ctor
Hippen of the A.G.& N.M. Railroad. These gentlemen Tom and Harry
had served in railroad work in Arizona, as told in "_The Young
Engineers in Arizona_."

Now, in a flash, it was plain to both young Americans why Don
Luis had wanted them, especially, to report favorably concerning
_El Sombrero_ Mine. President Haynes and his associates in the
A.G.& N.M. R.R. had every reason in the world to trust the young
engineers, who had served them so faithfully on another occasion.
These gentlemen would believe in anything that Reade and Hazelton
backed with their judgment.

"You?" cried Tom, with a start, as President Haynes held out his
hand. Then, by a mighty effort, Reade recovered himself and laughed
easily.

"This is a pleasant surprise, Mr. Haynes! And you, Mr. Ellsworth,
and you, Mr. Hippen."

"And we're equally surprised to find you here, Reade, and you,
Hazelton," rejoined President Haynes. "But we feel more at home,
already. You know, Reade, we're quite accustomed to looking upon
anything as an assured success when you're connected with it."

"And, in its way, this mine is the biggest success we've backed
yet," Tom declared readily.

Don Luis Montez, though he was keenly watchful, was delighted so far.

"What do you really think of this mine, Reade?" broke in Mr. Ellsworth.
"Is it all that a careful investor would want?"

"If you're getting what I think you are," Tom answered, "you're
getting a lot more, even, than you might be led to expect. _El
Sombrero_, if it includes the limits that I suppose the tract
does, will be worth a great deal more than you are paying for it."

"The limits?" asked Mr. Ellsworth, keenly. "Don't you really
know, Reade, what the limits of the property are?"

"Why, that is a matter to which I haven't given much attention,
so far," answered Tom, with disarming candor. "But, if we can
have a map of this part of the country, I'll quickly mark off the
limits on which I think you should insist."

Don Luis caught at this readily.

"My good Carlos," Don Luis directed, turning to his secretary,
"place in Senor Reade's hands a map of this part of the country."

"A map of your possessions only, Don Luis?" asked Dr. Tisco.

"A map of my possessions, of course," agreed Don Luis.

The map was brought, a large one, and spread on the table.

"Now, perhaps," suggested Tom, "the tract I am about to mark off
on this map is a larger one than Don Luis had intended to include
in t