of our line," Tom made reply. "Besides,
Mr. Dunlop, I'm not at all sure that we shall be here until you
return."

"But we haven't settled, Reade, whether you and your partner are
to be our engineers at the Bright Hope Mine."

"Quite true, sir," nodded Tom. "On the other hand, you haven't
engaged us, either"

"Won't you keep the matter open until our return?"

"That would be hardly good business, Mr. Dunlop."

"Yet suppose I had engaged you,"

"Then we'd be going back to Dugout City with you."

"Why, Reade?"

"So that we might get in touch with the world and find out whether
you are financially responsible. We wouldn't take an engagement
without being reasonably sure of our money."

"You're a sharp one," laughed Mr. Dunlop.

Yet he made no further reference to engaging the two young engineers,
a fact that Reade was keen enough to note.

Within an hour after breakfast the Dunlop ear pulled out, leaving
Tom Reade with only his own party.

"What our friend wants," smiled Harry, "is a pair of mining engineers
at the salary of one mere surveyor."

"He won't pay any more than he has to," rejoined Reade.

"Do you really want to work for Dunlop?"

"I really don't care a straw whether I do or not," was Tom's answer.
"Harry, we're in the very heart of the gold country and we don't
need to work for copper pennies."

"If you'll allow me to say so, friends," put in Jim Ferrers, "I
believe you two are the original pair with long heads and I'm going
to stick to you as long as you'll let me."

"Me, too," piped up Alf Drew ungrammatically.

The young cigarette fiend was at that instant engaged in rolling
one of his paper abominations.

Click-ick-ick-ick!

"Rattlers again!" shivered Alf.

Paper and tobacco fell from his fingers and he fled in terror.

CHAPTER VI

TOM CATCHES THE "NEVADA FEVER"

Two nights passed without adventure. On each of these nights
the three campers---for Alf didn't "count" divided the hours
of darkness into three watches, each standing guard in his turn.
On the third morning after the departure of the Bright Hope
group the campers were seated at breakfast around the packing
case that served as table.

"I feel as though we ought to be at work," suggested Hazelton.

"Good!" mocked Tom. "You've been riding every day lately, and
I have remained in camp, testing samples of ore that I've picked
up on my strolls."

"You take the horse today," proposed Harry, "and I'll st