ylight."

They chatted a little while with Mr. Prenter, outside, and then Dick rose
at Tom's signal.

"We must be starting," said Reade. "I don't know just what we're going
to do to-night, but we have miles to cover I'm afraid."

"Being an army officer, Dick, you've got a pistol, of course," suggested
Harry hopefully.

"I've a brace of them," nodded the army man.

"Good!" cheered Harry.

"But both of them, unloaded at that, are in my trunks at Mobile," laughed
Dick, whereat Tom chuckled. Harry Hazelton was much inclined to want to
carry a pistol in times of danger, but Tom didn't believe in any such
habit.

"I thought soldiers went armed," muttered Hazelton ruefully.

"Only when on duty," Dick informed him.

Nicolas wistfully watched Reade out of sight. The Mexican had been ordered
to remain at home to-night, and on no account to think of following his
employer. That didn't at all agree with the faithful fellow's wishes.

"They'll be sure to get into some trouble, Senor Hazelton," Nicolas
said mournfully. "I should be on their flank, watching over them."

"You don't know Gridley boys," laughed Harry, "if you don't understand
that Dick Prescott and Tom Reade, together, are a hard team to beat."

In the meantime Tom led the way down to the camp of workmen. Reade
stopped to speak with one of his reliable negroes, whom he found softly
strumming a banjo under a tree.

"Are there any visitors in camp to-night who shouldn't be here?" asked Tom.

"I doan' beliebe so, boss," replied the colored man. "Dem gamblers an'
bootleggers ain' done got bail yet, has they, sah?"

"I don't believe they have," replied Tom. "There are no others of their
kind here, then?"

"I doan' beliebe so, sah."

Tom and Dick strolled through the camp, but all was quiet there. Many of
the men were outside their shacks or tents, smoking and waiting for
turning-in time to come.

"Looks as orderly as a camp-meeting," declared Lieutenant Prescott. "I'm
glad to see, Tom, that you're for the decent camp every time."

"The decent camp is the only kind that contains efficient workmen for
engineering jobs," Reade answered dryly.

Presently they strolled out of camp, on the farther side. This was what
the young engineer really wanted to do---to vanish suddenly, in a fashion
that would not be likely to be noted by hostile eyes. Now Reade and his
army chum proceeded softly, and without words. Through the deep woods Tom
was heading