the other trail," explained Mr.
Dunlop. "I've brought back men enough to start work in earnest.
There will be a mule train here by tomorrow with donkey engines
and machinery enough to start the work of mine-digging in earnest.
Here, boy, take my horse and tie him."

As Alf led the animal away, Mr. Dunlop turned to the young engineers
with a smile of great amiability.

"Boys, I'm glad to say that I wired the two railroad presidents
you mentioned to me. Both wired back, in effect, that my mine
was bound to be a success if I turned the engineering problem
over to you. So I'm going to accept your offers---hire you at
your own figures. I want you to come over to the Bright Hope
claim as soon as you've had breakfast."

Tom glanced at his chum, then answered, slowly:

"I'm sorry, Mr. Dunlop, sorry indeed, if-----"

"What are you trying to say?" demanded the mine promoter sharply.

"When you left here, Mr. Dunlop, we told you that we couldn't agree
to hold our offer open."

"Oh, that's all right. I've come right back and taken up your
terms with you," replied the promoter easily.

"But I'm sorry to say, sir, that you are too late."

"Too late? What are you talking about, Reade? You haven't entered
the employ of any one else not in this wilderness."

"We've formed a partnership with Ferrers, sir," Reade gravely
informed Mr. Dunlop, "and we're going into the mining business
on our own account."

"Nonsense! Where's your claim?"

"Somewhere, sir, in this part of Nevada."

"You haven't found the claim yet, then?" asked the promoter, with
a tinge of relief in his voice.

"No, sir. We located a promising claim, but the Gage gang tricked
us out of it. We'll find another, though."

"Then you'll prove yourselves very talented young men," scoffed
Mr. Dunlop. "Lad, don't you know that I've been all over this
country with old-time prospectors? There isn't any claim left
that will pay you for the trouble of locating and working it."

"We're going to hope for better luck than your words promise us,
sir," Harry hinted.

"You'll have your labor for your pains, then, and the satisfaction
of finding yourselves fools," exclaimed Dunlop testily. "You'd
better drop all that nonsense, and report to me after breakfast."

"It's not to be thought of, Mr. Dunlop," Tom replied gravely.
"We are here in the land of gold. We think we see our chance
to work for ourselves for a while, and we're going to make the
most of