word for it. If there aren't five
hundred, there are as good as five hundred. And thank God, and you,
Jimmie Kent, that they are here!"

"Need 'em pretty bad? Well, I'm glad I got 'em to you in time. And you
might as well know how I did it. I unloaded my men at Littleton, two
hundred miles east of here. And then I chartered a freight and sneaked
'em into Bolton at night. Got into Bolton last night, and came right
out. I don't believe," with a genial grin, "that our friend Oliver
knows a thing about it yet. I do believe that that wire to you at
Crawfordsville has got him sidetracked."

Conniston called the Lark to him.

"I am going to put two hundred more men to work right here and right
now," he said, swiftly. "You get double salary to act as general
foreman over the two hundred and fifty. Divide your old gang of fifty
into five parts, ten each. Break up the new gang of two hundred into
five sections, forty men to a section. Then put ten of our old men to
work with each section of forty, making, when that is done, five
gangs, fifty men to the gang. Understand?"

The Lark nodded, his eyes bright.

"Then pick out from your old gang the five best men you have. No
favoritism--understand me? The five best men! You know them better
than I do. I want them to do the sort of thing you have been doing,
each of them to act as section boss, under you, over fifty men. Send
them to me. And get a move on!"

The Lark shot away, losing no time in question or answer. A moment
later five big, strapping fellows stood before Conniston, eying him
curiously.

"You fellows," Conniston told them, bluntly, "are to act as section
bosses. You are to get the wages the Lark here has been getting. You
are to get the same money I offered him for every day between the
first of October and the day we get water into the Valley. You are to
take orders from him and no questions asked. You can hold your jobs
just as long as you do the work. If you can't do the work you'll get
fired and another man put in your place. Come along with me. And you,"
to the Lark, "come too."

He swung off toward the wagons, the five men and Jimmie Kent following
him. At the first wagon he called to the men to "climb out." As they
clambered down the men in the other wagons got to the ground and came
forward.

"I want forty men," Conniston called. "Walk by me single file so I can
count."

When the fortieth had passed him he raised his hand.

"You," he said to the