DON LUIS'S ENGINEERING PROBLEM


"Gato?" whispered Harry. "What is he doing around here?"

"There is no reason why we should care what he is doing," Tom
returned. "He isn't in the employ of the mine. Come along, Harry."

But Nicolas seized the young chief engineer by the arm.

"Beat me, if you will, Senor Americano," pleaded Nicolas. "But
don't encounter Gato. It would be as much as your life is worth."

"Why? Is Gato on the warpath for us?" Tom questioned.

"I fear so," Nicolas answered. "Don't let him see you."

"But I must see him, if the fellow is out for us," muttered Tom.
"Show me where he is."

"He and three or four men are camped just around there," said
the Mexican servant, pointing.

"Come along, Harry," Tom whispered. "Go cat-foot."

Ere the young engineers came in sight around the turn a slight
glow of light against the stones caught their glance. Tom held
a hand behind him as a signal to Hazelton to slow up. Then Reade
peered around a jutting ledge of rock.