“I know the fellow I’d like to appoint,” cried Tom eagerly.

“If you’re sure about him, then go ahead and appoint him,” responded the president of the S.B. & L. railway.

“Hazelton!” proclaimed Tom.  “Good, old dependable Harry Hazelton!”

“Hazelton would be a wise choice,” nodded Mr. Newnham.

“Harry!” called Reade, as his chum appeared in the distance.  “Come here hustle!”

Mr. Newnham turned away as Hazelton came forward.  Tom quickly told his chum the news.

“I?  Assistant chief engineer?” gasped Harry, turning red.  “Whew, but that’s great!  However, I’m not afraid of falling down, Tom, with you to steer me.  What’s the pay of the new job!”

“Not decided,” rejoined Tom.  “Wait until we get the road through and the charter is safe.”

“Never mind the wages.  The job’s the thing, after all!” cried Harry, his face aglow.  “Whew!  I’ll send a letter home tonight with the news.”

“Make it a small post card, then, concealed under a postage stamp,” counseled Reade dryly.  “We’ve work ahead of us—–­not writing.”

“What’s the first thing you’re going to do?” inquired Hazelton.

“The first thing will be to get on the job.”

“You’re going back to the construction force?”

“I am.”

“When?”

“Well, we start within five minutes.”

“Whew!”

His face still aglow with happiness, Harry Hazelton bounded off to his tent.  Tom called to one of the men to saddle two horses, and then followed.

“You’re going back to the construction camp?” inquired Mr. Newnham, looking in at the doorway.

“As fast as horses can take us, sir,” Tom replied, as he whipped out a clean flannel shirt and drew it over his head.

“I’m going with you,” replied Mr. Newnham.

“You’ll ride fast, if you go with us, sir,” called Tom.

“I can stand it, if you can, Reade.  Your enthusiasm and speed are ‘catching,’” replied the president, with a laugh, as he started off to give orders about his horse.

“If the president is going with us, then we’ll have to take two of Dave Fulsbee’s men with us,” mused Tom aloud to his chum.  “It would never do to have our president captured just before we’re ready to open the road to traffic.”

The orders were accordingly given.  Tom then appointed one of the chainmen to command the camp until the construction gang came up.

Just seven minutes after he had given the first order, Tom Reade was in saddle.  Hazelton was seated on another horse some thirty seconds afterward.  The two railroad detectives rode forward, halting near by, and all waited for Mr. Newnham.

Nor did the president of the S.B. & L. delay them long.  During his weeks in camp in the Rockies the man from Broadway had learned something of the meaning of the word “hustle.”

As the party started Tom ordered one of the detectives to ride two hundred yards in advance of the party, the other the same distance to the rear.