d Smith's men were still bringing in, and across the river to the
ledge that commanded the whole scene, and was safely removed from its
activities.

Glover took ten minutes to point out to the president of the system the
difficulties that would always confront the operating department in the
canyon. He charted clearly for Mr. Brock the whole situation, with the
hope that when certain very heavy estimates went before the directors
one man at least would understand the necessity for them. Mr. Brock
was a good questioner, and his interest turned constantly from the
general observations offered by Glover to the work immediately in hand,
which the engineer had no mind to exploit. The young people, however,
were determined to see the blast, and it was only by strongly advising
an early dinner and promising that they should have due notice of the
blast that Glover got rid of his visitors at all.

He returned with them to the caboose in which they had come down, and
when he got back to the work the big camp kettles were already slung
along the bench, and the engine bringing the car of black powder was
steaming slowing into the upper canyon. On a flat bowlder back of the
cooks, Morris Blood, Ed Smith, and the roadmasters were sitting down to
coffee and sandwiches, and Glover joined them. Men in relays were
eating at the camp and dynamiters were picking their way across the
face of the Cat's Paw with the giant powder. The engineers were still
at their coffee-fire when the scream of a locomotive whistle came
through the canyon from below. Blood looked up. "There's one of the
fast mail engines, probably the 1026. Who in the world has brought her
up?"

"More than likely," suggested Glover, finishing his coffee, "it's
Bucks."

CHAPTER VIII

SPLITTING THE PAW

Preceded by a track boss along the ledges where the blasting crew was
already putting down the dynamite, a man almost as large as Glover and
rigged in a storm cap and ulster made his way toward the camp
headquarters. The mountain men sprang to their feet with a greeting
for the general manager--it was Bucks.

He took Blood's welcome with a laugh, nodded to the roadmasters, and
pulling his cap from his head, turned to grasp Glover's hand.

"I hear you're going to spoil some of our scenery, Ab. I thought I'd
run up and see how much government land you were going to move without
a permit. Glad you got down so promptly. Callahan had nervous
prostration