down the lists.

"Twenty-eight Mexicans and fourteen Americans absent from camp," he
muttered. "Foremen, when these men come back you may tell them that they
are no longer needed."

All four of the gang bosses looked somewhat astonished.

"Merely for leaving camp in the night time?" Mendoza inquired.

"Yes, under the circumstances," nodded Tom. "If any of these men declare
that they were properly absent, and did not visit the gambling and
the drinking dives, then such men may be reinstated after they have
satisfied Mr. Hazelton, Mr. Hawkins or myself of the truth of their
statements."

"Some of these men will be very ugly when they find that they are
discharged, Senor," suggested Mendoza.

"But you are loyal to us?"

"Can you doubt it, Senor?" asked Mendoza proudly.

"Then you will know how to handle your own fellow-countrymen. The
other foremen will be able to handle the rest of the disgruntled ones.
However, as I have told you, if any man claims that he is unjustly
treated, send him to headquarters for a chance at reinstatement."

General Manager Ellsworth had heard the conversation, but had not
interfered. As soon as the young engineers were alone he joined them at
table, saying:

"Aren't you afraid, Reade, that these discharged men will hasten to join
our enemies?"

"That is very likely, sir," Tom answered. "These missing men, however,
have shown their willingness to become our enemies by leaving camp and
seeking their pleasures in the strongholds of the scoundrels who are
fighting to break us up."

"That's another way of looking at the matter," assented the general
manager.

"I'd much rather have our enemies outside of camp than inside," Reade
continued. "If we took these absentees back after they've been in the
company of rascals, then we wouldn't have any means of knowing how many
of the absentees had agreed to do treacherous things within the camp.
It would hardly be a wise plan to encourage the breeding of rattlesnakes
within the camp limits."

It was nearly noon when the first batch of laborers, some American and
some Mexican, returned to camp. These men started to go by the checker's
hut at a distance, but keen-eyed Superintendent Hawkins saw them and
ordered them around to the hut.

"You'll have to wait here until your foremen are called," declared the
checker.

"Say, what's the trouble here!" demanded one American belligerently.

CHAPTER VIII. READE MEETS A "KICKER" HALF WAY