ascended that the head chainman came running
from the other nearby mess tent to see what was up.

"Just a little joke among our youngsters, my man," explained Mr.
Thurston. "The young gentlemen are going to keep the joke to
themselves for the present, though."

So the mystified and disappointed chainman returned to his own
crowd.

"Let me see, Reade," continued Mr. Thurston, turning once more
to Tom, "what is your salary?"

"I was taken on, sir, at forty dollars a month, as a starter,"
Tom replied.

"A young man with your size of head is worth more than that to
the company. We'll call it fifty a month, Reade, and keep our
eyes on you for signs of further improvement," said the chief
engineer, as he turned to go back to his own waiting dinner.

CHAPTER VI

THE BITE FROM THE BUSH

From the time that they parted in the morning, until they started
to go back to camp in the afternoon, Tom and Harry did not meet
the next day. Each, with his chainmen, was served from Bob's
burro train at noon.

"Did you see Bad Pete today?" was Harry's greeting, as they Started
back over the trail.

"No."

"Did you hear from him or of him in any way?" pressed Hazelton.

"Not a sign of any sort from Peter," Tom went on. "I've a theory
as to what's keeping him away. He's on a journey."

"Journey?"

"Yes; between you and me, I believe that Peter has gone in search
of someone who can sell him, or give him, a few forty-five cartridges."

"He'd better apply to you, then, Tom," grinned Harry.

"Why, I couldn't sell him any," Tom replied.

"What did you do with those you had last night?"

"You remember the unfordable pond that came in one of my courses
yesterday?"

"Yes."

"To-day I threw all of Peter's .45's into the middle of the pond.
They must have sunk a foot into the mud by this time."

"Seriously, Tom, don't you believe that you'd better take one
of the revolvers that I bought and wear it on a belt?"

"Not I," retorted Reade. "Harry, I wish you could get that sort
of foolishness out of your head. A revolver is of no possible
use to a man who hasn't any killing to do. I'm trying to learn
to be a civil engineer, not a man-killer."

"Then I believe that Bad Pete will 'get' you one of these days,"
sighed Hazelton.

"Wait until he does," smiled Tom. "Then you can have the fun
of coming around and saying 'I told you so.'"

Their chainmen were ahead of the "cub" engineers on the trail.
Tom and Har