“I’m very comfortable, thank you, sir,” Tom smiled.

“You’re dreadfully busy, I’m sure,” continued the president of the S.B. & L.  “In fact, Reade, I feel almost guilty in coming here and taking up your time when you’ve such a drive on.  Don’t let me detain you.  I can go right on into the field and talk with you there.”

“It won’t be necessary, sir,” Tom answered, with another smile.  “I’m not doing anything in particular.”

“Nothing in particular?   Why, I thought-----”

“I don’t do any tearing around myself,” laughed Reade.  “Since you were kind enough to make me acting chief engineer here I’ve kept the other fellows driving pretty hard, and I have every bit of work done right up to the minute.  Yet, as for myself, I have little to do, most of the day, except to sit in a camp easy chair, or else I ride a bit over the ground and see just where the fellows are working.”

“You take it mighty easily,” murmured President Newnham.

“A chief may, if he has the sense to know how to work his subordinates,” Tom continued.  “I don’t believe, sir, that you’ll find any fault with the way matters have gone forward.”

“Let me see the latest reports,” urged Mr. Newnham.

“Certainly, sir, if you’ll come into the head-quarters tent.”

Leading the way into the tent where Harry Hazelton and his draughting force were at work, Tom announced: 

“Gentlemen, Mr. Newnham, president of the S.B. & L., wishes to look over the reports and the maps with me.  You may lay off until called back to work.”

As the others filed out of the tent, Tom made Harry a sign to remain.  Then the three went over the details of what the field survey party was doing.

“From all I can see,” remarked President Newnham, “you have done wonderfully well, Reade.  I can certainly find no fault with Tim Thurston for recommending that you be placed in charge.  Thurston will certainly be jealous when he gets on his feet again.  You have driven the work ahead in faster time than Thurston himself was able to do.”

“It’s very likely, sir,” replied Tom Reade, “that I have had an easier part of the country to work through than Mr. Thurston had.  Then, again, the taking on of the engineer student party from the State University has enabled us to get ahead with much greater speed.”

“I wonder why Thurston never thought to take on the students,” murmured Mr. Newnham.

Bang! sounded an explosion, a mile or two to the westward.

“I didn’t know that you were doing any blasting, Reade,” observed the president of the S.B. & L.

“Neither did I, sir,” Tom replied, rising and listening.

Bang! bang! bang! sounded a series of sharp reports.

Tom ran out into the open Mr. Newnham following at a slower gait.

Bang! bang! bang!

“Hi, there, Riley!” roared Tom promptly.  “Saddle two horses as quickly as you can.  Harry, make ready to follow with me as soon as the horses are ready.”