e was not
greatly in fear of the outcome. The work was running so smoothly,
there were so few possible difficulties to come up now, that it seemed
to him that all he had to do was to stand and watch.

And at first he did little but watch and, as Truxton had suggested,
try to study his men. He saw that both the Lark and Ben said very few
words, that when they did speak they barked out short, explosive
commands surcharged with profanity, that when they interfered there
was a good reason for it, that their commands were obeyed without
hesitation and without question. Not once in two hours did either of
them so much as look toward him. And the long processions of men and
horses came and went, scooped and dumped their big scraper-loads, and
swung back into the ditch, each man of them moving like a machine.

It was after three o'clock when he noticed something which he would
have seen before had he been used to the work and the men. He saw the
long string of scrapers come to a halt for perhaps two minutes; saw
that the cause of the halt was a big Northlander who had stopped just
as he came upon the bank and was working over at race-chain which
seemed to be causing trouble. In a moment he started up again, the
other scrapers began to move, and Conniston dismissed the matter as of
no consequence. This was the gang over which Ben was foreman. He
glanced quickly at the big Englishman and saw that his eyes were upon
the Northlander. Again, not twenty minutes later, came a second brief
stoppage, again the Swede was working over a trace-chain--and now Ben
had swung about and was striding toward Conniston.

"Hi say there," he said, as he came to Conniston's side. "Bat says
Hi'm to take horders off you. Do you want me to 'andle those Johnnies?
Hor do you figure on a-stepping in? Hi?"

"What do you mean?" demanded Conniston, a bit puzzled. "I haven't
interfered with you, have I?"

"No. Hi just want to know, you know. Hi 'andle 'em my wi, hor Hi quit,
you know."

"You are to do just as you have always done," Conniston told him,
shortly. "If you can handle them, all right. Go to it. If you need any
help--What's the matter?"

"Hi don't awsk any 'elp," muttered Ben. "Just one man--"

"You mean that Swede with the big white mare in the lead?" interrupted
Conniston, quickly.

Ben looked at him swiftly. Grunting an answer which Conniston did not
catch, he turned and went back along the edge of the ditch.

The Swede was again comi