ntonio bound for the building in which the
Mentor Construction Company had its temporary offices.

Contrary to what William Jarvey had told them, they found Mr. Perry
Watson a very pleasant man with whom to deal. There was little of
nonsense about him, and he lost no time in finding out who the youths
were and for what they had come. But his manner was courteous, and he
made both Dave and Roger feel thoroughly at home.

"I know Mr. Ramsdell very well. He's a fine fellow," said the
superintendent of the construction company. "I had a personal letter
from him in regard to you, and I'm going to put you out under one of
the best men we have down here in Texas, Mr. Ralph Obray, who is now
working on the construction of the new Catalco bridge to the west of
this place. He is expecting some new helpers, and he asked me to send
him the two best fellows I could find, so I am going to send you," and
Mr. Watson smiled slightly.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Watson," answered Dave.

"Oh, you don't have to thank me, Porter," returned the superintendent,
quickly. "You just go out and make good. That is all this company asks
of any one it employs."

"When do you want us to start, Mr. Watson?" questioned Roger.

"You can suit yourselves about that, although the sooner you report to
Mr. Obray the better I think he'll be pleased."

The superintendent walked to a back door of his office and called to
some one without.

"I'll turn you over to one of our clerks and he will give you all the
details regarding your positions," he explained.

The clerk proved to be a young man only a few years older than Dave
and Roger, and the youths took to him at once. He explained in detail
where they were to go and what the construction camp located near the
new Catalco bridge consisted of, and also told them what their work
would probably be for the first few months.

"Of course, you've got to start at the bottom of the ladder," he
explained. "But you'll find Mr. Obray a splendid man to be under, and
you'll probably learn more under him than you would under any of our
other head engineers."

"In that case I'm mighty glad Mr. Watson assigned us to Mr. Obray's
gang," answered Dave.

It was arranged that Dave and his chum should start westward early the
following morning. This would give them a part of an afternoon and an
evening in San Antonio in which to look around and take in the sights
of that quaint town.

During the conversation with Mr.