The Young Engineers in Mexico; Or, Fighting the Mine Swindlers

haft, Nicolas, the s

Don Luis, angrily. "You have no

too swiftly for me," pleaded Nicolas. "All the way

duties hereafter, sco

, an

d Tom and Harry everywhere. In Mexico one of the grade of gentleman, if he wi

of the car beside the chauffeur. The car travel

eak of new cars," laughed Tom, after he had been bounced up two fe

to a man who owns El Sombr

The price of a few imported ca

mbrero have you seen?" questioned

aid Tom,

ns are as good as those

a poor day at the min

is indeed a marv

Luis. "Yet there may be richer ones,

best mine around

e," murmured Don Luis,

the Priest) located?

, up over that road," Don Luis re

re is one of your pr

cont

I want it when I

sh to own as many

greatest dreams of wealth," declare

stopped bef

ervant appeared at the entrance to the court and i

the Mexican. "After having luncheon we sh

r seats at table than Nicolas appeared behind their

brought. Tom and Harry both declined them. Dr. Tisco lighted a cigar at once; Don Luis spent much time in se

d, suddenly, "what did y

replied, with enthusiasm, "the fi

est of the ore to-day,

s as fine as any we wo

sa

ine?" inquired their host, turning

oined, "it ought to be one of the richest

er-is worth much more than that which

ated on possessing a treasure

ted to hear

Reade continued, "there are a few qu

maso?" queried Don Luis, in his

r table?" pr

r. This is a mere busi

with ano

u, Don Luis," Tom explained. "Surely, you do not wish me

ll, if you have scruples about the proprieties, t

ments in raising Spanish mules. The finest mules that come out of Spain, class, in price, wi

, they passed

h you for hours," the Mexican hid

to show that he took

an armchair at the fu

retary observed caref

e faces of the young e

o an easy chair close to the table on which Tom began t

spoke of some problems that you wished u

Senor

the problems are that we are

ms before you, while we were going

s, of appearing stupi

id

the problems presently. You have

he had written on the various envelop

two lots of ore. The first is from the pile that we found pried loos

ontez replied, with a poli

where we also found a pile of loose ore, here is a

ly, Seno

pe and emptying it, "is a sample of the ore that we saw taken from that blast. If this sample contai

is, softly. "What is i

t on top of such extra-fine ore we run u

s in El Sombrero," Don

ed Tom, looking up from the tabl

ppeared to be almost a

Luis. "Oh, perhaps a dozen times in a fe

streaks of blank ro

wondered at what hi

his shoulders. "Oh, how should I know? Pers

whole week drilling and blasting

f that I am certain. But why do

the chances are, as based on the record of the mine to date. Of course, Don Luis, you know what it mea

at did not contain a promising or

ntez asked. "No; I

gold, Don Luis, often, if not usually, means that the v

of merely polite astonishment. "Then you believe that E

w weeks they have panned out ore of the highest value. Much capital has been put into such mines, and for a time men have thought they owned a new Golconda. Then-suddenly-the blank wall, and no m

ured Don Luis

is before?" Tom aske

ospered; and much of my money has been made in mining. Yet I have never had

ining," declared the secretary, w

nows so much on the subject that, compared with him, I am an ignoramus. But that is w

have encountered the blank rock, and the number of fe

, n

," said Reade, thoug

ord carefully. Don L

rried over this blank

on is,

he had hardly been following the talk at all. Harry Hazelton was qui

e. Soon we will arrange it, if necessary, so that Harry and I shall divide the time at the mine. Whenever, in any of the tunnels, blank roc

ers are too infernall

under hi

iably. "We will put some such plan into operation

o start at once

e anxious to know how the blank rock is coming I can telephone the mine and get all the i

Don Luis rang and c

elf, while the telephone conversation was going on in Spanish. "Yet I wonder if our you

ct, the young chief engineer had as yet no dee

back. "In that tunnel where we saw the blasting done the bla

e to see it!

ed Don Lui

ll the secrets, all the indicat

t, Senor Tomaso?" demanded

a new formation of rock to me-this sandwich formation as I migh

z, opening a drawer in his desk. "This report describes the o

en in English, by either

stened carefully

report, Don Luis, when the mine is not for sale

so," smiled the Mexican. "But I like, even in a report to myself, for my

asonable,"

ouched in my own English. I would be glad if you would

me to think that I could put it int

l you put this report into your

asure in the worl

riting mate

e corner," suggested the young chief engineer. "I can wri

y pleased. "If you will but do that! We w

uring this time Don Luis conducted Harry over the estate, pointing out many things of interest. At last Tom, wi

lero?" inquired Nicolas, app

l Don Luis that I have finished,

z, his secretary and Hazelton came in. Tom re

panish better. And now one stroke of the pen for each of you," added the hidalgo, crossing the room to his desk. "As my new e

held it up. Harry was about to ta

right for us to sign t

the Mexican, whee

vation. We haven't seen enough of the mine, as yet, for it to be right for us to sign the report. An engineer's signature to a report is his statement-ON HON

r. Tisco told himself. "These engineers are not easily du