away. At that instant Jake Wren came back into the tent.

"For the present, Jake," went on the assistant engineer, "serve
only for seven in this tent. Pete is leaving us."

"Do you mean-----" flared Pete, leaping to his feet and striding
toward the engineer.

"I mean," responded Blaisdell, without looking up, "that we hope
the chainmen's mess will take you on. But if they don't like
you, they don't have to do so."

For ten seconds, while Pete stood glaring at Blaisdell, it looked
as though the late guest would draw his revolver. Pete was swallowing
hard, his face having turned lead color.

"Won't you oblige us by going at once, Pete?" inquired Blaisdell
coolly.

"Not until I've settled my score here," snarled the fellow. "Not
until I've evened up with you, you-----"

At the same time Pete reached for his revolver in evident earnest.
Both his words and his movement were nipped short.

Morris and Rice were the only men in the engineers' party who
carried revolvers. They carried weapons, in the day time, for
protection against a very real foe, the Rocky Mountain rattlesnakes,
which infested the territory through which the engineers were
then working.