ing?"

"In a way, yes," Tom nodded. "See here, Harry, in the field we
tried to do the work of a man and a half each, didn't we? And
here at the drawing tables, too."

"Of course."

"Now there is need of hustling, and, if we work too hard, we simply
won't have time to plan for others, or even to know what they're
doing. There are a lot of students coming, Harry. Most of them
will be good men, for they're young, full of enthusiasm, and just
crazy to show what they can do. Some of them will doubtless be
good draughtsmen. You'll take these men and see to it that the
drawing is pushed forward. But you won't work too hard yourself.
You'll see to it that the force under you is working, and in
that way you'll be three times as useful as if you merely ground
and dug hard by yourself. I shall go light on real work, just
in order that I may have my eyes and brains where they will do
the most good every minute of the time."

Someone was approaching. Tom threw open the flap of the tent,
thus discovering that the man was Black.

"Howdy, Reade," was the greeting of the idle engineer. "I'm glad
to say that my headache is better. I'm not going to have the
fever, after all. Tomorrow I'll be out on the leveling job."

Tom shook his head.

"I want you to rest up tomorrow, Black."

"I won't do it," retorted the other flatly. "Tomorrow I go out
and continue running my levels."

"Then I may as well tell you," Tom continued, "what I would have
preferred to break to you more easily later on."

"What do you mean?" questioned the other sharply, an uneasy look
creeping into his face.

"You're not going to do any more work for us, Black," replied the
young chief coolly.

"Not do any more work, What do you mean, Reade? Am I discharged
from this corps?"

"Not yet, Black, for I haven't the money at hand to pay you to
date. So you may stay here until the paymaster comes. Then, when
you have your full amount of pay, you can leave us."

"What does this mean?" demanded 'Gene Black angrily, as he stepped
closer, his eyes blazing.

Some young men would have shrunk back before Black's menacing
manner. Tom had never yet met the man who could make him really
afraid.

"I've already told you the whole story, Black."

"Why am I discharged?"

"I am not obliged to give you my reasons."

"You'll find you'll have to do so!" stormed 'Gene Black.

"Well, then," Tom answered, "you get through here because you kicked
one of