"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. This isn't an idling camp."

"I'm glad it isn't," Reade nodded.

Then Blaisdell chatted with the boys, drawing out of them what
they knew, or thought they knew, of civil engineering, especially
as applied to railroad building.

"I hope you lads are going to make good," said Blaisdell earnestly.
"We're in something of a fix on this work at best, and we need
even more than we have, of the very best hustling engineers that
can be found."

"I am beginning to wonder," said Tom, "how, when you have such
need of men of long training, your New York office ever came to
pick us out."

"Because," replied the assistant candidly, "the New York office
doesn't know the difference between an engineer and a railroad
tie. Tim Thurston has been making a long yell at the New York
offices of the company for engineers. Knowing the little that
they do, our New York owners take anyone who says he's an engineer,
and unload the stranger on us."

"I hope we prove up to the work," sighed Harry.