Tom made the long drive homeward without further adventures.  It was after sundown when he arrived at the farm and found Ralph, who was really an excellent cook, preparing supper.  Broiled chicken, sweet potatoes, asparagus and radishes grown under glass, custard pudding—–­it was a feast for these healthy, famished youths, and they did ample justice to it; so ample, in fact, that each had to let out his belt one notch!  And what a good talk they had over the events of the day!  Tom was as interested in hearing all about what Ralph had done and seen as Ralph was in Tom’s more varied account.

The fact that Bill Terrill was the thief did not greatly surprise Ralph.  However, he feared that very little, if any, of his money would be recovered, when he learned that Bill and his cronies had been drinking together.  In this, we may add, Ralph was happily disappointed, for a few days later he received from Constable Thompson a crumpled ten-dollar bill,—–­the remains of the stolen hoard!

The news that Scout Master Denmead would personally take up the matter of the survey was a great satisfaction to Ralph.  It was more than that, it was a source of the most rosy-hued hopes and dreams in which he had indulged himself for many a long day.  Almost the last thing Tom said to him before dropping off to sleep was: 

“The Chief’ll persuade ’em to do it, I know he will.  He can do anything.  He’s great!”

And that night Ralph dreamed that his farm, all of it which was not bought by the railroad, was converted into a great mine in which scores of men were at work.

* * * * * * *

Two days later a party of four men drove into the farmyard, with axes, tape, level and other implements for surveying.  They began operations at once and did not cease until close of day, when, declining Ralph’s invitation to spend the night, they returned to Oakvale.  On the following day they came back, with another squad.  Of this squad Blake Merton was lineman and George Rawson rodman.  The second squad began working from the eastern boundary of the Kenyon farm, and Tom spent part of the day with them.  Ralph could not walk far, as yet, though with every day his ankle was getting stronger.

Each night so long as the work of the survey lasted, Rawson,—–­who with Blake had accepted Ralph’s invitation to stay at the farm,—–­spent an hour or two with the three boys, going over with them the methods of surveying and explaining the local geological formations.

Meanwhile, at Pioneer Camp, Lieutenant Denmead was giving similar daily instruction to the troop, with frequent brief trips for practical demonstration.  He had not thought it best to ask that more of the scouts might assist in the railroad survey, fearing that they would hinder the trained workers.  But Rawson and the boys were to give the rest a detailed report of their work on their return to camp.