“I said she oughtn’t to stay in the house all alone to-night,” Tom put in readily, “so I told Arthur to stay with her until Doctor Kane showed up.  I knowed it was his day to call at your house.  See?”

“Yes, yes; I understand,” Ralph replied in a shaky voice.  “It’s mighty good of you all to take so much trouble.”

“Tush!  ’Taint no trouble, lad!  Why, anybody wouldn’t refuse to do sech a small favor for your ma.  Even Bill Terrill—–­he dropped in at your place to-day—–­even that cuss offered to go out and find you \ when he heard the news from her.”

“Terrill!  What was he doing at the farm to-day?”

“He drove over with ol’ Si Perkins and two other wise guys, to get
permission from your ma to------”

“Oh, I know!  I know what they want!” exclaimed Ralph.  “The mean, cowardly sneaks!  They shan’t bully mother into letting them survey our land, on the faked excuse that the survey dad had made isn’t correct.”

“What ’ud they want to do that for?” queried Tom.

“Because Perkins wants to annex a piece of our property, sink a shaft in it, and see if the ground promises to yield any iron.  He claims that the piece he wants, which is our northeast corner three-acre, really belongs to him.”

“Can’t the dispute be settled by law?” Tom asked, in surprise.

“It was—–­once.  But now the old grafter has dug up some technicality.”

“And you’ve got to fight him, eh?” said Tom.  “Well, go to it, lad!  Go to it!  I’ll stand by you!”

“Why doesn’t he experiment on his own land?” was Tom’s next question, born of a lively interest he felt in the controversy.

“Because the B.N. and C. Railroad wants to run a branch line from Oakvale over to the main line, in a big loop, and Perkins may have a chance to sell some of his land.  That’s why he doesn’t want to have it dug up, at present; he may strike ore.  And that’s why he’s going to have his whole property surveyed.”

“Ralph,” said young Sherwood, after listening thoughtfully to his new friend’s explanation, “you know the railroad company will have a survey made, on their own hook.  Now it seems to me, if you know anything about surveying, that it would be a good chance for you to join the railroad’s surveyors and get in a little fine work on your side of the fence, so to speak.  Don’t you think so?”

“I never thought of that!” Ralph eagerly responded.  “That’s a keen idea!  Much obliged to you for it!  You can bet I’ll try.”

Talking thus, the four beguiled much of the long tramp back to the farmhouse; Ralph almost forgot the pain of his injuries.  A bond of friendship seemed already to have drawn him and Sherwood together:  a bond which was destined to be strengthened not only by the adventure of this night but also by many future adventures which they would share.

“There’s a light yonder!” exclaimed Jack, suddenly, waving his lantern as he spoke.  “Somebody has seen us ’way off, and is coming to meet us.”