"Can that pond be easily forded?" Reade asked the nearer chainman.

"No, sir; it's about ten feet deep in the centre."

Tom smiled grimly to himself.

"Rutter didn't say anything about this to me," Tom muttered to
himself. "He put this upon me, to see how I'd get over an obstacle
like an unfordable pond. Well, it's going to take a lot of time
but I'll show Mr. Jack Rutter!"

Accordingly, Reade allowed his chainmen to proceed measuring until
they were fairly close to the pond. Then he went forward to the
metal stake that had just been driven. From this stake he laid
out a new course to the north and at exact right angles with the
proper course, sending his chainmen forward with markers. When
he had thus passed the end of the pond Reade took another course
at exactly right angles to the northerly course, but now going
westerly. This he extended until it passed the pond by a few
feet. Once more Reade laid out a course, southerly, at exact
right angles with the westerly course, the southerly line being
exactly four chains in length, as the northerly line had been.
Now, the young engineer was able to resume his surveying toward
the seventh stake. The extra route that he had followed made
three sides of a square. Tom was now in line again, with the
pond passed, and the exact distance between the sixth and seventh
stakes.

"I guess that was where Rutter was sure he'd have me," chuckled
Tom quietly. "He's probe ably waiting ahead to see me come hot-footing