u!"

The pair went on out of sight. Tom waited where he was for more
than half an hour.

"Now, the coast is surely clear," thought Reade at last. He rose
and started campward.

"The soft-foot, the rubber shoe won't work now," Tom decided.
"If I were to go along as if trying not to run into anyone, and
that pair got first sight of me, it would make them suspicious.
I haven't been eavesdropping---oh, no! I'm merely out taking
a night stroll to ease my nerves."

Therefore the cub chief puckered his lips, emitting a cheery whistling
as he trudged along up the trail.

As it happened the pair whom Tom sought had not yet parted. From
behind a boulder a man stepped out in his path. From the other
side of the boulder another man moved in behind him.

"Out for the air, Reade?" asked the sneering voice of 'Gene Black.

"Hello, Black---is that you?"

"Now, Black," broke in the voice of Bad Pete, "you wanted this
cub, and he's all yours! What are you going to do with him?"

CHAPTER XV

BLACK'S PLOT OPENS WITH A BANG

"Some mistake here, gentlemen," interjected Tom Reade coolly.
"Unless I'm very badly informed I don't belong to either of you.
If anyone owns me, then I belong to the S.B. & L."

"I told you I'd make you settle with me for throwing me out of
the camp," remarked Black disagreeably.

"You're not out yet---more's the pity," Tom retorted. "You will
be, however, as soon as the paymaster arrives."

"You're wrong," jeered 'Gene. "You're out---from this minute!"

"What do you mean?" Tom inquired, looking Black steadily in the eye.

Yet the young chief engineer had a creepy realization of just
what the pair _did_ mean. Black must have confederates somewhere
in the mountains near. It was evidently the rascal's intention
to seize Tom and carry him away where he would be held a prisoner
until he had lost all hope of regaining his position at the head
of the railroad's field force.

"You say that I'll be thrown out of camp very soon," sneered Black.
"The fact is, you are not going back to camp."

"What's going to stop me?" Reade inquired, with no sign of fear.

"You're not going back to camp!" Black insisted.

"Someone has been giving you the wrong tip," smiled Tom.

He started forward, brushing past Black. It was mainly a pretense,
for Reade had no notion but that he would be stopped.

With a savage cry Black seized him by the shoulders.

Tom made a quick turn, shaking the fellow off