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The Young Engineers in Colorado, a novel by H. Irving Hancock |
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Chapter 20. Mr. Newnham Drops A Bomb |
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_ CHAPTER XX. MR. NEWNHAM DROPS A BOMB The field work was done. Yet the field engineers were not dismissed. Instead, they were sent back along the line. The construction gang was still twelve miles out of Lineville, and the time allowed by the charter was growing short. At Denver certain politicians seemed to have very definite information that the S.B. & L. R.R., was not going to finish the building of the road and the operating of the first through train within charter time. Where these politicians had obtained their news they did not take the trouble to state. However, they seemed positive that, under the terms of the charter, the state would take over as much of the railroad as was finished, pay an appraisal price for it, and then turn the road over to the W.C. & A. promoters to finish and use as part of their own railway system. These same politicians, by the way, were a handful of keen, unscrupulous men who derived their whole income from politics, and who had always been identified with movements that the better people of the state usually opposed. Mr. Thurston and his assistant, Blaisdell, were now able to be up and to move about a little, but were not yet able to travel forward to the point that the construction force had now reached. Neither Thurston nor Blaisdell was in fit shape to work, and would not be for some weeks to come. Mr. Newnham, who had learned in these weeks to ride a horse, came along in saddle as Tom and Harry stood watching the field camp that was now being rapidly taken down by the few men left behind. "Idling, as usual, Reade?" smiled the president of the road. "This time I seem to have a real excuse, sir," chuckled Tom. "My work is finished. There isn't a blessed thing that I could do, if I wanted to. By tomorrow I suppose you will be paying me off and letting me go." "Let you go---before the road is running?" demanded Mr. Newnham, in astonishment. "Reade, have you noted any signs of my mind failing lately?" "I haven't, sir." "Then why should you imagine that I am going to let my chief engineer go before the road is in operations" "But I was acting chief, sir, only of the field work." "Reade," continued Mr. Newnham, "I have something to tell you. Thurston has left our employ. So has Blaisdell. They are not dissatisfied in any way, but neither man is yet fit to work. Besides, both are tired of the mountains, and want to go east together as soon as possible and take up some other line of engineering work. So---well, Reade, if you want it, you are now chief engineer of the S.B. & L. in earnest." "Don't trifle with me, sir!" begged Tom incredulously. "I'm too far from home." "No one has ever accused me of being a humorist," replied Mr. Newnham dryly. "Now tell me, Reade, whether you want the post I have offered you?" "Want it?" echoed Tom. "Of course I do. Yet doesn't it seem too 'fresh' in a cub like myself to take such a post?" "You've won it," replied the president. "It's also true that you're only a cub engineer in years, and there are many greater engineers than yourself in the country. You have executive ability, however, Reade. You are able to start a thing, and then put it through on time---or before. The executive is the type of man who is most needed in this or any other country." "Is an executive a lazy fellow who can make others work!" asked Reade. "No; an executive is a man who can choose other men, and can wisely direct them to big achievements. An executive is a director of fine team play. That describes you, Reade. However---you haven't yet accepted the position as chief engineer of the S.B. & L." "I'll end your suspense then, sir," smiled the cub. "I _do_ accept, and with a big capital 'A'." "As to your salary," continued Mr. Newnham, "nothing has been said about that, and nothing need be said until we see whether the road is operating in season to save its charter. If we save our charter and the road, your salary will be in line with the size of the achievement." "If we should lose the charter, sir," Tom retorted, his face clouding, "I don't believe I'd take any interest in the salary question. Money is a fine thing, but the game---the battle---is twenty times more interesting. However, I'm going to predict, Mr. Newnham, that the road WILL operate on time." "I believe you're going to make good, Reade, no matter what a small coterie of politicians at Denver may think. I never met a man who had success stamped more plainly on his face than you have. By the way, I shall ask you to keep Mr. Howe as an assistant. You still have the appointment of one other assistant, in place of Mr. Blaisdell." "I know the fellow I'd like to appoint," cried Tom eagerly. "If you're sure about him, then go ahead and appoint him," responded the president of the S.B. & L. railway. "Hazelton!" proclaimed Tom. "Good, old dependable Harry Hazelton!" "Hazelton would be a wise choice," nodded Mr. Newnham. "Harry!" called Reade, as his chum appeared in the distance. "Come here hustle!" Mr. Newnham turned away as Hazelton came forward. Tom quickly told his chum the news. "I? Assistant chief engineer?" gasped Harry, turning red. "Whew, but that's great! However, I'm not afraid of falling down, Tom, with you to steer me. What's the pay of the new job!" "Not decided," rejoined Tom. "Wait until we get the road through and the charter is safe." "Never mind the wages. The job's the thing, after all!" cried Harry, his face aglow. "Whew! I'll send a letter home tonight with the news." "Make it a small post card, then, concealed under a postage stamp," counseled Reade dryly. "We've work ahead of us---not writing." "What's the first thing you're going to do?" inquired Hazelton. "The first thing will be to get on the job." "You're going back to the construction force?" "I am." "When?" "Well, we start within five minutes." "Whew!" His face still aglow with happiness, Harry Hazelton bounded off to his tent. Tom called to one of the men to saddle two horses, and then followed. "You're going back to the construction camp?" inquired Mr. Newnham, looking in at the doorway. "As fast as horses can take us, sir," Tom replied, as he whipped out a clean flannel shirt and drew it over his head. "I'm going with you," replied Mr. Newnham. "You'll ride fast, if you go with us, sir," called Tom. "I can stand it, if you can, Reade. Your enthusiasm and speed are 'catching,'" replied the president, with a laugh, as he started off to give orders about his horse. "If the president is going with us, then we'll have to take two of Dave Fulsbee's men with us," mused Tom aloud to his chum. "It would never do to have our president captured just before we're ready to open the road to traffic." The orders were accordingly given. Tom then appointed one of the chainmen to command the camp until the construction gang came up. Just seven minutes after he had given the first order, Tom Reade was in saddle. Hazelton was seated on another horse some thirty seconds afterward. The two railroad detectives rode forward, halting near by, and all waited for Mr. Newnham. Nor did the president of the S.B. & L. delay them long. During his weeks in camp in the Rockies the man from Broadway had learned something of the meaning of the word "hustle." As the party started Tom ordered one of the detectives to ride two hundred yards in advance of the party, the other the same distance to the rear. "Set a good pace, and keep it," called Tom along the trail. Shortly after dark the party reached the construction camp, which now numbered about five hundred men. Assistant Chief Engineer Howe appeared more than a little astonished when he learned that Tom Reade was the actual chief engineer of the road. However, the man who had been in charge so far of the construction work made no fuss about being supplanted. "Show me what part of the work you want me to handle," offered Howe, "and you'll find me right with you, Mr. Reade." "Thank you," responded Tom, holding out his hand. "I'm glad you feel no jealousy or resentment. There's just one thing in life for all of us, now, and that is to win the fight." Howe produced the plans and reports, and the three---for Hazelton was of their number---sat up until long after midnight laying out plans for pushing the work faster and harder. At four in the morning, while it was still dark, Tom was up again. He sat at the desk, going over the work once more until half past five o'clock. Then he called Harry and Howe, and the trio of chiefs had a hurried breakfast together. At six in the morning Mr. Newnham appeared, just in time to find Tom and Harry getting into saddle. "Not going to stay behind and sit in an easy chair this morning, Reade?" called the president. "Not this, or any other morning, sir," Tom replied. "You amaze me!" "This construction work requires more personal attention, sir. I may have twenty minutes to dream, in the afternoon, but my mornings are mortgaged each day, from four o'clock on." An hour later Mr. Howe joined Reade and Hazelton in the field. Tom had already prodded three or four foremen, showing them how their gangs were losing time. "If we get the road through on time, and save the charter," Tom called, on leaving each working party, "every laborer and foreman is to have an extra week's pay for his loyalty to us." In every instance that statement brought forth a cheer. "Did Mr. Newnham tell you that you could promise that?" inquired Harry. "No," said Tom shortly. "Then aren't you going a bit far, perhaps!" "I don't care," retorted Tom. "Victory is the winning of millions; defeat is the loss of millions. Do you imagine Mr. Newnham will care about a little thing such as I've promised the men? Harry, our president is a badly worried man, though he doesn't allow himself to show it. Once the road is finished, operating and safe, he won't care what money he has to spend in rewards. He-----" Tom did not finish his words. Instead he dug his heels into his pony, bringing his left hand down hard on that animal's flank. "Yi, yi, yi! Git!" called Tom, bending low over his mount's neck. He drove straight ahead. Hazelton looked astonished for a space of five seconds, then started in pursuit of his chum and chief. It was not long ere Tom reined in, holding up a hand as a signal to Harry to do the same thing. "Here, hold my horse, and stay right here," ordered the young chief. "Tom, what on earth-----" Tom Reade was already a hundred yards away, running in amid the brush. At last he halted, studying the ground earnestly. Then Reade disappeared. "One thing I know, anyway," muttered the puzzled Hazelton, "Tom is not crazy, and he doesn't dash off like that unless he has something real on his mind." The minutes passed. At last Tom came back, walking energetically. He took his horse's bridle and leaded into saddle. "Harry, ride back, hard, and send me two or three of the railroad detectives, unless you happen to meet some of them this side of the camp. I want the men on the rush. Don't fail to tell 'em that." "Any---er---explanations" queried Hazelton. "For you---yes---but don't take the time to pass the explanation on to the men. Just hustle 'em here. When I started my horse forward it was because I caught sight of 'Gene Black's head over the bush tops. I found a few of his footprints, then lost the trail. Send Dave Fulsbee along, too, if you have the luck to see him. I want 'Gene Black hunted down before he does some big mischief. Now---ride!" Harry Hazelton went back over the trail at a gallop. Not until he reached camp did he come upon Fulsbee's men. These he hustled out to find Tom. Two hours later Reade came back over the trail, at a slow jog. The young chief engineer looked more worried than Hazelton had ever seen his chum look before. _ |
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