you had any trouble lately?" questioned Roger, quickly.

"We had trouble about two weeks ago. A couple of dirty Mexicans came
into camp and were caught trying to steal away that night with some of
our belongings. One of the fellows got a crack on the head with a
club, and the other we think was shot in the side. But both of them
got away in the darkness."

"That's interesting, to say the least," remarked Dave, drily. "I guess
we've got to sleep with our eyes open, as the saying is."

"You've certainly got to watch yourself while you're down here,"
answered Frank Andrews. "There is more _talk_ about trouble than
anything else, but the talk gets on some of the men's nerves, and we
have had one civil engineer and two helpers leave us just on that
account. They said they would prefer to work somewhere in the United
States where they wouldn't be worried thinking the greasers might
attack them."

As the party rode along they had to cross a bridge which was
comparatively new, and their guide explained that this structure was
one erected by the Mentor Company. Then they went over a slight rise,
and finally came into view of a long row of one-story buildings with
several rows of adobe houses behind them.

"Here we are at the camp!" announced the guide. "The engineering gang
lives and does business in these houses here, and those huts at the
back are used by the construction gangs."

[Illustration: "HERE WE ARE AT THE CAMP!" ANNOUNCED THE GUIDE.--_Page
225._]

It was all so new and novel to Dave and Roger that they were intensely
interested. With their guide they rode up to the main building and
dismounted. In a moment more they found themselves inside and
confronted by Mr. Ralph Obray, the head of the camp.

"Glad to see you," he said, shaking hands after they had introduced
themselves. "We are rather short of helpers just now; so you'll find
plenty to do. I understand Mr. Ramsdell has given you a first-class
recommendation. I hope that you'll be able to live up to it," and he
smiled faintly.

"I'm going to do what I can, Mr. Obray," answered Dave.

"And so am I," added Roger.

Frank Andrews had already told them that a man with a wagon would be
sent down to the station for their trunks and suitcases, all of which
had been left in charge of the station-master. The youths were taken
to one of the buildings not far from the office, and there assigned to
a room containing two cots.

"Of course, this isn't the Biltm