Colonist ticket to British Columbia. Anyway, we'll ride out to-morrow and
call on the road surveyor."

It may have been because we were young, or the suspense had brought its
own reaction, but a faint hope commenced to spring up within us, and now,
when at least we knew the worst, we were both more tranquil than we had
been for the last three days, while I slept peacefully until Harry roused
me with the news that breakfast was ready. We started at noon, and before
the sun crossed the meridian the next day we found the surveyor busy
beside the new steel road which stretched out across the prairie from the
trunk line so many fathoms daily. He was a native Canadian, emphatic in
gesture, curt in speech, with, as we say here, a snap about him, and he
looked us over critically as I explained that we were willing to work for
him. I fancied there was satisfaction in his gaze, and this was not
unlikely, for we were both lean, hard, and bronzed, while our old stained
canvas garments told their own tale of sturdy toil.

"Guess I could let you a track-grading contract," he said meditatively.
"We find the scoops, you find the teams and take all risks, but it's pay
up when you're through. We've no use on this road for the men who when
they strike a hard streak just throw up their contract."

"What we begin we'll finish," I answered with emphasis, while Harry smiled
and raised a warning hand unseen by the surveyor. "Neither hard work nor
hard luck is new to us, and if it weren't for the latter we shouldn't be
here."

"Glad to hear it," said the surveyor, dryly, "you look like that. Well,
here's the schedule; glance through it; then you can come back to-morrow
and we'll sign the agreement. You'll have to rustle, though, and keep the
rail-bed ready; this road's going right through to Green Lake before the
winter."

I ran my eye down the list of stipulations respecting the work to be done
at so much per rod, with allowance for extra depth scooped out through the
rises per cubic ton, saw there should be a profit in it from what little I
knew, and tossed the sheet to Harry, answering:

"Our time is precious, and if my partner is willing we'll sign it now. As
to what we look like, I'll thank you to remember that has nothing to do
with you."

"I apologize; meant it as a compliment," said our future employer, who was
grimed thick with sweat and dust, and Harry answered lightly, "We are much
obliged to you; my partner is quick in temp