The men walked cautiously toward the fuse, and Howland saw the little superintendent fall on his knees.
"What in hell!" he heard him exclaim, and then there was a silence.

As quietly as a cat Howland worked himself to the entrance and made a clatter among the rocks.

It was he who responded to the voice.
"What's up, MacDonald ?" He coolly joined the little group.

MacDonald looked up, and when he saw the new chief bending over him his eyes stared in unbounded wonder.
"Howland!" he gasped.
It was all he said, but in that one word and in the strange excitement in the superintendent's face Howland read that which made him turn quickly to the men, giving them his first command as general-in-chief of the road that was going to the bay.
"Get out of the coyote, boys," he said.

"We won't do anything more until morning." To MacDonald, as the men went out ahead of them, he added in a low voice: "Guard the entrance to this tunnel with half a dozen of your best men to-night, MacDonald.