rding to Mr. Ramsdell's letter.
He says he is also sending word to Roger."

As was to be expected, the tidings quite excited our hero. Now that he
had passed the preliminary examination and was to go out for actual
field practice, he felt that he was really and truly on his way to
becoming a civil engineer. It was the first step towards the
realization of a dream that had been his for some time.

Dave's father and his uncle, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Wadsworth, were
greatly interested in the news.

"There is one thing about it, Dave," said his parent; "I have made a
number of inquiries, and have learned that the Mentor Construction
Company is one of the largest and finest in this country. They employ
a number of first-class engineers; so it is likely that you will
receive the very best of instruction, and I sincerely hope that you
will make the best of your opportunities."

"I am going to do my level best, Dad," he returned earnestly. "I think
I'm a mighty lucky boy," he added, with a smile.

"I think you owe Mr. Ramsdell a good deal," said his Uncle Dunston.
"Of course, we have paid him for his services, but that isn't
everything."

"I know it," Dave returned; "and I'm either going to thank him in
person or else send him the nicest letter that I can write."

Now that he was really going to leave home, Mrs. Wadsworth, as well as
Laura and Jessie, took it upon their shoulders to see that Dave should
be properly taken care of so far as wearing apparel went.

"But oh, Dave! it's awful to think of your going so far away!" said
Jessie, one day, when the two were alone in the library. "The house
will be dreadfully lonely after you are gone."

"It won't be much different from when I was at Oak Hall, Jessie," he
answered.

"Oh, yes, it will be, Dave. Texas is a long way off. And my father
says the construction work that the Mentor Company is doing is close
to the Mexican border. What if you should have trouble with some of
those awful Mexican bandits?" and the girl shuddered.

"I don't expect any trouble of that kind. Practically all the fighting
that has been going on has been on Mexican soil on the other side of
the Rio Grande. As I understand it, the nearest point that the Mentor
Construction Company reaches to Mexico is some miles from the
border."

"Well, that's close enough with so much fighting going on," Jessie
pouted. "I don't want any of those awful Mexican revolutionists to
fire at you."

"Don't worry