that moment. But there had been a few whispered words between
the men, and they had allowed him to ride by.

"What's the game here, Tom?" Harry called cheerily. "Any real
excitement going on?"

"No." Tom shook his head. "Just a little misunderstanding over
a question of fact."

"Then I see that the lie hasn't been passed," grinned Hazelton.
"The ground isn't littered at all."

He rode up to his chum, displaying no curiosity.

That the automobile party had been much cheered by the arrival
of the young engineers was wholly apparent. For the same reason
the four men appeared to be a good deal less certain of themselves.

"I guess there isn't going to be any real trouble," spoke Reade
carelessly. "But there's a question at issue that I feel it would
be impertinent in me to try to settle, so I've sent for Jim Ferrers
to bring over the whole crowd."

Though Harry couldn't imagine where Ferrers's "crowd" was, he wisely
held his tongue.

At the same time an earnest conference was going on among the
four men. They spoke in low whispers.

"Jim Ferrers, alone, we could handle," declared the leader. "But