The Young Engineers in Nevada; Or, Seeking Fortune on the Turn of a Pick

led the older of the arme

e Tom, dryly. "The sh

rs's

ce, resentfully, as he showed his head over the edge o

, Jim! Careful!" Rea

full height, then discovered the path by which Tom had descended.

rrers slid rather than w

f your men?" question

little puffer of cigarettes. He's hiding his stained

to your crowd?" spoke

boy, Drew, was intended by way of conve

t look out for an amb

panions, a m

p's daughter, fearfully. "Father, why can't you come out of this wild

with a firmness that seemed

ation?" Tom asked, aside, of Jim Ferrers, who

cation," Fer

ade, who was

hance without running my neck into the noose of the

behind it all, eh"

oo long a story to

to your affairs, Ferrers

nly brother I ever had--and got cleared of

ther killed?"

ten waste ammunition out in this county, even if I did send in three wild shots just now. But

daughter, her child and the other woman

d that they did not care to remain if they were t

d but three of the men i

the Dunlop party drove a second car. In this order they started for Dugout City, thirty miles away.

laimed Mr. Dunlop, to the ar

fired on. Gage's gang will be only too glad to see

ing cars as long as they could be seen. Then he step

ly aid," said the stout man. "You know my n

n, Mr. Dunlop's secretary, and the third a man named John Ransome, an investor in Mr. Dunlop's mining enterprise. The elder of the arme

aim hereabouts, Mr. D

mile as he noted Reade staring about him with a quizzical smile. "T

ospected, sir?"

it to them. The friends who have returned to Dugout, and Mr. Ransome here, ha

and I'm sure that the others are, after

in operations?" Tom

t over and have concluded to put

w--all of us," R

whichever operation can be done at the least cost. Either way will be expensive, and we must find out for a certainty which will be the cheaper. There's a lot of refractory rock in the slope yonder. In th

ed any engineer?" Reade

need, until we had sa

I can make some deal

prop

red Dunlop. "Are you

nd to ourselves," smiled Tom,

d Mr. Dunlop, gazing at the

er handled a mine yet," Tom answered. "B

't mine digging,"

gely excavation work; so is tunneling. We've had charge

says for gold and silver? Sometimes, when searching for drifts a

ssay balance and all the tools and chemi

Then you must have come prepare

k for a while," Tom explained truthfully. "Yet mining attracts us. We'd stay her

onth for each of you be satisfa

hundred and seventy-five dollars, either. When I said that

ught, and question you a good deal more on your qualifications. I supp

r, until we are definitely engaged we do no

ur camp?" sa

e easiest way of reachin

our camp, too," Tom added. "Y

you to danger, too,"

y. "In fact, just a little of danger makes us fee

e up the invitation of these gentle

ng you can do, sir,"

ou don't drive too fast you'll give us a cha

we'll start within t

Du

e cliff path. At last they reached the top, then started at long strides t

, "we may become mining

good enough fellow, but he's accustomed to making all the money

I've an idea That Mr. Dunlop will turn to be gener

trio tramped on sil

rs le

ugh the woods, as they neared t

the little fellow,

ch way he went, sir,

, and I reckon he ducke

ugout City and hasn't

nder the trees brought th

had been spirited away as though by magic. Nor were the cots to be seen. Blankets lay strew

im?" gasped puz

n stealing," Ferrer

n wh

round in this country, and they want me a heap sight less. But maybe we'l

. "We can't run off without explanation to the guests th

stomachs, heads concealed behind a low fringe of b

e your first shot into Jim Ferrers. After that we'll take