“There, that’s the first exhibit.  That shows us on our way to build a railroad.”

“You did not get yourself in it, Billy,” said Jack as they went on.

“There isn’t room on the plate for him; he’s too fat,” remarked young Smith, who carried a pair of signal flags and a pole.  “You would need a bigger lens to get Billy on the plate.”

The boys went on at a good gait and at length were surprised by hearing a considerable noise ahead of them, loud and angry voices of men being the principal part of the disturbance.

“Hello! there is trouble ahead,” cried Harry.  “I wonder what it is all about?”

“We will find out in a few minutes,” said Jack, hurrying forward, the others quickly following.

In a short time they came to a little station in the woods, not much more than a shack, by the way, and here they saw Percival and his gang opposed by a number of men of rough appearance, who were talking in loud and angry tones and with threatening gestures.

“Hello!  I’ve got to get this!” exclaimed Billy, pointing his camera at the group and giving the bulb a squeeze.  “This’ll be the second exhibit, trouble on the line.  I wonder what it is all about?”

The arrival of the other party was somewhat of a surprise to the men and they fell back a pace, Jack hurrying toward Percival and asking: 

“What is the matter, Dick?  What do these men want?”

“They say that we are going to ruin their farms by running a road through them,” replied Percival.  “I’d like to know where they are.  I never heard of any farms through here, nor any one else.”

“Well, they is!” snarled one of the men, a big, rough-looking fellow with a shaggy beard and long hair which seemed not to have been combed in a month.  “They is farms here and they’s trout brooks an’ pasters an’ we ain’t goin’ to have ’em ruined by no railroad.”

“You will have to see the company,” answered Jack quietly.  “We are not going to build immediately anyhow.  We are only surveying now.  The company has given us the right to do this, and if they were going to ruin any farms they would not do it.  Where are the farms?  I am pretty well acquainted with this section and I don’t know of any farms worth mentioning in all of it.  We have authority from the railroad to make our surveys and you had better see some of the officers before you make trouble.  Dr. Wise also will give you all the information you require.  He is with the rest of the boys, about half a mile back.”

“Well, we was told you was going to ruin our farms, and we won’t stand fer that.  You talk all right, but the fust thing we know we’ll be druv out o’ house an’ home an’ all our crops sp’iled.”

“You should have them in by this time.  Who told you that your farms would be ruined?”

“Well, we was told, anyhow, an’ we warn ye that if any damage is done to our farms or crops ye’ll have ter suffer fer it.  We ain’t goin’ to be ground under by no graspin’ mono’ly, we ain’t, an’ yer’ goin’ to know it fust as last.”