n.

He saw Tom's knees coming up out of the sand before he called:

"Now, Payson, you can give me a little boost if you like. Don't pull me
in ahead of Tom Reade, however."

Presently deafening cheers went up. Both young engineers were being
slowly, surely hauled to safe ground.

Then Tom and Harry reached a spot where they could rise to their own
feet and floundered. Tom started, then swayed dizzily.

"Steady, there, old Gridley boy!" mumbled Hazelton, slipping an arm
around his recovered chum.

Then the two young engineers reached the platform and a fresh tumult of
joyful cheering burst forth.

"Payson," exclaimed Harry, going up to the foreman, and holding out his
hand, "will you accept my apologies for all I said to you? I had to use
strong language, or you'd have held me back from Reade."

"I didn't believe he could be saved," returned the foreman, with a
sickly smile, as he grasped Hazelton's outstretched hand.

Tom, too weak at first to stand, had dropped to his knees at the side of
the unconscious laborer, over whom some of the bystanders were working
in stupid fashion.

"This man must have medical attention at once!" Tom declared. "Some
of you men lift him to your shoulders. Be careful not to jolt him, but
travel at a jog all the way to the office building. Harry, can you sit
on your horse?"

"Surely," said the young assistant.

"Lucky boy, then," smiled Reade. "I won't be able to sit in saddle for
some minutes. Ride into camp and tell the operator to wire swiftly for a
physician to come out and attend to that man."

"But you--"

"I'm here, am I not!" smiled Reade.

"I should say you are, Mr. Reade!" came a hoarse, friendly roar from one
of the laborers.

Hazelton did not delay. He was soon speeding back over the desert.

As for Tom, there were many offers of assistance, but he explained that
all he needed was to keep quiet and have a chance to get his breath
back.

Payson, in the meantime, had started the work going again, though most
of his men toiled with far less spirit than before the accident.

Ten minutes later Tom mounted his horse and rode slowly back toward
camp. By the time he reached there he made out the automobile of a
Paloma physician coming in haste.

Tom was still weak enough to tremble as Harry stepped outside and helped
him to the ground.

"Harry," Reade remarked dryly, "I'm not going to bother to thank you for
such a simple little thing as saving my life out yonde