hope thet this heah time you-all get aboot enough of your job."

One by one the engineers returned from different points along the
wall, and they joined the group around Neale and King.

"Test that rope," ordered General Lodge.

The long rope appeared to be amply strong. When King fastened one
end round his body under his arms the question arose among the
engineers, just as it had arisen for Neale, whether or not it was
needful to let the lineman down before the surveyor. Henney, who
superintended this sort of work, decided it was not necessary.

"I reckon I'll go ahaid," said King. Like all Texans of his type,
Larry King was slow, easy, cool, careless. Moreover, he gave a
singular impression of latent nerve, wildness, violence.

There seemed every assurance of a deadlock when General Lodge
stepped forward and addressed his inquiry to Neale.

"Larry thinks the rope will break. So he wants to go first," replied
Neale.

There were broad smiles forthcoming, yet no one laughed. This was
one of the thousands of strange human incidents that must be enacted
in the building of the railroad. It might have been humorous, but it
was big. It fixed the spirit and it foreshadowed events.

General Lodge's stern face relaxed, but he spoke firmly. "Obey
orders," he admonished Larry King.