THE DAY OF REAL WORK DAWNS The meal was finished in peace after that.

It was so hearty a meal that Tom and Harry, who had not yet acquired the keen edge of appetite that comes to hard workers in the Rockies, had finished long before any one else.
"You fellers had better hurry up," commanded Jake Wren finally.
"It'll soon be dark, and I'm not going to furnish candles." As the cook was an autocrat in camp, the engineers meekly called for more pie and coffee, disposed of it and strolled out of the mess tent over to their own little village under canvas.
"Bring over your banjo, Matt," urged Joe.

"Nothing like the merry old twang to make the new boys feel at home in our school." Rice needed no further urging.

As darkness came down a volume of song rang out.
"What time do we turn out in the morning ?" Tom asked, as Mr.
Blaisdell brought over a camp stool and sat near them.
"At five sharp," responded the assistant engineer.

"An hour later we hit the long trail in earnest.