In the same instant the young chief engineer dropped out of sight behind a boulder close to the path.
Black's low, thrilling whistle sounded.

A night bird's call answered.
Soon afterwards, another form appeared, and Tom, peering anxiously, was sure that he recognized the man whom he expected to see---Bad Pete.
What Tom heard came disjointedly---a few words here and there, but enough to set him thinking "at the rate of a mile a minute," as he told himself.
Up the trail came the pair, after some minutes.

Tom crouched flat behind his boulder.
"Great! I hope they'll halt within a few feet and go on talking about the things that I want to hear---_must_ hear!" quivered Reade.
It was provoking! Black and Bad Pete passed so close, yet the only sound from either of them, while within earshot, was a chuckle from Pete.
"That's right! Laugh," gritted disappointed Tom.

"Laughing is in your line! You're planning, somehow, to put the big laugh over the whole line of the S.B.

& L.railroad.