w it had reached a spot directly in front of this stump. The
boys thought that some laborers would be sent to uproot it, so that the
shovel could proceed, but there was no sign of this being done.

"Say!" exclaimed Dick. "I'll bet any money they mean to uproot that
stump with the shovel, but I don't believe it can be done. Why, it would
take a charge of dynamite to get that up."

"It certainly looks pretty solid," said Bert, "but they must know what
they're doing. We won't have to wait long, though, to find out. Look!
they're bringing the scoop up under it now!"

The three comrades watched intently as the big scoop dug in under the
stump. As it came fairly up against the obstacle it slowed and almost
stopped, and the boys caught their breaths. But the engineer opened the
throttle a trifle more, and the stump moved! Slowly it gave way, one
root after another snapping off with a loud report, and at last was
lifted clear of the ground.

"Well, what do you know about that!" exclaimed Tom. "I thought the old
steam shovel was up against it for fair, that time."

"So did I," said Bert, "but it fooled us good and proper."

"It's such things as that steam shovel that make the canal possible,"
said Dick, "just imagine the time it would take to dig that stuff out by
the old method of shoveling. Why, it would take so long that we'd never
live to see it finished."

"Yes, I guess you're right," said Bert, "and look at those compressed air
drills working over there. Think how long it would take to bore out
those holes by the old method of hammering a drill into the rock.
There's no doubt, that, as you say, modern machinery is the only thing
responsible for this work. It's a wonderful thing, any way you look at
it."

It was indeed a subject admitting of much speculation, and the boys never
tired of talking about it. In this way the afternoon passed very
quickly, and when work was stopped they returned to their quarters.

On the way back, Bert said, "We might as well make arrangements now as
later, fellows, for going to see Mr. Hartley. You know we promised to
call on him to-morrow. What time shall we get there?"

"Oh, I should think right after lunch would be about the best time, don't
you?" said Dick, and as there seemed to be no objection to this plan,
they adopted it unanimously.

They arose early the next morning, and had ample time to take a long walk
before breakfast. "Not that it's at all necessary,"