nst us, you fully
inform yourself of their plans. When the cowards strike you are
ready to meet them, force for force. You may be only a cub
engineer, but you have an amazing genius for the work in which
chance has placed you out here."

"You may be guilty, Mr. Newnham, of giving me far more credit than
I deserve," laughed Tom gently. "In the matter of finding out the
enemy's designs, I didn't, and I don't know fully yet what the other
side intends to do to us. What I did learn was by accident."

"Very few other young men would have been equal to making the
greatest and best use of what accident revealed," insisted Mr.
Newnham warmly.

Harry Hazelton came now, from the hole in the ground, to report
that Dr. Gitney had done all he could for the comfort of poor
young Reynolds.

"Gitney says that Reynolds ought to come along all right, as far
as the mere wound itself is concerned," Hazelton added. "What
will have to be looked out for is suppuration. If pus forms in
and around the wound it may carry Reynolds off, for there are
no hospital conveniences to be had in this wild neck of the woods."

"Is the doctor staying with Reynolds?" Tom asked, still using the
glasses on the hilly country that lay ahead.

"No; he has gone back to Mr. Thurston and Mr. Blaisdell," Hazelton
answered. "Doc says he'll have to be with them to quiet them in
case the firing gets close. He says both men will become excited and
try to jump out of bed and come over here. Doc says he's going to
strap 'em both down."

"Dr. Gitney may be badly needed here, if a fight opens," Tom mused
aloud.

"He says, if we need him, to send for him."

"Come through a hot fire?" Tom gasped.

"Surely! Doc Gitney is a Colorado man, born and bred. He doesn't
mind a lead shower when it comes in the line of duty," laughed
Harry. "Now, if you're through using me as a messenger, I'm going
to find a rifle."

"You won't succeed," Tom retorted. "Every rifle in camp already
has an amateur soldier behind it."

"Just my luck!" growled Harry.

"You're a good, husky lad," Tom continued. "If you want to be
of real use, just lie down hug the earth, take good care not to
be hit, and-----"

"Fine and manly!" interjected Hazelton with contempt.

"Now, don't try to be a hero," urged Tom teasingly. "There are
altogether too many green, utterly inexperienced heroes here at
present. Be useful, Harry, old chum, and let those who are good
for nothing else be