our chance."

"Then you're a pair of idiots," quivered indignant Dunlop.

"We'll be our own fools, then," smiled Harry.

"I beg your pardon for getting out of patience," spoke Mr. Dunlop,
more gently. "I'm disappointed in you. All the way here I have
been planning to get you both at work early. The stockholders in
the Bright Hope are all looking for early results."

"Couldn't you get hold of an engineer at Dugout?" Tom inquired.

"Not one."

"Then you'll have to go farther---Carson City," Reade suggested.
"There must be plenty of mining engineers in Nevada, where their
services are so much in demand."

"A lot of new claims are being filed these days," explained Mr.
Dunlop. "The best I could learn in Dugout was that I'd have to
wait until some other mine could spare its man."

"I'm sorry we can't help you, sir," Tom went on thoughtfully.

"I shall feel it a personal grievance, if you don't," snapped
the mine promoter.

"We can't do anything for you, Mr. Dunlop," spoke Reade decisively.
"Just as soon as Ferrers returns, so that our camp can be taken
care of, we three partners are going to hustle out on the prospect.
Will you have breakfast with us, sir?"

Mr. Dunlop assented, but his mind was plainly on his disappointment
all through the meal.

Even when Harry Hazelton related how Dolph Gage and his crew had
been served, the mine promoter displayed but little enthusiasm.

"By the way, sir," suggested Tom, "you are not going to use all
of your men today?"

"I cannot use any of them for a day or two."

"Then you might do us a great favor by sending a few of your men
over here. I expect that Gage's absent comrade will return at
any time. He will have his rifle, and one gun in the hands of a
marksman, might be enough to make considerable trouble around
here."

"You ask me a favor, and yet you won't work for me," complained
their guest.

"I think we did you a favor, once upon a time, by helping to chase
off the Gage crowd at a critical time for you," said Tom bluntly.
"However, if you don't wish-----"

"I'll send half a dozen men over here until Ferrers returns,"
interjected Mr. Dunlop hastily.

The men reported to Tom and Harry within half an hour. A few minutes
after their arrival Harry espied Dolph Gage's absent man galloping
over to the Gage claim.

"There would have been trouble, if we hadn't shown a few armed men
here," muttered Hazelton.

"There's some excitement in that camp, as it