he was thusoccupied Bad Pete slipped about, and now confronted Reade. Themuzzle of a revolver was pressed against the young engineer's belt. 

"Hoist your hands!" ordered Pete warningly. 

Tom obeyed, though he hoisted his hands only as far as his mouth. Forming a megaphone, he gave vent to a loud yell of:

"Roo-rup! roo-rup! roo-rup!"

It was one of the old High School yells of the good old Gridleydays---one of the yells sometimes used as a signal of distressby famous old Dick & Co. , of which Tom Reade had been a shiningmember. 

On the still air of the mountain night that yell traveled farand clearly. It was a call of penetrating power, traveling fartherthan its sound would suggest. 

"You do that again, you young coyote, and I'll begin to pump!"growled Bad Pete savagely. 

"I won't need to do it again, " Tom returned. "Wait a few minutes, and you'll see. "

"Shall I drop him, Black?" inquired Pete. 

'Gene Black was about to answer in the affirmative, when a soundup the trail caught his attention. 

"There's someone coming, " snarled Black, using his keen powersof hearing. 

"Wait and I'll introduce you, " mocked Tom Reade. 

"We won't wait. Neither will you, " retorted Black. "You'll comewith us. About face and walk fast!"

"I'm not going your way tonight, " replied Reade calmly. 

"If he doesn't obey every order like a flash, Pete, then you pullthe trigger and wind this cub up. "

"All right, " nodded Pete. "Cub, you heard what Black said?"

"Yes, " replied Tom, looking at Pete with smiling eyes. 

"Then come along, " ordered Black, seizing Tom by one arm. 

"I won't!" Tom declared flatly. 

"You know what refusal means. Pete is steady on the trigger. "

"Is he?" asked Reade coolly. 

Watching like a cat through his sleepy-looking eyes, Reade suddenlyshot his right hand across his abdomen in such fashion as to knockaway the muzzle of the revolver. Bad Pete felt himself seizedin a football tackle that had been the terror of more than oneopposing High School football player. 

Crash! Pete struck the ground, Reade on top of him. 

'Gene Black darted to the aid of his companion, but shrank backas he caught the glint of the revolver that Tom had twisted outof the hand of the bad man. 

"Duck, Black!" warned Tom, in a quiet tone that nevertheless hada deadly note in it. 

"Where are you?" called the voice of Harry Hazelton, not two hundredyards up the trail now. 

"Here!" called Tom. 

"Wow-ow-ow! Whoop!" yelled a chorus of college boys. 

It all took place in a very few seconds. Black, hesitating whetheror not to close with Reade, decided on flight. He turned andfled. 

Whizz-zz-zz! The sound was made by the captured revolver as Tom, leaping to his feet, threw it as far from him as he could. Itsailed through space, next disappearing over the edge of a steepprecipice. 

"What's your hurry, Peter?" drawled Reade, as, jerking Bad Peteto his feet, he planted a kick that sent the bad man down thetrail a dozen feet. 

Tom started after Pete, intent on another kick. Bad Pete speddown the trail blindly. Like most of his gun-play kind, he hadlittle courage when deprived of his implement of murder. 

"What's up, Tom?" demanded Harry Hazelton, leaping to the spot. 

"What's the row, chief?" asked one of the university boys eagerly. "Anyone you want us to catch? Whoop! Lead the way to the runningtrack while we show you our best time!"

"There's nothing to be done, I think, " laughed Tom. "Do you allknow Black by sight?"

"Yes, " came the answer from a score of throats. 

"Well, " Tom continued, "if any of you ever catch sight of himin the camp again you are hereby authorized to run him out bythe use of any kind of tactics that won't result fatally. "

On the way up the trail Tom told the rescue party something aboutthe late affair. 

However, Reade referred to it only as a personal quarrel, refrainingfrom making any mention of the treachery of Black and of the plotsof which that treacherous engineer was a part. 

"If you've many friends like that one, chief, you had better strapa gun on to your belt. "

"I don't like revolver carrying, " Tom replied bluntly. "It alwaysmakes a coward of a fellow. "

Two mornings later the telegraph wire, one end of which now restedin a tent in camp, brought word that President Newnham was at theconstruction camp, and would be along in the course of the day. 

Tom, Harry and the draughtsmen were the only engineers in campat the hour when the message arrived. 

"Big doings coming our way!" announced Tom, after he had brokenthe news to the others. 

"Is Mr. Newnham likely to make much of a shake-up?" asked Watson, one of the college-boy draughtsmen. 

"I've never met him, " Tom answered, "and I don't know. We'regoing along at grand old speed, and Mr. Newnham had better letthings run just as they're going now, if he wants to see the S. B. & L. Open for traffic within charter time. "

"He may give all of us university boys the swift run, " laughedanother of the draughtsmen. 

"I don't believe it, " Tom replied. "The added help that you fellowshave given us has enabled us to double our rush forward. I've anotion that President Newnham is a man of great common sense. "

"How are the sick men this morning, " inquired Harry. "Is eitherone of them fit to talk with the president?"

"Doc Gitney says he won't allow any caller within a thousand feetof his patients, " Tom smiled. "And Doc seems to be a man of hisword. "

Both Mr. Thurston and Mr. Blaisdell were now weakly conscious, in a half-dazed sort of way. Their cases were progressing favorablyon the whole, though it would be weeks ere either would be fitto take charge of affairs. 

The camp had been moved forward, so as to leave the sick men abouta fifth of a mile away from the scenes of camp activity. Thisinsured quiet for them until they were able to endure noise once more. 

"You'll be amazingly busy until the president gets here, I takeit, " remarked Bushrod, another college boy, without glancing upfrom his drawing table. 

"Yes, " drawled Tom, with a smile. "When you get time to breathelook out of the door and see what I'm doing. "

Tom walked over to his favorite seat, a reclining camp chair thathe had placed under a broad shade tree. Seating himself, thecub chief opened a novel that he had borrowed from one of thecollege boys. 

"It looks lazy, " yawned Tom, "but what can I do? I've hustledthe corps, but I'm up with them to the last minute of work they'vedone. There is nothing more I can do until they bring me morework. I might ride out and see how the fellows are coming alongin the field, but I was out there yesterday, and I know all they'redoing, and everyone of their problems. Besides, if I rode afield, I'd miss Mr. Newnham. "

So he opened the book and read for an hour. Then he glanced upas a stranger on horseback rode into camp. 

"Tell me where I can find Mr. Reade, " said the new arrival. 

"You're looking at hire, " Tom replied. 

"No, son; I want your father, " explained the horseman. 

"If you go on horseback it will take you months to reach him, "Tom explained. "My father lives 'way back east. "

"But I want the chief engineer of this outfit, " insisted the stranger. 

"Then you're at the end of your journey. "

"Don't tell me, young man, that you're the chief engineer, " protestedthe horseman. 

"No, " Tom admitted modestly. "I'm only the acting chief. Holdon. If you think I'm not responsible for that statement you mightask any of the fellows over in the headquarters tent. "

At that moment Harry Hazelton thrust his head out through thedoorway. 

"Young man, " hailed the stranger, "I want to find the chief. "

"Reach out your hand, and you can touch him on the shoulder, "answered Hazelton, and turned back. 

"I know I don't look entirely trustworthy, " grinned Tom, "butI've been telling you the truth. "

"Then, perhaps, " continued the stranger, looking keenly at thecub engineer, "you'll know why I'm here. I'm Dave Fulsbee. "

"You're mighty welcome, then, " cried Tom, reaching out his hand. "I've been wondering where you were. "

"I came as soon as I could get the wagon-load of equipment together, "grinned Fulsbee. 

"Where is the wagon?"

"Coming along up the trail. It will be here in about twenty minutes. "

"I'll be glad to see your equipment, and to set you at work assoon as we're ready, " Reade went on. "Harry, show Mr. Fulsbeethe tent we've set aside for himself and his helper. "

"Who is that party?" questioned Watson, as Hazelton started offwith the newcomer in tow. 

"Oh, just a new expert that we're taking on, " Tom drawled. 

Ten minutes later all other thoughts were driven from Reade'smind. A mountain wagon was sighted coming up the trail, drawnby a pair of grays. The stout gentleman, on the rear seat, dressedin the latest fashion, even to his highly polished shoes, mustsurely be all the way from Broadway. 

"Mr. Newnham?" queried Tom, advancing to the wagon as it halted. 

"Yes; is Mr. Reade here?"

"You're speaking to him, sir, " smiled the cub engineer. 

Mr. Newnham took a quick look, readjusted his spectacles, andlooked once more. Tom bore the scrutiny calmly. 

"I expected to find a very young man here, Mr. Reade, but you'reconsiderably younger than I had expected. Yet Howe, in chargeof the construction corps, tells me that you've been hustlingmatters at this field survey end. How are you, Reade?"

Mr. Newnham descended from the wagon, at once holding out his hand. 

"I'm very comfortable, thank you, sir, " Tom smiled. 

"You're dreadfully busy, I'm sure, " continued the president ofthe S. B. & L. "In fact, Reade, I feel almost guilty in cominghere and taking up your time when you've such a drive on. Don'tlet me detain you. I can go right on into the field and talkwith you there. "

"It won't be necessary, sir, " Tom answered, with another smile. "I'm not doing anything in particular. "

"Nothing in particular? Why, I thought-----"

"I don't do any tearing around myself, " laughed Reade. "Sinceyou were kind enough to make me acting chief engineer here I'vekept the other fellows driving pretty hard, and I have every bitof work done right up to the minute. Yet, as for myself, I havelittle to do, most of the day, except to sit in a camp easy chair, or else I ride a bit over the ground and see just where the fellowsare working. "

"You take it mighty easily, " murmured President Newnham. 

"A chief may, if he has the sense to know how to work hissubordinates, " Tom continued. "I don't believe, sir, that you'llfind any fault with the way matters have gone forward. "

"Let me see the latest reports, " urged Mr. Newnham. 

"Certainly, sir, if you'll come into the head-quarters tent. "

Leading the way into the tent where Harry Hazelton and his draughtingforce were at work, Tom announced:

"Gentlemen, Mr. Newnham, president of the S. B. & L. , wishes tolook over the reports and the maps with me. You may lay off untilcalled back to work. "

As the others filed out of the tent, Tom made Harry a sign toremain. Then the three went over the details of what the fieldsurvey party was doing. 

"From all I can see, " remarked President Newnham, "you have donewonderfully well, Reade. I can certainly find no fault with TimThurston for recommending that you be placed in charge. Thurstonwill certainly be jealous when he gets on his feet again. Youhave driven the work ahead in faster time than Thurston himselfwas able to do. "

"It's very likely, sir, " replied Tom Reade, "that I have had aneasier part of the country to work through than Mr. Thurston had. Then, again, the taking on of the engineer student party fromthe State University has enabled us to get ahead with much greaterspeed. "

"I wonder why Thurston never thought to take on the students, "murmured Mr. Newnham. 

Bang! sounded an explosion, a mile or two to the westward. 

"I didn't know that you were doing any blasting, Reade, " observedthe president of the S. B. & L. 

"Neither did I, sir, " Tom replied, rising and listening. 

Bang! bang! bang! sounded a series of sharp reports. 

Tom ran out into the open Mr. Newnham following at a slower gait. 

Bang! bang! bang!

"Hi, there, Riley!" roared Tom promptly. "Saddle two horses asquickly as you can. Harry, make ready to follow with me as soonas the horses are ready. "

"Is anything wrong?" inquired the president. He was answered by moreexplosions in the distance. 

"I'm afraid so, " Tom muttered, showing his first trace of uneasiness. "However, I don't want to say, Mr. Newnham, until I've investigated. "

Before the horses were ready Tom descried, half a mile away, ona clear bit of trail, a horseman riding in at a furious gallop. 

"There comes a messenger, Mr. Newnham, " Tom went on. "We'll soonknow just what the trouble is. "

"Trouble?" echoed Mr. Newnham, in astonishment. "Then you believethat is the word, do you?"

"I'm afraid, Mr. Newnham, that you've reached here just in time tosee some very real trouble, " was Reade's quick answer. "But waitjust two minutes, sir, and we'll have exact information. Guessingwon't do any good. "

Once or twice, through the trees, they caught sight of the on-rushingrider. Then Jack Rutter, a big splotch of red on the left sleeveof his shirt, rode hard into camp. 

"Reade, " he shouted, "we're ambushed! Hidden scoundrels havebeen firing on us. "

"You've ordered all the men in?" called Tom, as Rutter reinedup beside him. 

"Every man of them, " returned Jack. "Poor Reynolds, of the studentparty, is rather seriously hit, I'm afraid. Some of the fellowsare bringing him in. "

"You're hit yourself, " Tom remarked. 

"What? That little scratch?" demanded Rutter scornfully. "Don'tcount me as a wounded man, Reade. There are some firearms inthis camp. I want to get the men armed, as far as the weaponswill go, and then I want to go back and smoke out the miserablerascals!"

"It won't be wise, Jack, " Tom continued coolly. "You'll findthat there are too many of the enemy. Besides, you won't haveto fatigue yourselves by going back over the trail. The scoundrelswill be here, before long. They doubtless intend to wipe outthe camp. "

"Assassins coming to wipe out the camp?" almost exploded PresidentNewnham. "Reade, this is most extraordinary!"

"It is---very, " Tom assented dryly. 

"But who can the villains be?"

"A picked-up gang of gun-fighters, sent here to blow this campoff the face of the earth, since that is the only way that thebackers of the rival road can find to set us back, " Tom rejoined. "If they drive us away from here, they'll attack the constructionforce next!"

CHAPTER XVI

SHUT OFF FROM THE WORLD

Five horsemen belonging to the field party rode in furiously, MattRice at their head. 

"It's a shame, " yelled Rice, as he threw himself from his horse. "I'd have stayed behind---so would the others---if we had had rifleswith us. The scoundrels kept up a fire at a quarter of a mile range. Then we passed the men who are carrying Reynolds---they're almosthere now---but it wouldn't have done any good for us to stand by them. We'd have made the other party only a bigger mark. Where are therevolvers, Reader? We've got to make a stand here. We can't run awayand leave our camp to fall into their hands. "

"We're not going to run away, " said Reade grimly. "But I'll tellyou what a half dozen of you can do. Hustle for shovels and diga deep hole here. This gentleman is Mr. Newnham, president of thecompany that employs us. If the camp is attacked we can't afford tohave the president of the road killed. "

"Mr. Newnham would do far better to ride down the trail as fast ashe can go, and try to join the construction camp, " offered Rutter. 

The president of the S. B. & L. Had been silent during the last fewexciting moments. But now he opened his mouth long enough to replyvery quickly:

"Mr. Newnham hasn't any thoughts of flight. I am not a fightingman, and never saw a shot fired in anger in my life, but I'm goingto stand my ground in my own camp. "

"Dig the hole, anyway, " ordered Tom. "We'll want a safe place to putyoung Reynolds. We can't afford to leave him exposed to fire. "

"Where are the revolvers?" Rice insisted, as others started to getshovels and dig in a hurry. 

"Oh, never mind the revolvers, " replied Tom. "We won't use 'em, anyway. We can't, for they wouldn't carry far enough to put any ofthe enemy in danger. "

"Mr. Reade, " remarked Mr. Newnham, in a quiet undertone, "does itoccur to you that you are making no preparations to defend the camp!That, in fact, you seem wholly indolent in the matter?"

"Oh, no; I'm not indolent, sir, " smiled Tom. "You'll find meenergetic enough, sir, I imagine, when the need for swift work comes. "

"Of course you couldn't foresee the coming of any such outrageas this, " Mr. Newnham continued. 

"Oh, I rather guessed that this sort of thing was coming, " Tomconfessed. 

"You guessed it---and yet the camp has been left undefended? Youhaven't taken any steps to protect the company's rights and propertyat this point?" gasped Mr. Newnham. 

"You will find, sir, that I am not wholly unprepared, " Reade remarkeddryly, while the corners of his mouth drew down grimly. 

Tom was apparently the only one in camp, after the excitementstarted, who had noted that Dave Fulsbee, at the first shots, hadleaped to his horse and vanished down the trail to the eastward. 

At this moment a party of a dozen, headed by Professor Coles, camein on foot, bearing young Reynolds with them. 

"Harry, mount one of the saddled horses and rush down yonder forDoc Gitney, " Tom ordered. "Give him your horse to come back on. He must see to young Reynolds promptly. "

Some of the field party came in on horseback, followed soon by stillothers on foot. Many of the field engineering party, in their haste, had left their instruments, rods and chains behind. 

Tom, after diving into and out of the headquarters tent, held up apair of powerful binocular field glasses. With these he tooksweeping views of the near-by hills to the westward. 

"The scoundrels haven't gotten in at close quarters yet, sir, " Readereported to President Newnham. "At least, I can't make out a signof them on the high ground that commands this camp. "

"This whole business of an armed attack on us is most incomprehensibleto me, " remarked Mr. Newnham. "I know, of course, that the W. C. & A. Haven't left a stone unturned to defeat our efforts in gettingour road running within the limits set in the charter. However, the W. C. & A. People are crazy to send armed assassins againstus in the field in this fashion. No matter, now, whether we finishthe road on time, this rascally work by the opposition will defeattheir hopes of getting the charter away from us. "

"It might prevent them from doing so, sir, " Tom rejoined quietly, "if you were able to prove that the scoundrels who fired on ourengineering parties this morning were really employed by the W. C. & A. Railroad crowd. "

"Prove it?" snorted the man from Broadway. "Who else would haveany interest in blocking us?"

"Would that statement go in court, or before a legislature?" Tompressed. 

"No, it wouldn't, " President Newnham admitted thoughtfully. "I seethe point, Reade. After the scoundrels have done their worst againstus, they can disperse, vanishing among the hills, and the W. C. & A. People will simply deny that they were behind the attack, and willcall upon us to prove it. "

"Not only that, sir, " continued the cub chief engineer, "but I doubtif any of the officials of the W. C. & A. Have any real knowledge thatsuch a move is contemplated. This trick proceeds from the fertilemind of some clever, well-paid scoundrel who is employed in theopposition railroad's gloom department. It is a cleverly thought-outscheme to make us lose three or four days of work, which will beenough to prevent us from finishing the road on time. So, theenemy think that we must lose the charter, sir. "

"That trick will never work, " declared Mr. Newnham angrily. "Reade, there are courts, and laws. If the State of Colorado doesn't protectus in our work, then we can't be held to am count for not finishingwithin a given time. "

"That's as the legislature may decide, I imagine, sir, " hazardedthe young engineer. "There are powerful political forces workingto turn this road's charter over to the W. C. & A. Crowd. Yourcompany's property, Mr. Newnham, is entitled to protection from thestate, of course. The state, however, will be able to reply thatthe authorities were not notified, and could not send protectionto us. "

"But we have a telegraph running from here out into the world!"cried the man from Broadway way, wheeling like a flash. "Reade, we're both idiots not to have remembered, at the first shots, to send an urgent message to Denver. Where's your operating tent?"

"Over there. I'll take you there, sir, " offered Tom, after pointing. "Still it won't do any good, Mr. Newnham, to think of telegraphing. "

"Not do us any good?" echoed the other, aghast. "What nonsenseare you talking, Reade? If we are hindered the feet of our havingwired to the governor of the state will be our first proof of havingappealed to the state for protection. Can't you see that, Reade?"

The pair now turned in at the operator's tent. 

"Operator, " said Reade, to the young man seated before the keys ona table, "this gentleman man is President Newnham, of the S. B. & L. Send any messages that he dictates. "

"Get Denver on the wire, " commanded Mr. Newnham. "Hustle!"

Click-click-click! rattled the sounder. 

"It won't do a particle of good, " Tom uttered calmly. "'Gene Black, the engineer discharged from this camp, is serving the enemy. Black has brains enough to see that our wire was cut before hestarted a thing moving. "

Click-click-click! spoke the sounder again. 

"I can't get a thing, " explained the operator. "I can't even get aresponse from the construction camp. Mr. Reade must be right---ourwire has been cut and we're shut off from the outside world. "

CHAPTER XVII

THE REAL ATTACK BEGINS

Hearing the moving wheels of a wagon on the trail, Tom looked outside, then seized Mr. Newnham's arm rather roughly. 

"Come along, sir, and come quickly, if you want to see somethingthat will beat a carload of telegrams, " urged the cub engineer. 

Having gotten the president of the road outside, Tom let go ofhis arm and raced on before that astonished man from Broadway. 

"Here, you fellows, " called Tom, almost gayly, as he ran to whereengineers and chainmen men were standing in little groups, talkinggloomily over the forenoon's work. "Get in line, here---a wholecrowd of you!"

Dave Fulsbee was now riding briskly toward the centre of the camp, ahead of the wagon for which he had gone down the trail. Laughingquietly, Tom hustled group after group of young men into one longline. 

"Hold up your right hands!" called out the young cub engineer. 

Wondering, his subordinates obeyed. Fulsbee reined up, dismountingbefore the line. 

"They're all ready for you, friend, " called Tom gayly. 

"Listen, boys!" commanded Dave Fulsbee, as he faced the line onfoot. "You do each and all of you, singly and severally, herebyswear that you will serve truly and well as special deputy sheriffs, and obey all lawful orders, so help you God?"

Almost in complete silence the hands fell as their owners nodded. Both the engineers and rodmen felt a trifle dazed. Why was thissolitary deputy sheriff before them, and with what did he expectthem to fight! Were they to stand and throw rocks at an enemy armedwith rifles?

But just then the wagon was driven in front of them. 

"Hustle the cases out, boys! Get 'em open!" commanded Dave, thoughhe spoke without excitement. "Forty rifles and ten thousand cartridges, all borrowed from the National Guard of the State. Get busy!If the coyotes down to the westward try to get busy around herewe will talk back to them!"

"Whoop!" yelled the college boys. They pushed and crowded aboutthe wooden cases that were now unloaded. 

"See here, " boomed in the deep voice of Professor Coles, "I wasn'tsworn in, and I now insist that I, too, be sworn. "

"Mr. Newnham, tell the professor that fighting is a boy's business, and that there isn't any call for him to risk himself, " appealedTom. "There are plenty of youngsters here to do the fightingand to take the chances. "

"Surely, there appear to be enough men, " chuckled President Newnham, who, since he realized that rifles and ammunition were at hand, appeared to be wonderfully relieved. "Professor, don't think ofrunning yourself into any danger. Look on, with me. "

"Rifles are all given out, now, anyway, " called Dave Fulsbee coolly. "Now, youngsters, I'm going to show you where to station yourselves. Mr. Reade, have you seen anything through the glasses that looksinteresting?"

"By Jove, " Tom admitted, flushing guiltily, "I quite forgot to keepthe lenses turned on the hills to the west. "

He now made good for his omission, while Fulsbee led his young menaway, stationing them in hiding places along the westward edge ofthe camp. Each man with a rifle was ordered not to rise from theground, or to show himself in any way, and not to fire unless orderswere given. Then Dave hurried back to the wagon. Something elsewas lifted out, all canvas covered, and rushed forward to a pointjust behind a dense clump of bushes. 

"Reade, I want to apologize to you, " cried the man from Broadway, moving quickly over to where Tom stood surveying the hills beyondthrough his glass. "I thought, for a few minutes, that you hadsuspected some such rascally work afoot, and that you had failedto take proper precautions. "

"If I had failed, sir, " murmured Tom, without removing the glassfrom before his eyes, "you would have arrived just in time, sir, to turn out of the camp a man who wasn't fit to be in charge. Yet it was only accident, sir, that led me to suspect what mightbe in the air. "

Thereupon Tom hastily recounted to the president of the companythe story of how he had accidentally overheard fragments of talkbetween 'Gene Black and Bad Pete. 

"That gave me a hint of how the wind was blowing, " Tom continued, "though I couldn't make out enough of their talk, on either occasion, to learn just what was happening. I telegraphed to the nearesttown that had a sheriff in it, and that put me in touch with Fulsbee. Then Dave, over the wire, offered to bring arms here and to helpus to defend our camp. "

"Mr. Reade, " exclaimed President Newnham hoarsely, "you are awonderful young man! While seeming to be idle yourself, you haverushed the work through in splendid shape. " Even when our enemiesplot in the dark, and plan incredible outrages against us, you fullyinform yourself of their plans. When the cowards strike you areready to meet them, force for force. You may be only a cubengineer, but you have an amazing genius for the work in whichchance has placed you out here. "

"You may be guilty, Mr. Newnham, of giving me far more credit thanI deserve, " laughed Tom gently. "In the matter of finding out theenemy's designs, I didn't, and I don't know fully yet what the otherside intends to do to us. What I did learn was by accident. "

"Very few other young men would have been equal to making thegreatest and best use of what accident revealed, " insisted Mr. Newnham warmly. 

Harry Hazelton came now, from the hole in the ground, to reportthat Dr. Gitney had done all he could for the comfort of pooryoung Reynolds. 

"Gitney says that Reynolds ought to come along all right, as faras the mere wound itself is concerned, " Hazelton added. "Whatwill have to be looked out for is suppuration. If pus forms inand around the wound it may carry Reynolds off, for there areno hospital conveniences to be had in this wild neck of the woods. "

"Is the doctor staying with Reynolds?" Tom asked, still using theglasses on the hilly country that lay ahead. 

"No; he has gone back to Mr. Thurston and Mr. Blaisdell, " Hazeltonanswered. "Doc says he'll have to be with them to quiet them incase the firing gets close. He says both men will become excited andtry to jump out of bed and come over here. Doc says he's going tostrap 'em both down. "

"Dr. Gitney may be badly needed here, if a fight opens, " Tom musedaloud. 

"He says, if we need him, to send for him. "

"Come through a hot fire?" Tom gasped. 

"Surely! Doc Gitney is a Colorado man, born and bred. He doesn'tmind a lead shower when it comes in the line of duty, " laughedHarry. "Now, if you're through using me as a messenger, I'm goingto find a rifle. "

"You won't succeed, " Tom retorted. "Every rifle in camp alreadyhas an amateur soldier behind it. "

"Just my luck!" growled Harry. 

"You're a good, husky lad, " Tom continued. "If you want to beof real use, just lie down hug the earth, take good care not tobe hit, and-----"

"Fine and manly!" interjected Hazelton with contempt. 

"Now, don't try to be a hero, " urged Tom teasingly. "There arealtogether too many green, utterly inexperienced heroes here atpresent. Be useful, Harry, old chum, and let those who are goodfor nothing else be heroes. "

"Following your own advice?" asked Hazelton. "Is that why youhaven't a rifle yourself?"

"Why do I need a rifle?" demanded Reade. "I'm a non-combatant. "

"You-----"

"Box the chatter, Harry, and ship it east, " Tom interposed, showingsigns of interest. Then, in a louder voice, Tom called:

"Dave Fulsbee!"

"Here, " answered the deputy sheriff from his hiding place in thebrush. 

"Do you see that bald knob of rock ahead, to your left; abouta quarter of a mile away?"

"I do. "

"I make out figures crawling to the cover of the line of brushjust to the right of the bald knob, " Tom continued. "There areeight of them, I think. "

"I see figures moving there, " Dave answered. Then, in a low voice, the deputy instructed the engineers on each side of him. 

"I see half a dozen more figures---heads, rather---showing justat the summit line of the rock itself, " went on Reade. 

"Yes; I make 'em, " answered Fulsbee, after a long, keen look. 

Again more instructions were given to the engineers. 

"Say, I've _got_ to have a rifle, " insisted Harry nervously. "You know, I always have been 'cracked, on target shooting. Thisis the best practical chance that I'll ever have. "

"You'll have to wait your turn, Harry, " Tom urged soothingly. 

"My turn?"

"Yes; wait until one of our fellows is badly hit. Then you cantake up his rifle and move into his place on the line. When you'rehit, then I can have the rifle. "

Hazelton made a face, though he said nothing. 

Meanwhile Fulsbee's assistant, the man who had driven the wagon intocamp, stood silent, motionless, behind the canvas-covered object inthe bushes just behind the engineer's fighting line. 

"Now, if one of you galoots dares to fire before he gets the word, "sounded Dave Fulsbee's warning voice in the ominous calm thatfollowed, "I'll snatch the offender out of the line and give hima good, sound spanking. The only man for me is the man who hasthe nerve to wait when he's being shot at. "

Crack! Far up on the bald knob a single shot sounded, and a bulletstruck the ground about six feet from where Tom Reade stood withthe binocular at his eyes. 

Then there came a volley from the right of the rock, followedby one from the rock itself. 

"Easy, boys, " cautioned Fulsbee, as the bullets tore up the groundback of the firing line. "I'll give you the word when the timecomes. "

Another volley sounded. Bullets tore up the ground near PresidentNewnham, and one leaden pellet carried off that gentleman's softhat. 

"Please lie down, Mr. Newnham, " begged Tom, turning around. Nowthat the fight had opened the cub chief saw less use for the binocular. "We can't have you hit, sir. You're the head of the company, please remember. "

"I don't like this place, but I'm only one human life here, " the manfrom Broadway replied quietly, gravely. "If other men so readilyrisk their lives for the property of my associates and myself, thenI'm going to expose myself at least as much as these young men aheadof us do. "

"Just one shot apiece, " sounded Dave Fulsbee's steady voice. "Fire where you've been told. "

It was an irregular volley that ripped out from the defendersof the camp. Half of the marksmen fired to the right of the rook, the others at its crest. 

Right on top of this came another volley, fired from some newpoint of attack. It filled the air at this end of the camp withbullets. 

"Livin' rattlers!", cried Dave Fulsbee, leaping to his feet. "That'sthe real attack. Reade, locate that main body and turn us loose on'em. If you don't, the fellows in the real ambush will soon make asieve of this camp. There must be a regiment of 'em!"

CHAPTER XVIII

WHEN THE CAMP GREW WARM

President Newnham had prudently decided to lie down flat on the ground. 

Nor was it any reflection on his courage that he did so. He wastaking no part in the fight, and the leaden tornado that sweptthe camp from some unknown point was almost instantly repeated. 

At the same time the marksmen on and at the right of the baldknob continued to fire. The camp defenders were in a criss-crossof fire that might have shaken the nerves of an old and triedsoldier. 

Tom watched the ground as bullets struck, trying to decide theiroriginal course from the directions in which the dust flew. Thenhe swung around to the right. 

With modern smokeless powder there was no light, bluish haze tomark the firing line of the new assailants. Tom Reade had tosearch and explore with his binocular glass until he could makeout moving heads, waving arms. 

"I've found 'em, Fulsbee!" young Reade cried suddenly, above thenoise of rifles within a few yards of where they stood, as theengineers made the most of their chances to fire. "Turn the sameway that I'm looking. See that blasted pine over there to yourright, about six hundred there to the gully southeast of the tree. Got the line? Well, along there there's a line of men hidden. Through the glass I can sometimes make out the flash of their rifles. Take the glass yourself, and see. "

Dave Fulsbee snatched the binoculars, making a rapid survey. 

"Reade, " he admitted, "you have surely located that crowd. "

"Now, go after them with your patent hay rake, " quivered Tom, feeling the full excitement of the thing in this tantalizing crossfire. Then the cub added, with a sheepish grin:

"I hope you'll scare 'em, instead of hitting 'em, Dave. "

Fulsbee stepped over to his assistant. Between them they swungthe machine gun around, the assistant wrenching off the canvascover. Fulsbee rapidly sighted the piece for six hundred yards. The assistant stood by to feed belts of cartridges, while Dave tookhis post at the firing mechanism. 

Cr-r-r-r-rack! sounded the machine gun, spitting forth a peltingstorm of lead. As the piece continued to disgorge bullets atthe rate of six hundred a minute, Dave, a grim smile on his lips, swung the muzzle of the piece so as to spread the fire along theentire line of the main ambush. 

"Take the glass, " Tom roared in Harry's ear, above the din. "Seehow Fulsbee is throwing up dust and bits of rock all along thatrattled line. "

Hazelton watched, his face showing an appreciative grin. 

"It has the scoundrels scared and going!" Hazelton yelled back. 

Fully fifteen hundred cartridges did the machine gun deliver upand down that line. 

Then, suddenly, Dave Fulsbee swung the gun around, deliveringa hailstorm of bullets against the bald knob rock and the bushesto the right of it. 

"There's the answer!" gleefully uttered Hazelton, who had justhanded the glass back to his chum. 

The "answer" was a fluttering bit of white cloth tied to a rifleand hoisted over the bushes at the right of the bald knob. 

"Who do you suppose is holding the white cloth?" chuckled Tom. 

"I can't guess, " Harry confessed. 

"Our old and dangerous friend Peter, " Tom laughed. 

"Bad Pete!"

"No; Scared Pete. "

There was a sudden twinkle in Hazelton's eyes as he espied DaveFulsbee's rifle lying on the ground beside the machine gun. 

In another instant Harry had that rifle and was back at Tom'sside. 

Harry threw open the magazine, making sure that there were cartridgesin the weapon. Then he dropped to one knee, taking careful sightin the direction of the white flag. 

"You idiot---what are you doing?" blazed Tom. 

The fire from the camp had died out. That from the assailantsbeyond had ceased at least thirty seconds earlier. 

One sharp report broke the hush that followed. 

"Who's doing that work? Stop it!" ordered Fulsbee, turningwrathfully. 

"I'm through, " grinned Harry meekly. 

"What do you mean by shooting at a flag of truce?" demanded thedeputy sheriff angrily. 

"I didn't, " Harry argued, laying the rifle down on the ground. "I sent one in with my compliments, to see whether the fellowwith the white rag would get the trembles. I guess he did, forthe white rag has gone out of sight. "

"They may start the firing again, " uttered Dave Fulsbee. "They'llfeel that you don't respect their flag of truce. "

"I didn't feel a heap of respect for the fellow that held up thewhite flag, " Hazelton admitted, with another grin. "It was BadPete, and I wanted to see what his nerve was like when someoneelse was doing the shooting and he was the target. "

"Peter simply flopped and dropped his gun, Tom declared. 

"Say, " muttered Harry, his face showing real concern, "I hopeI didn't hit him. "

"Did you aim at him?" demanded Tom. 

"I did not. "

"Then there _is_ some chance that Peter was hit, " Tom confessed. "Harry, when you're shooting at a friend, and in a purely hospitableway, always aim straight for him. Then the poor fellow will havea good chance to get off with a whole skin!"

"Cut out that line of talk, " ordered Hazelton, his face growingred. "Back in the old home days, Tom, you've seen me do somegreat shooting. "

"With the putty-blower---yes, " Tom admitted, with a chuckle. "Say, wasn't Old Dut Jones, of the Central Grammar, rough on boyswho used putty-blowers in the schoolroom?"

"If Pete was hit, it wasn't my shot that did it, " muttered Harry, growing redder still. "I aimed for the centre of that white rag. If we ever come across the rag we'll find my bullet hole throughit. That was what I hit. "

Deputy Dave's assistant was now cleaning out the soot-choked barrelsof the machine gun, that the piece might be fit for use again as soonas the barrels had cooled. 

"I reckon, " declared Dave, "that our friends have done their worst. It's my private wager that they're now doing a foot race for theback trails. "

"Is any one of our fellows hit?" called Tom, striding over tothe late firing line. "Anyone hit? If so, we must take careof him at once. "

Tom went the length of the line, only to discover that none ofthe camp's defenders had been injured, despite the shower of bulletsthat had been poured in during the brief but brisk engagement. Three of the engineers displayed clothing that had been piercedby bullets. 

"Dave, " called Tom, "how soon will it be safe to send over tothe late strongholds and find out whether any of Naughty Peter'sfriends have any hurts that demand Doc Gitney's attention?"

"Huh! If any of the varmints are hit, I reckon they can wait, "muttered Fulsbee. 

"Not near this camp!" retorted Reade with spirit. "If any humanbeing around here has been hurt he must have prompt care. Howsoon will it be safe to start?"

"I don't know how soon it will be safe, " Dave retorted. "I wantto take about a half dozen of the young fellows, on horseback, and ride over just to see if we can draw any fire. That willshow whether the rascals have quit their ambushes. "

"If they haven't, " mocked Tom, "they'll also show your littleparty some new gasps in the way of excitement. "

Nevertheless Reade did not object when Fulsbee called for volunteers. If any new firing was to be encountered it was better to riska small force rather than a large one. 

Harry Hazelton was one of the six volunteers who rode out withDeputy Dave. Though they searched the country for miles theydid not encounter any of the late raiders. Neither did they findany dead or wounded men. 

The abandoned transits and other instruments and implements werefound and brought back to camp. 

While this party was absent Tom took Mr. Newnham back to headquarterstent, where he explained, in detail, all that had been accomplishedand all that was now being done. 

Late in the afternoon Dave Fulsbee and his little force returned. Tomlistened attentively to the report made by the sheriff's officer. 

"They've cheated you out of one day's work, anyway, " muttered theman from Broadway, rather fretfully. 

"We can afford to lose the time, " Tom answered almost carelessly. "Our field work is well ahead. It's the construction work thatis bothering me most. I hope soon to have news as to whether theconstruction outfit has been attacked. "

"The wires are all up again, sir, " reported the operator, pausingat the doorway of the tent. "The men you sent back have mendedall the breaks. I've just heard from the construction camp thatnone of the unknown scoundrels have been heard from there. "

"They found you so well prepared here, " suggested President Newnham, "that the rascals have an idea that the construction camp is alsowell guarded. I imagine we've heard the last of the opposition. "

"Then you're going to be fooled, sir, " Tom answered, very decisively. "For my part, I believe that the tactics of the gloom departmentof the W. C. & A. Have just been commenced. Fighting men of a sortare to be had cheap in these mountains, and the W. C. & A. Railroadis playing a game that it's worth millions to win. They're resolvedthat we shan't win. And I, Mr. Newnham, am determined that we shall win!"

CHAPTER XIX

SHERIFF GREASE DROPS DAVE

Tom's prediction came swiftly true in a score of ways. 

The gloom department of the W. C. & A. Immediately busied itselfwith the public. 

The "gloom department" is a comparatively new institution in somekinds of high finance circles. Its mission is to throw gloomover the undertakings of a rival concern. At the same time, throughsuch matter as it can manage to have printed in some sorts ofnewspapers the gloom department seeks to turn the public againstits business rivals. 

That same day news was flashed all over the country that a partyof railway engineers, led by a mad deputy sheriff had wantonlyfired on a party of travelers who had had the misfortune to get uponthe building railway's right of way. 

In many parts of Colorado a genuine indignation was aroused againstthe S. B. & L. President Newnham sought to correct the wrong impression, but even his carefully thought out statements were misconstrued. 

The W. C. & A. , though owned mainly abroad, had some clever Americanpoliticians of the worst sort in its service. Many of these menwere influential to some extent in Colorado. 

The sheriff of the county was approached and inflamed by some ofthese politicians, with the result that the sheriff hastened to thefield camp, where he publicly dismissed Dave Fulsbee from his forceof deputies. The sheriff solemnly closed his fiery speech bydemanding Dave's official badge. 

"That's funny, but don't mind, Dave, " laughed Tom, as he witnessedthe handing over of the badge. "You won't be out of work. "

"Won't be out of work, eh?" demanded Sheriff Grease hotly. "Justlet him wait and see. There isn't a man in the county who wantsDave Fulsbee about now. "

"Then what a disappointed crowd they're going to be, " remarkedTom pleasantly, "for Mr. Newnham is going to make Dave chief ofdetectives for the company, at a salary of something like sixthousand a year. 

"He is, oh?" gulped down Sheriff Grease. "I'll bet he won't. I'llprotest against that, right from the start. "

"Dave will be our chief of detectives, if you protest all nightand some more in the morning, " returned Tom Reade. "And Dave, I reckon, is going to need a force of at least forty men underhim. Dave will be rather important in the county, won't he, sheriff, if he has forty men under him who feel a good deal like voting theway that Dave believes? A forty-man boss is quite a little figurein politics, isn't he, sheriff?"

Grease turned nearly purple in the face, choking and sputteringin his wrath. 

"Come along, Dave, and see if that job as chief detective is opentoday, " urged Tom, drawing one arm through Fulsbee's. "If you'reinterested in knowing the news, sheriff, you might wait. "

"I'll-----" ground out Grease, gritting his teeth and clenchingone fist. Tom waited patiently for the county officer to finish. Then, as he didn't go further, Reade rejoined, half mockingly:

"Exactly, sheriff. That's just what I thought you'd do. "

Then Tom dragged Dave down to the headquarters tent, where theyfound the president of the road. 

"Mr. Newnham, " began Tom gravely, "the sheriff has just come tocamp and has discharged Fulsbee from his force of deputies, justbecause Fulsbee acted as a real law officer and stopped the raidon the road. I have told Mr. Fulsbee, before Sheriff Grease, thatyou are going to make him chief of detectives for the road at asalary of about six thousand a year. "

Mr. Newnham displayed his astonishment very openly, though hedid not speak at first. 

"That's all right, " replied President Newnham. "Mr. Fulsbee, do you accept the offer of six thousand as chief detective forthe road, "

"Does a man accept an invitation to eat when he's hungry?" repliedDave rather huskily. 

"Then it's settled, " put in Tom, anxious to clinch the matter, for he had a very shrewd idea that he would need Dave badly erelong. "Now, Mr. Newnham, until we get everything running smoothly, Mr. Fulsbee ought to have a force of about forty men. They willcost seventy-five dollars a month, per man, with an allowancefor horses, forage, etc. Hadn't Mr. Fulsbee better get his forcetogether as soon as possible? For I am certain, sir, that thenext move by the opposition will be to tear up and blow up ourtracks at some unguarded points. At the same time, sir, I feelcertain that we can get far more protection from Chief of DetectivesFulsbee's men than from a man like Sheriff Grease. "

"Reade?" returned President Newnham, "it is plain to be seen thatyou lose no time in making your plans or in arranging to put theminto execution. I imagine you're right, for you've been right ineverything so far. So arrange with Mr. Fulsbee for whatever youthink may be needed. "

"Thank you, sir, " murmured Tom. Then he signaled Fulsbee to getout of the tent, and followed that new official. 

"Never hang around, Dave, after you've got what you want, " chuckledTom. "Hello, Mr. Sheriff! This is just a line to tell you thatFulsbee has a steady job with the company, and that he'll needthe services of at least forty men, all of whom must be votersin this county. The pay will be seventy-five a month and keep, withextra allowance for horses. "

Sheriff Grease didn't look much more pleasant than he felt. 

"Are you homeward bound---when you go?" continued Reade. 

The sheriff nodded. 

"Then you might spread the word that men are needed, and tellthe best men to apply to Dave Fulsbee, at this camp, " suggestedTom. "Be strong on the point that all applicants have to be votersin this county. "

"I will, " nodded the sheriff, choking down his wrath by a greateffort. "Dave won't have any trouble in getting good men whenI spread the word. You're a mighty good fellow, Dave. I alwayssaid it, " added the sheriff. "I'm sorry I had to be rough withyou, but---but-----"

"Of course we understand here that orders from a political bosshave to be obeyed, " Tom added good-naturedly. "We won't over-blameyou, Mr. Grease. "

The sheriff rode away, Tom's smiling eyes following him. 

"That touch about your having forty voters at your beck and callmust have stuck in the honorable sheriff's crop, Dave, " chuckledthe cub chief engineer. 

"I reckon it does, " drawled Dave. "A man like Grease can't understandthat a man of my kind wouldn't ask any fellow working for himwhat ticket he voted for on election day. You certainly hit thesheriff hard, Mr. Reade. In the first place, six thousand a yearis a lot more money than the sheriff gets himself. Forty votersare fully as many as he can control, for which reason Grease, in his mind's eye, sees me winning his office away from him any daythat I want to do so. "

Ere three days had passed Sheriff Grease had lost fully half ofhis own force, and some of his controlled voters as well, for manyof his deputies flocked to serve under Dave Fulsbee. The rest ofthe needed detectives also came in, and Dave was soon busy postinghis men to patrol the S. B. & L. And protect the workers against anymore raids by armed men. 

After a fortnight student Reynolds recovered sufficiently to be sentto Denver, there to complete his work of recovering from his wound. President Newnham also saw to it that Reynolds was well repaid forhis services. 

The camp moved on. Soon Lineville was sighted from the advancedcamp of the engineers. As Lineville was to be the western terminusof the new railroad the work of the field party was very nearlyfinished. 

President Newnham, who was all anxiety to see the first train runover the road, remained with the field engineers. 

"I couldn't sleep at night, if I were anywhere else than here, "explained the president, "though I feel assured now that the W. C. & A. Will make no more efforts, in the way of violence; to preventus from finishing the building of the road. "

"Then you're more trustful than I am, " smiled Tom Reade. "What'sworrying me most of all is that I can't quite fathom in what waythe W. C. & A's gloom department will plan to stop us. That theyhave some plan---and a rascally one---I'm as certain, sir, as I amthat I'm now speaking with you. "

"Has Fulsbee any suspicions?" inquired Mr. Newnham. 

"Loads of 'em, " declared Tom promptly. 

"What does he think the W. C. & A. Will try to do?"

"Dave's suspicions, Mr. Newnham, aren't any more definite than mine. He feels certain, however, that we're going to have a hard fightbefore we get the road through. "

"Then I hope the opposition won't be able to prevent us from finishing, "murmured Mr. Newnham. 

"Oh, the enemy won't be able to hinder us, " replied Tom confidently. "You have a Fulsbee and a Reade on the job, sir. Don't worry. I'm not doing any real worrying, and I promise you that I'm notgoing to be beaten. "

"It will be a genuine wonder if Reade is beaten, " reflected Mr. Newnham, watching the cub's athletic figure as Tom walked throughthe centre of the camp. "I never knew a man of any age who wasmore resourceful or sure to win than this same cub, Tom Reade, whose very name was unknown to me a few weeks ago. Yet I shiver!I can't help it. Men just as resourceful as Tom Reade are sometimesbeaten to a finish!"

CHAPTER XX

MR. NEWNHAM DROPS A BOMB

The field work was done. Yet the field engineers were not dismissed. Instead, they were sent back along the line. The constructiongang was still twelve miles out of Lineville, and the time allowedby the charter was growing short. 

At Denver certain politicians seemed to have very definite informationthat the S. B. & L. R. R. , was not going to finish the building ofthe road and the operating of the first through train within chartertime. 

Where these politicians had obtained their news they did not take thetrouble to state. 

However, they seemed positive that, under the terms of the charter, the state would take over as much of the railroad as was finished, pay an appraisal price for it, and then turn the road over tothe W. C. & A. Promoters to finish and use as part of their ownrailway system. 

These same politicians, by the way, were a handful of keen, unscrupulous men who derived their whole income from politics, andwho had always been identified with movements that the betterpeople of the state usually opposed. 

Mr. Thurston and his assistant, Blaisdell, were now able to beup and to move about a little, but were not yet able to travelforward to the point that the construction force had now reached. Neither Thurston nor Blaisdell was in fit shape to work, andwould not be for some weeks to come. 

Mr. Newnham, who had learned in these weeks to ride a horse, camealong in saddle as Tom and Harry stood watching the field campthat was now being rapidly taken down by the few men left behind. 

"Idling, as usual, Reade?" smiled the president of the road. 

"This time I seem to have a real excuse, sir, " chuckled Tom. "My work is finished. There isn't a blessed thing that I coulddo, if I wanted to. By tomorrow I suppose you will be payingme off and letting me go. "

"Let you go---before the road is running?" demanded Mr. Newnham, in astonishment. "Reade, have you noted any signs of my mindfailing lately?"

"I haven't, sir. "

"Then why should you imagine that I am going to let my chief engineergo before the road is in operations"

"But I was acting chief, sir, only of the field work. "

"Reade, " continued Mr. Newnham, "I have something to tell you. Thurston has left our employ. So has Blaisdell. They are notdissatisfied in any way, but neither man is yet fit to work. Besides, both are tired of the mountains, and want to go easttogether as soon as possible and take up some other line ofengineering work. So---well, Reade, if you want it, you arenow chief engineer of the S. B. & L. In earnest. "

"Don't trifle with me, sir!" begged Tom incredulously. "I'm toofar from home. "

"No one has ever accused me of being a humorist, " replied Mr. Newnham dryly. "Now tell me, Reade, whether you want the post Ihave offered you?"

"Want it?" echoed Tom. "Of course I do. Yet doesn't it seemtoo 'fresh' in a cub like myself to take such a post?"

"You've won it, " replied the president. "It's also true thatyou're only a cub engineer in years, and there are many greaterengineers than yourself in the country. You have executive ability, however, Reade. You are able to start a thing, and then put itthrough on time---or before. The executive is the type of man whois most needed in this or any other country. "

"Is an executive a lazy fellow who can make others work!" askedReade. 

"No; an executive is a man who can choose other men, and can wiselydirect them to big achievements. An executive is a director offine team play. That describes you, Reade. However---you haven'tyet accepted the position as chief engineer of the S. B. & L. "

"I'll end your suspense then, sir, " smiled the cub. "I _do_ accept, and with a big capital 'A'. "

"As to your salary, " continued Mr. Newnham, "nothing has beensaid about that, and nothing need be said until we see whetherthe road is operating in season to save its charter. If we saveour charter and the road, your salary will be in line with thesize of the achievement. "

"If we should lose the charter, sir, " Tom retorted, his face clouding, "I don't believe I'd take any interest in the salary question. Money is a fine thing, but the game---the battle---is twentytimes more interesting. However, I'm going to predict, Mr. Newnham, that the road WILL operate on time. "

"I believe you're going to make good, Reade, no matter what asmall coterie of politicians at Denver may think. I never meta man who had success stamped more plainly on his face than youhave. By the way, I shall ask you to keep Mr. Howe as an assistant. You still have the appointment of one other assistant, in placeof Mr. Blaisdell. "

"I know the fellow I'd like to appoint, " cried Tom eagerly. 

"If you're sure about him, then go ahead and appoint him, " respondedthe president of the S. B. & L. Railway. 

"Hazelton!" proclaimed Tom. "Good, old dependable Harry Hazelton!"

"Hazelton would be a wise choice, " nodded Mr. Newnham. 

"Harry!" called Reade, as his chum appeared in the distance. "Come here hustle!"

Mr. Newnham turned away as Hazelton came forward. Tom quicklytold his chum the news. 

"I? Assistant chief engineer?" gasped Harry, turning red. "Whew, but that's great! However, I'm not afraid of falling down, Tom, with you to steer me. What's the pay of the new job!"

"Not decided, " rejoined Tom. "Wait until we get the road throughand the charter is safe. "

"Never mind the wages. The job's the thing, after all!" criedHarry, his face aglow. "Whew! I'll send a letter home tonightwith the news. "

"Make it a small post card, then, concealed under a postage stamp, "counseled Reade dryly. "We've work ahead of us---not writing. "

"What's the first thing you're going to do?" inquired Hazelton. 

"The first thing will be to get on the job. "

"You're going back to the construction force?"

"I am. "

"When?"

"Well, we start within five minutes. "

"Whew!"

His face still aglow with happiness, Harry Hazelton bounded offto his tent. Tom called to one of the men to saddle two horses, and then followed. 

"You're going back to the construction camp?" inquired Mr. Newnham, looking in at the doorway. 

"As fast as horses can take us, sir, " Tom replied, as he whippedout a clean flannel shirt and drew it over his head. 

"I'm going with you, " replied Mr. Newnham. 

"You'll ride fast, if you go with us, sir, " called Tom. 

"I can stand it, if you can, Reade. Your enthusiasm and speedare 'catching, '" replied the president, with a laugh, as he startedoff to give orders about his horse. 

"If the president is going with us, then we'll have to take twoof Dave Fulsbee's men with us, " mused Tom aloud to his chum. "It would never do to have our president captured just beforewe're ready to open the road to traffic. "

The orders were accordingly given. Tom then appointed one ofthe chainmen to command the camp until the construction gang came up. 

Just seven minutes after he had given the first order, Tom Readewas in saddle. Hazelton was seated on another horse some thirtyseconds afterward. The two railroad detectives rode forward, halting near by, and all waited for Mr. Newnham. 

Nor did the president of the S. B. & L. Delay them long. Duringhis weeks in camp in the Rockies the man from Broadway had learnedsomething of the meaning of the word "hustle. "

As the party started Tom ordered one of the detectives to ridetwo hundred yards in advance of the party, the other the samedistance to the rear. 

"Set a good pace, and keep it, " called Tom along the trail. Shortly after dark the party reached the construction camp, whichnow numbered about five hundred men. 

Assistant Chief Engineer Howe appeared more than a little astonishedwhen he learned that Tom Reade was the actual chief engineer ofthe road. However, the man who had been in charge so far of theconstruction work made no fuss about being supplanted. 

"Show me what part of the work you want me to handle, " offeredHowe, "and you'll find me right with you, Mr. Reade. "

"Thank you, " responded Tom, holding out his hand. "I'm glad youfeel no jealousy or resentment. There's just one thing in lifefor all of us, now, and that is to win the fight. "

Howe produced the plans and reports, and the three---for Hazeltonwas of their number---sat up until long after midnight laying outplans for pushing the work faster and harder. 

At four in the morning, while it was still dark, Tom was up again. He sat at the desk, going over the work once more until halfpast five o'clock. Then he called Harry and Howe, and the trioof chiefs had a hurried breakfast together. 

At six in the morning Mr. Newnham appeared, just in time to findTom and Harry getting into saddle. 

"Not going to stay behind and sit in an easy chair this morning, Reade?" called the president. 

"Not this, or any other morning, sir, " Tom replied. 

"You amaze me!"

"This construction work requires more personal attention, sir. I may have twenty minutes to dream, in the afternoon, but mymornings are mortgaged each day, from four o'clock on. "

An hour later Mr. Howe joined Reade and Hazelton in the field. Tom had already prodded three or four foremen, showing them howtheir gangs were losing time. 

"If we get the road through on time, and save the charter, " Tomcalled, on leaving each working party, "every laborer and foremanis to have an extra week's pay for his loyalty to us. "

In every instance that statement brought forth a cheer. 

"Did Mr. Newnham tell you that you could promise that?" inquiredHarry. 

"No, " said Tom shortly. 

"Then aren't you going a bit far, perhaps!"

"I don't care, " retorted Tom. "Victory is the winning of millions;defeat is the loss of millions. Do you imagine Mr. Newnham willcare about a little thing such as I've promised the men? Harry, our president is a badly worried man, though he doesn't allowhimself to show it. Once the road is finished, operating andsafe, he won't care what money he has to spend in rewards. He-----"

Tom did not finish his words. Instead he dug his heels into hispony, bringing his left hand down hard on that animal's flank. 

"Yi, yi, yi! Git!" called Tom, bending low over his mount's neck. He drove straight ahead. Hazelton looked astonished for a spaceof five seconds, then started in pursuit of his chum and chief. 

It was not long ere Tom reined in, holding up a hand as a signalto Harry to do the same thing. 

"Here, hold my horse, and stay right here, " ordered the young chief. 

"Tom, what on earth-----"

Tom Reade was already a hundred yards away, running in amid thebrush. At last he halted, studying the ground earnestly. ThenReade disappeared. 

"One thing I know, anyway, " muttered the puzzled Hazelton, "Tomis not crazy, and he doesn't dash off like that unless he hassomething real on his mind. " The minutes passed. At last Tomcame back, walking energetically. He took his horse's bridleand leaded into saddle. 

"Harry, ride back, hard, and send me two or three of the railroaddetectives, unless you happen to meet some of them this side ofthe camp. I want the men on the rush. Don't fail to tell 'emthat. "

"Any---er---explanations" queried Hazelton. 

"For you---yes---but don't take the time to pass the explanationon to the men. Just hustle 'em here. When I started my horseforward it was because I caught sight of 'Gene Black's head overthe bush tops. I found a few of his footprints, then lost thetrail. Send Dave Fulsbee along, too, if you have the luck tosee him. I want 'Gene Black hunted down before he does some bigmischief. Now---ride!"

Harry Hazelton went back over the trail at a gallop. 

Not until he reached camp did he come upon Fulsbee's men. Thesehe hustled out to find Tom. 

Two hours later Reade came back over the trail, at a slow jog. The young chief engineer looked more worried than Hazelton hadever seen his chum look before. 

CHAPTER XXI

THE TRAP AT THE FINISH

A number of days passed, days full of worry for the young chiefengineer. Yet, outwardly, Tom Reade was as good-humored and cheeryas ever. 

He was sure that his eyes had played him no trick, and that hereally had seen 'Gene Black in the brush. 

The presence of that scoundrel persuaded Tom that someone workingin the interests of the W. C. & A. Railroad Company was still employingBlack in an attempt to block the successful completion of theS. B. & L. 

Moreover, the news that Dave Fulsbee received from Denver showedthat two of the officials of the W. C. & A. Were in that city, apparently ready to proceed to get possession of the rival road. 

Politicians asserted that it was a "cinch" that the new road wouldfall short of the charter requirement in the matter of time. 

"All this confidence on the part of the enemy is pretty fair proofthat the scoundrels are up to something, " Tom told Mr. Newnham. 

"Or else they're trying to break down our nerve so that we'llfail through sheer collapse, " replied the president of the S. B. & L. , rubbing his hands nervously. "Reade, why should there besuch scoundrels in the world?"

"The president is all but completely gone to pieces, " Reade confidedto his chum. "Say, but I'm glad Mr. Newnham himself isn't theone who has to get the road through in time. If it rested withhim I'm afraid he'd fizzle. But we'll pull it through, Harry, old chum---we'll pull it through. "

"If this thing had to last a month more I'm afraid good old Tomwould go to pieces himself, " thought Harry, as he watched hisfriend stride away. "Tom never gets to his cot now before elevenat night, and four thirty in the morning always finds him astiragain. I wonder if he thinks he's fooling me by looking so blamedcheerful and talking so confidently. Whew! I'd be afraid forpoor old Tom's brain if anything should happen to trip us up. "

Harry himself was anxious, but he was not downright nervous. He did not feel things as keenly as did his chum; neither wasHazelton directly responsible for the success of the big undertaking. 

Mile after mile the construction work stretched. Trains wererunning now for work purposes, nearly as far as the line extended. 

The telegraph wires ran into the temporary station building atLineville, and the several operators along the line were busycarrying orders through the length of the wire service. 

Back at Stormburg, where the railroad line began, three trainslay on side tracks. These were passenger trains that were torun the entire length of the road as soon as it was opened. 

Back at Stormburg, also, the new general superintendent sleptat his office that he might receive messages from President Newnhamthe more quickly. 

At Bakerstown a division superintendent was stationed, he, too, sleeping at his office. 

Once more Tom Reade had brought his work within sight of Lineville. In fact, the track extended all but the last mile of the line. Ties were down nearly all of the way to the terminal station. 

This was the state of affairs at two o'clock in the afternoon. Before midnight the last rail must be laid, and the first throughtrain from Stormburg must run in. If, at the stroke of midnight, the first train had failed to go through, then the charter ofthe S. B. & L. Would be forfeited and subject to seizure and saleby the state. 

Up from Denver some of the worst politicians had come. They werequartered at the new little hotel in Lineville. Dave Fulsbeehad detailed three of his men covertly to watch these same politicians. 

Tom, inwardly consumed with fever, outwardly as cheery as humanbeing might be, stood watching the laying of the rails over thatlast stretch. The men who could be prevented from dropping intheir tracks must work until the last rail had been spiked intoplace. Away up in Lineville Harry Hazelton was personally superintendingthe laying of the last ties. 

The honk of an automobile horn caused Tom Reade to glance up. Approaching him was President Newnham, himself driving the runaboutthat he had had forwarded. 

"Reade!" called the president of the S. B. & L. , stopping his car, and Tom went over to him. 

"The suspense is over, at last, Reade, " exclaimed Mr. Newnham, smiling broadly. "Look! the road is all but completed. Hundredsof men are toiling. The first train left Stormburg this morning. By seven tonight you'll have the last rails in place. Between eightand nine this evening the first through train will have rolled intoLineville and we shall have won the fight that has brought me manygray hairs. At last the worry is over!"

"Of course, sir, " nodded Tom. 

"Reade, don't you really believe that the stress is over---thatwe shall triumph tonight?"

"Of course we shall, sir, " Tom responded. "I have predicted, all along, that we'd have the road through in time, haven't I?"

"And the credit is nearly all yours, Reade, " admitted Mr. Newnhamgleefully. "Nearly all yours, lad!"

Honk! honk! Unable to remain long at one spot, Mr. Newnham startedhis car again. 

Reade felt a depression that he could not shake off. 

"It's just the reaction following the long train, " Tom tried totell himself. "Whew! Until within the last two or three daysI haven't half realized how much the strain was taking out ofme! I'll wager I'll sleep, tonight, after I once have the satisfactionof seeing the first train roll in!"

By six o'clock Tom felt as though he could hardly stand up. Bewondered if his teeth were really chattering, or whether he merelyimagined it. 

To take up his time Tom tried a brisk canter, away from the railroad. At seven o'clock he rode into Lineville. 

"Tom, Tom!", bawled Harry, from the centre of a group of workmen. "We've been looking for you! Come here quickly!"

Tom urged his pony forward to the station from which Hazelton hadcalled him. 

"Watch this---just watch it!" begged Harry. 

Clank! clank! clank! Tom Reade, gazing in fascination, sawthe last spike of the last rail being driven into place. 

"Two sidetracks and switches already up!" called Harry. 

Tom threw his bridle to one of the workmen, then sprang from hishorse. Out of the station came Mr. Newnham, waving a telegram. 

"Our first train, with passengers, has just left the station atBrand's Ranch junction, a hundred and ten miles away, " shoutedthe president of the road. "The train should be here long beforeten o'clock. "

From the crowd a cheer greeted the announcement. 

"There's nothing left but to wait to win, " continued Mr. Newnham. 

Five hundred voices in the crowd cheered the announcement. Agroup of five Denver politicians smiled sardonically. 

Tom pushed his way gently through the crowd, glancing inside thestation. There was no one there, save an operator. Closing thedoor behind him, Tom crossed to a seat and sank wearily upon it. 

Here he sat for some minutes, to be discovered by the telegraphoperator when the latter came out to light the lamps in the waitingroom. 

"Mr. Reade is all in, I guess, " thought the operator. "I don'twonder. I hope he goes to sleep where he sits. "

Ten minutes later the receiver of one of the up the terminal station. The operator broke in, sending back his response. Then a telegramcame, which he penned on paper. 

"Mr. Reade, " called the operator, "this is for you. "

Tom sat up, brushing his eyes, and read:

"If you can spare time wish you would ride down track to pointabout two miles west of Miller's where brook crosses under roadbed. Have something to show you that will interest you. Nothing serious, but will fill you with wonder. My men all along line report allsafe and going well. Come at once. " (signed) "Dave Fulsbee. "

Tom's first instinct was to start and tremble. He felt sure thatFulsbee had bad news and was trying to conceal the fact untilhe could see the young chief engineer in person. 

"But that's really not Dave's way, " Reade told himself in thenext breath. "Fulsbee talks straight out from the shoulder. What has he to show me, I wonder! Gracious, how tired I am!If Fulsbee knew just how I feel at this moment he wouldn't sendfor me. But of course he doesn't know. "

Stepping outside, Tom looked about, espying his pony standingwhere it had been tied to one of the porch pillars of the station. 

"I'll get Harry to ride with me, " Reade thought, but he foundhis chum engaged in testing a stretch of rails near the station, a dozen of the college students with him. 

"Pshaw! I'm strong enough to ride five miles alone, " mutteredTom. "Thank goodness my horse hasn't been used up. Never mind, Tom Reade. To-morrow you can ride as far as you like on the railroad, with never a penny of fare to pay, either!"

Unnoticed, the young chief engineer untied his horse in the dark, mounted and rode away. 

How dark and long the way seemed. Truth to tell, Tom Reade wasvery close to the collapse that seemed bound to follow the reactiononce his big task was safely over. Only his strength of willsustained him. He gripped the pony's sides with his knees. 

"I wouldn't want anyone to see me riding in this fashion!" mutteredthe lad. "I must look worse than a tenderfoot. Why, I'll bereally glad if Dave Fulsbee can ride back with me. I had no ideahe was so near. I believed him to be at least fifty or sixtymiles down the line. "

Tom was nearing the place appointed when a sudden whistle rangout from the brush beside the track. 

Then half a dozen men leaped out into view in the darkness, twoof them seizing the bridle of his horse. 

"Good evening, Reade!" called the mocking voice of 'Gene Black. "Down this way to see your first train go through? Stay withus, and we'll show you how it doesn't get through---not tonight!"

CHAPTER XXII

"CAN YOUR ROAD SAVE ITS CHARTER NOW?"

"Oh, I guess the train will go through, all right, " replied TomReade, with much more confidence expressed in his tone than hereally felt. 

"Stay with us and see it go through, " mocked 'Gene Black. 

"If it's just the same to you I'd rather ride on, " Tom proposed. 

"But it isn't all the same to us, " Black chuckled. 

"Then I guess I prefer to ride on, anyway. "

"You won't, though, " snapped Black. "You'll get off that horseand do as we tell you. "

"Eh?" demanded the young chief engineer. He appeared astonished, though he was not. 

"You came down the line to meet your railroad detective, Fulsbee, "Black continued sneeringly. "You'd better give it up. "

"You seem to think you know a good deal about my business, " Tomcontinued. 

"I know all about the telegram, " 'Gene retorted. "I sent it---orordered it sent. "

Tom started in earnest this time. 

"Did you ever hear of ways of cutting out a telegraph wire andthen attaching one of the cut ends to a box relay?" queried thescoundrel. 

"I---I believe I have heard of some such thing, " Reade hesitated. "Was that the trick you played on me?"

"Yes, " nodded Gene Black. "We cut the wire just below here. We've got a box relay on the wire going both ways. Your operatorscan't use the wire much tonight. Your company can't use it fromLineville at all. "

Tom's face showed his dismay. 'Gene Black laughed in intenseenjoyment. 

"So you cut the wire, oh, and attached box relays?"

"Surely, " Black nodded. 

"I'm glad you confess it, " replied Tom slowly. "Cutting telegraphwires, or attaching box relays without proper authority is a felony. The punishment is a term in state's prison. "

"Bosh!" sneered Black. "With all the political pull our crowdhas behind it do you suppose we fear a little thing like that?"

"I'll talk the crime over with Dave Fulsbee, " Tom continued. 

"A lot of good Fulsbee will do you, " jeered 'Gene. "We have himattended to as well as we have you. "

"That's a lie, " Reade declared coolly. 

"Do you want us to show him to you?"

"Yes, " nodded Tom. "You'd have to show me Dave Fulsbee beforeI'd believe you. "

"Yank the cub off that horse!" ordered 'Gene Black harshly. 

Three or four men seized Reade, dragging him out of the saddleand throwing him to earth. Tom did not resist, for he saw othermen standing about with revolvers in their hands. He did notbelieve that this desperate crew of worthless characters wouldhesitate long about drilling holes through him. 

"Take the horse, you, and ride it away, " directed Black, turningto one of the men, who promptly mounted and rode off into thedarkness. "Tie that cub's hands behind him, " was Black's nextorder. "Now, bring him along. "

'Gene Black led the way back from the track and into the woodsfor a few rods. Then the party wheeled, going eastward in a lineparallel with the track. 

Tom did not speak during the journey. It was not his nature touse words where they would be worse than wasted. 

After proceeding a quarter of a mile or so, Black parted the bushesof a dense thicket and led the way inside. At the centre thebrush had been cleaned out, clearing a circular space about twentyfeet in diameter and dimly lighted by a lantern placed in thecentre of the inclosure. 

"A snug little place, Reade, " chuckled the scoundrel, turning aboutas Reade was piloted into the retreat. "How do you like it?"

"I like the place a whole lot better than the company, " Tom answeredpromptly. 

"What's the matter with the company?" jeered Black. 

"A hangman would feel more at home in a crowd like this. "

"See here, cub! Don't you try to get funny, " warned Black, hiseyes snapping dangerously. "If you attempt any of your impudencehere you'll soon find out who's master. "

"Master?" scoffed Tom, his own eyes flashing. "Black, do youdraw any comfort from feeling that you're boss of such an outfit?Though I daresay that the outfit is better than its boss. However, you asked my opinion, and you got it. I'll give you a littlemore of my opinion, Black, and it won't cost you a cent. "

He looked steadily into his enemy's eyes as he continued:

"Black, a good, clean dog wouldn't willingly stand by this crowd!"

Thump! 'Gene Blacks clenched fist landed in Reade's face, knockinghim down. 

"Thank you, " murmured Reade, as he sat up. 

"Much obliged, are you?" jeered Black. 

"Yes, " admitted Tom. "As far as it goes. That was a coward'sact---to have a fellow's hands tied before daring to hit him. "

Black's face now turned livid with passion. 

"Lift the fool to his feet, if he wants to stand, " ordered Blacksavagely. "He's trying to make me waste my time talking to him. Operator, call up Brewster's and ask if he held the train asordered by wire. "

"Oho!" thought Tom. "So that's your trick? You have the wirein your control, and you're sending supposed train orders holdingthe train at a station so that it can't get through You're a worsescoundrel than I thought!"

Off at the edge of the brush, on the inner side, a telegraph instrumenthad been set up on a barrel. From the instrument a wire ran towardthe track. 

In another moment the sounder of the sender was clicking busily. There was a pause, then the answer came back:Click-click-click-clickety-click!

The operator, a seedy-looking fellow over whose whole appearancewas written the word "worthless, " swung a lantern so that the lightfell on a pad of paper before him. Pencil in hand, he took off themessage as it came. 

"Come over here and read it, sir?" inquired the operator. 

Black crossed, bending over the sheet. Despite himself the scoundrelstarted. Then he moved so that the light should not fall acrosshis face. Plainly Black was greatly disappointed. He swallowedhard, then strolled back to the main group, of which Tom was one. 

"That's the way to do business, " announced 'Gene Black, with achuckle. "We sent fake train orders from the top of that barrel, and your own railroad operator handed the orders to the conductorof your through train. Therefore the train is switched off onto the side track at Brewster's, and the engineer, under the falseorders, is allowing his steam to cool. Now, do you believe youwill get your train through tonight?"

"Oh, yes!" yawned Tom coolly. "For you are lying. The messagethat came back over the wire from our operator at Brewster's readin these words: 'Showed your order to train conductor. He refusedorder, saying that it was not signed properly. Train has proceeded. '"

It was an incautious speech for Tom Reade Black fairly glared intohis eyes. 

"So you can pick up telegraph messages by the sounds" 'Gene demanded. 

"'Most anyone can who has ever worked over a telegraph key, " Tomadmitted. 

Now that the secret was out, Black plainly showed his anger overthe fact that the conductor had refused train orders at Brewster's. "You S. B. & L. Fellows have put up some trick to beat us off!" hedeclared, looking accusingly into Tom's face. 

"What of it?" Reade inquired. "It's our railroad, isn't it? Can'twe do what we please with our own road?"

"It won't be your road after tonight!" Black insisted, grindinghis teeth in his rage. "Fortunately, we have other ways of stoppingthat train from getting through. You'll soon know it, too. "

Black called to the tramp operator. 

"My man, call up the box relay fellow below here. "

The sounder clicked busily for some moments. "I have the otherbox relay man, " declared the operator. 

"Then send this, very carefully, " Black continued hoarsely:"X-x-x---a-a-a---b-b-b. "

The operator repeated it. Black nodded. Once more the instrumentclicked. 

"The other box relay man signals that he has it, " nodded Black'spresent operator. 

"Listen! Everyone of you! Not a sound in this outfit, " commanded'Gene Black. 

For fully three minutes the intense silence continued. Then Blackturned again to the operator, saying:

"Ask the other box relay man if anything has happened near him?"

A minute later Black's operator reported:

"He says: 'Yes; happened successfully. '"

"Good!" laughed Black, a look of fierce Joy lighting up his eyes. "Now, Reade, I guess you'll admit yourself beaten. An electricspark has touched off a charge of giant powder under the roadbed. The rails have been blown skyward and a big hole torn out ofthe roadbed itself. Even if you had a wrecking crew at the spotat this moment the road couldn't be prepared for traffic insideof twenty-four hours. NOW, will your through train reach Linevilletonight? Can your road save its charter _now_?"

Tom Reade's face turned deathly white. 

'Gene Black stood before him, gazing tauntingly into the eyesof the Young Chief engineer. 

CHAPTER XXIII

BLACK'S TRUMP CARD

"You scoundrel---you unhung imitation of Satan himself!" gaspedReade, great beads of perspiration standing out on his face. 

"Oho! We're fools, are we?" sneered Black "We're people whomyou can beat with your cheap little tricks about a different signaturefor each station on the line, are we? For that was why the conductorrefused the false order at Brewster's. He has a code of signaturesfor train orders---a different signature to be used for messagesat each station?"

Black's keen mind had solved the reason for the conductor's refusalto hold his train on a siding. The conductor _had_ been suppliedwith a code list of signatures---a different one for each stationalong the line. 

"Now, you know, " mocked Black, enjoying every line of anxietywritten on Tom Reade's face, "that we have you knocked silly. You know, now, that your train can't get through by tonight---probablynot even by tomorrow night. You realize at last---eh?---thatyou've lost your train and your charter---your railroad?"

"I wasn't thinking of the train, or of the road, " Tom groaned. "What I'm thinking of is the train, traveling at high speed, running into that blown-out place. The train will be ditchedand the crew killed. A hundred and fifty passengers with them---manyof them state officials. Oh, Black, I wouldn't dare stand inyour shoes now! The whole state---the entire country---will unitein running you down. You can never hope to escape the penaltyof your crime!"

"What are you talking about?" sneered Black. "Do you think I'mfool enough to ditch the train? No, sir! Don't believe it. I'm not running my neck into a noose of that kind. A clusterof red lights has been spread along the track before the blow-out. The engineer will see the signals and pull his train up---hehas to, by law! No one on the train will be hurt, but the trainsimply can't get through!"

"Oh, if the train is safe, I don't care so much, " replied Reade, the color slowly returning to his face. "As for getting throughtonight, the S. B. & L. Has a corps of engineers and a full staffin other departments. Black, you'll lose after all your trouble. "

"Humph!" muttered Black unbelievingly. "Your train will haveto get through in less than three hours, Reade!"

"It'll do it, somehow, " smiled Tom. 

"Yes; your engineers will bring it through, somehow, " tauntedBlack. "We have the chief of that corps with us right now. "

"That's all right, " retorted Tom. "You're welcome to me, if Ican be of any real comfort to you. But you forget that you havenit my assistant. Harry Hazelton is at large, among his own friends. Harry will see the train through tonight. Never worry. "

Click-click-click-click! sounded the machine on the barrel. 

"It's the division superintendent at Lineville, calling up Brewster's, "announced the operator. 

"Answer for Brewster, then, " directed Black. "Let us see what thedivision super wants, anyway. "

More clicking followed, after which the operator explained:

"Division super asks Brewster if through train has passed there. "

"Answer, 'Yes; twelve minutes ago, '" directed Black. 

The instrument clicked furiously for a few moments. 

"The division super keeps sending, 'Sign, sign, sign!'" explainedthe operator at the barrel. "So I've kept on signing 'Br, ' 'Br, 'over and over again. That's the proper signature for Brewster's. "

Again the machine clicked noisily. 

"Still insisting on the signature, " grinned the operator uneasily. 

"Do you know the name of the operator at Brewster's?" demanded'Gene Black. 

"Yes, " nodded the man at the barrel. "The operator at Brewster'sis a chap named Havens. "

"Then send the signature, 'Havens, operator, Brewster's, " ordered Black. 

Still the machine clicked insistently. 

"Super still yells for my signature, " explained the man at thebarrel desk. "He demands to know whether I'm really the operatorat Brewster's, or whether I've broken in on the wire at some otherpoint. "

"Don't answer the division super any further, then, " snorted Blackdisgustedly. 

Tom, with his ability to read messages, was enjoying the wholesituation until Black, with a sudden flash of his eyes, turned uponthe cub chief engineer. 

"Reade, " he hissed, "you must know the proper signature for tonightfor the operator at Brewster's to use. "

"Nothing doing, " grunted Tom. 

"Give us that signature the right one for Brewster's. "

"Nothing doing, " Tom repeated. 

"Put a pistol muzzle to his ear and see his memory brighten, "snarled the scoundrel. 

One of the hard-looking men behind Tom obeyed. Reade, it mustbe confessed, shivered slightly when he felt the cold touch ofsteel behind his ear. 

"Give us the proper signature!" insisted 'Gene. 

"Nothing doing, " Tom insisted. 

"Give us the right signature, or take the consequences!"

"I can't give it to you, " Tom replied steadily. "I don't knowthe signature. "

"You lie!"

"Thank you. "

Tom had gotten his drawl back. 

"Do you want to have the trigger of that pistol pulled?" cried'Gene Black hoarsely. 

"I certainly don't, " Tom confessed. "Neither do I doubt thatyou fellows are scoundrels enough to do such a trick. However, I can't help you, even though I have to lose my life for my ignorance. I honestly don't know the right signature for Brewster's tonight. That information doesn't belong to the engineering department, anyway. "

"Shall I pull the trigger, Black?" asked the man who held theweapon to Reade's head. 

"Yes; if he doesn't soon come to his senses, " snarled Black. 

"I've already told you, " persisted Tom, "that I couldn't giveyou the proper signature, even if I wanted to---which I don't. "

"You may be glad to talk before we're through with you tonight, "threatened Black. "The time for trifling is past. Either giveus that signature or else prepare to take the consequences. Forthe last time, are you going to answer my question?"

"I've told you the truth, " Reade insisted. "If you won't believeme, then there is nothing more to be said. "

"You lie, if you insist that you don't know the signatures fortonight!" cried Black savagely. 

"All right, then, " sighed Tom. "I can't tell you what I don't know. "

From off in the distance came the shrill too-oo-oot! of a locomotive. Tom Reade heard, and, despite his fears for his safety, an exclamationof joy escaped him. 

"Oh, you needn't build any false hopes, " sneered Black. "Thatwhistle doesn't come from the through train. It's one of thelocomotives that the S. B. & L. Had delivered over the D. V. & S. , which makes a junction with your road at Lineville. A locomotiveor a train at the Lineville end won't help your crowd any. Thatisn't the through train required by the charter. The S. B. & L. Loses the game, just the same. "

"Oh, I don't know, " Tom argued. "The S. B. & L. Road was finishedwithin charter time. No railroad can get a train through if theopposition sends out men to dynamite the tracks. "

"Humph!" jeered Black maliciously. "That dynamited roadbed won'tsave your crowd. The opposition can make it plain enough thatyour crowd dynamited its own roadbed through a well-founded fearthat the tracks clear through weren't strong enough to stand thepassing of a train. Don't be afraid, Reader the enemies of yourroad will know how to explain the dynamiting this side of Brewster's. "

"That's a question for tomorrow, Black, " rejoined Tom Reade. "No man can ever tell, today, what tomorrow will bring forth. "

Too-oo-oot! sounded a locomotive whistle again. One of the menin the thicket threw himself to the ground, pressing his ear tothe earth. 

"There's a train, or a locomotive, at least, coming this way fromLineville, boss, " reported the fellow. 

"A train?" gasped Black. Then his face cleared. "Oh, well, evenif it's a fully equipped wrecking train, it can't get the roadmended in time to bring the through train in before midnight, as the charter demands. "

Now the train from Lineville came closer, and the whirr of itsapproach was audible along the steel rails. The engine's bellwas clanging steadily, too, after the manner of the engines of"specials. "

'Gene Black crowded to the outer edge of the thicket, peeringthrough intently. The bright headlight of an approaching locomotivesoon penetrated this part of the forest. Then the train rolledswiftly by. 

"Humph!" muttered Black. "Only an engine, a baggage car and oneday coach. That kind of train can't carry much in the way ofrelief. "

As the train passed out of sight the engine sent back a screechingwhistle. 

"The engineer is laughing at you, Black, " jeered Tom. 

"Let him, " sneered the other. "I have the good fortune to knowwhere the laugh belongs. "

Toot! toot! too-oot-oot! Something else was coming down the trackfrom Lineville. Then it passed the beholders in the thicket---a fulltrain of engine and seven cars. 

"Good old Harry Hazelton!" glowed Tom Reade. "I'll wager thatwas Harry's thought---a pilot ahead, and then the real train!"

"Small good it will do, " laughed 'Gene Black disagreeably. 

Then, a new thought striking him, he added:

"Bill Hoskins, you and some of the men get the dynamite underthe track opposite here. You know how to do it! Hustle!"

"You bet I know how, " growled Bill eagerly, as he stepped forward, picking out the fellows he wanted as his helpers. "I'll havethe blast against the roadbed here ready in five minutes, Black. "

"Now, you'll have three trains stalled along the line tonight, Cub Reade, " laughed Black sneeringly. "Getting any train asfar as this won't count for a copper's worth! Your road hasto get a through train all the way into Lineville before midnight. We'll blow out the roadbed here, and then where are you?"

CHAPTER XXIV

CONCLUSION

At these words even the brief hope that had been in Tom Reade'smind, died out. 

With the roadbed gone at this point also, he did not see the slightestchance for the S. B. & L. To save its charter or its property rights. 

"Here's the racketty stuff, " went on Hoskins, indicating the boxes. "That small box has the fuses. Get the stuff along, and I'll laythe magneto wire. "

"Not quite so hastily!" sternly broke in a new voice. 

Tom Reade fairly yelled for joy, for the new speaker, as he knewat the first sound, was Dave Fulsbee. 

The amazed and dismayed scoundrels huddled closer together for amoment in the middle of the thicket. 

"Spread, men! Don't let one of 'em get out alive!" sounded DaveFulsbee's voice. 

The scurrying steps of Fulsbee's men could be heard apparentlysurrounding the thicket. 

With an exclamation of rage, Black made a dash for freedom. 

"Stand where you are, Black, if you want to live!" warned Dave. "No use to make a kick you rascals! We've got you covered, andthe first man who makes a move will eat his breakfast in anotherworld. Now, listen to me. One at a time you fellows step upto me, drop your weapons on the ground, where I can see you doit, and then come out here, one at a time. No tricks---for, remember, you are covered by my men out here. We don't want to shoot thewhole lot of you up unless we have to, but we won't stand forany fooling. Reade, you come through first. Any man who offersto hinder Mr. Reade will be sorry he took the trouble---that'sall!"

His heart bounding with joy, Tom stepped through the thicket, going straight toward the sound of Fulsbee's voice. 

"I've got a knife in my left hand, " announced Fulsbee, as Tomneared him in the dark. "Turn around so that I can cut the cordsat your wrists. "

In a moment this was done. 

"You might stay here and help me, " whispered Dave. Tom nodded. 

"Now, Black, you can be the first, " called Dave in a brisk, business-liketone. "Step up here and drop your weapons on the ground. "

Wincing under a bitter sense of defeat, 'Gene Black stepped forward. He was not really a coward, but he valued his life, little asit was actually worth. So he dropped a revolver to the ground. 

"What I have to say to you, Black, applies to the others, " Davecontinued from outside the thicket. "If any man among you doesn'tdrop all his weapons, we'll make it lively for him when we gethim out here. "

A look of malignant hate crossed his face, then 'Gene Black droppedalso a knife to the ground. 

"Come on out, Black, " directed Dave Fulsbee. "Mr. Reade, willyou oblige me by running your hands over the fellow's clothingto see if he, has any more weapons. "

Tom promptly complied. A hasty search revealed no other weapons. 

"Now, step right along over there, Black, where you'll find twoof my men, " nodded Dave Fulsbee. 

Again Black obeyed. He saw, dimly, two men some yards furtheraway in the darkness and joined them. 

Click-click! Then the scoundrel cried out in the bitterness ofhis rage, for the two railway detectives had handcuffed him. 

"You, with the black hair, next, " summoned Fulsbee, his visionaided by the lantern in the centre of the thicket. "You comehere, but first stop and drop your weapons on the pile---all thetrouble-makers you happen to have. "

Thus they came, one at a time, the operator being the last ofall. The crowd of prisoners under guard of the two railway detectivesgrew steadily, and each was handcuffed as he reached the detectivesafter having been searched by Tom Reade. 

"Good job, " nodded Dave coolly, as he am approached the captives. "Now, we have you all under lock and key. My, but you're apretty-looking outfit!"

"Come on, men. March 'em up the track. Then we'll come back, or send someone else after the dynamite and other stuff. That'llbe handy as evidence. "

Guarded by Fulsbee and his two detectives, the prisoners marchedalong a few rods. 

"Mr. Reade, " called Dave, pointing, "you'll find your horse tiedto that tree yonder. I reckon you'll be glad to get in saddleagain. "

Indeed, Tom was glad. He ran over, untying the animal, whichuttered a whinny of recognition. In saddle, Tom joined the marchingparty. 

"You don't seem to think us a very hard crowd to guard, " remarked'Gene Black curiously. "Why don't you call off the men you postedaround the thickets"

"I didn't post any, " Fulsbee answered simply. "I sent these twomen of mine running around the thicket. Then they had to cometogether and attend to handcuffing you fellows. "

"And were you the only man who had the drop on us?" gasped 'GeneBlack. 

"I was, " Dave Fulsbee responded. "If you fellows hadn't had suchbad nerves, you could have escaped. But it's an old story. Whenmen go bad their nerves go bad with them. "

As for Black's followers, now that they knew the nature of thetrick that had fooled them, several of them hung back. 

"You fellows needn't think you can balk now, " observed Fulsbeegrimly. "You're all of you handcuffed, and there are enough ofus to handle you. I promise you that, if anyone of you triesto run away, I won't run after him until I've first tried droppinghim with a shot. "

So the party proceeded, and in time reached Lineville. Therewas great excitement in that little junction town when the citizensfirst heard of the dastardly work that the prisoners had attempted. 

Dave marched his captives into the waiting room of the station. All outsiders were ushered forth politely. Mr. Newnham was hurriedlysummoned, and to him Tom Reade disclosed what he had learned ofthe work of enemies along the line. Naturally the president ofthe S. B. & L. Was greatly excited. 

"We knew something was wrong, from the nature of the telegraphmessages that came in, " cried Mr. Newnham. "It was your friend, Hazelton, who first suggested the idea of sending a full traindown the line, with a short pilot train ahead. "

"Good, great old Harry!" murmured Tom admiringly. 

Both Fulsbee and the president of the road tried to question 'GeneBlack. That treacherous fellow, however, steadfastly refusedto talk. Two or three of his gang were willing enough to talk, but they knew little, as Black had carried all his plans and schemesin his own head. 

"No matter!" muttered Dave Fulsbee. "My two men and I were closeto that thicket for some time before we broke in on the affair. We heard enough to supply all the evidence that the courts willwant against these worthies. "

As the futile questioning was drawing to a close, 'Gene Blacksuddenly roused himself to say sneeringly:

"Gentlemen, look at your station clock. It's fifteen minutesbefore midnight. A quarter of an hour left! Where's your throughtrain? If it reaches here fifteen minutes from now it will betoo late. "

"Send a message down the line quickly, " gasped Mr. Newnham, turningpale. Then he wheeled savagely upon the prisoner, exclaiming:"I forgot, Black. You rascals cut the wires. We could havemended them at the nearer point, but the wires were cut, too, at the scene of the blow-out. Oh, but you have been a thorn inour sides!"

From the crowd that still lingered outside came a cheer. TomReade sprang to the nearest door, throwing it open. 

"Listen!" he shouted. 

The sound that had started the crowd to cheering was repeatedagain. 

_Too-oo-oo-oot_!

"It's the train!" cried Reade joyously. "It can't be more thantwo or three miles below here, either. It will get through ontime!"

With nine minutes to spare, the train rolled into the stationat Lineville. It was not the same train that had left Stormburg, for that train had been halted, safely, just before reaching thescene of the disastrous blow-out. At that point the passengershad alighted and had been conducted on foot to the other sideof the gap caused by the explosion. Here Hazelton's Linevillespecial stood ready to convey them into Lineville. So the roadhad been legally opened, since the passengers from Stormburg---amongwhom was the lieutenant governor of the state had been broughtall the way through over the line. Within the meaning of thelaw a through train had been operated over the new line, and withincharter time. 

The S. B. & L. Had won! It had saved its charter. On the morrow, in Wall Street, the value of the road's stock jumped by some millionsof dollars. 

Let us not forget the pilot train. That returned to Linevillein the rear of the passenger train. Though the pilot train hada conductor, Harry Hazelton was in real charge. 

"Look whom we have here, Tom!" called Harry from the open sidedoor of the baggage car, as Reade raced up to greet his successfulchum. 

A man, bandaged, injured and groaning, lay on the floor of thebaggage car. 

"Why, it's Naughty Peter, himself!" cried Tom. "Peter, I'm sorryto find you in this shape. I am afraid you have been misbehaving. "

"We found him not far from the track, near the blow-out, " Hazeltonexplained. "Whether he attended to that bit of bad work all alone, or whether his companions believed him dead and fled for theirown safety, I can't learn. Bad Pete won't say a word. He wasunconscious when we first discovered him. Now he knows what'sgoing on around him, but he's too badly hurt to do more than holdhis tongue. "

It was only when Bad Pete recovered his health---in jail---andfound himself facing a long term in prison, that he was readyto open his mouth. He could tell nothing, however, beyond confessingthat he and three other men, including an operator, had attendedto the blow-out. Pete had no knowledge of the real parties behindthe plot. He knew only that he had acted under 'Gene Blanks orders. So Bad Pete was shown no mercy, but sent behind the bars fora term of twenty-five years. Owing to Black's stubborn silencethe outrages were never traced back to any official of the W. C. & A. 

'Gene Black was sentenced to prison for thirty years. The otherrascals, who had worked under his direction, all received longterms. 

The student engineers, wholly happy and well paid, returned totheir college. 

The S. B. & L. Is still under the same management, and is one ofthe prosperous independent railroads of the United States. DaveFulsbee continues as the head of its detective system. 

Tom Reade and Harry Hazelton had made good in their first professionalundertaking. They were paid in proportion to their services, andgiven the opportunity to retain their positions at the head of therailway's engineering corps. 

For some time they kept their positions, filling them always withhonor. Yet, in the end, the desire to do other great things intheir chosen profession led them into other fields of venture. Their greatest adventures, their severest trials and deepestproblems, as well as their gravest perils were still ahead of themin their path of duty. 

The Young Engineers were bound to go on and up, yet their waywas sure to be a stormy one. 

We shall meet these fine young Americans again in the next volumeof this series, which is published under the title, "The YoungEngineers in Arizona; Or, Laying Tracks on the Man-killer Quicksand. "It is a rousing narrative of real people and real happenings.