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James Stephens, Job Stanley Carpenters. Edward Wilson Blacksmith. George Fowkes Shoemaker. John Douglas Barometer-carrier. Isaac Reid Sailor and chainman. Andrew Higgs Chainman. William Hunter, Thomas Smith With the horses. Patrick Travers Carter and pioneer, Douglas Arnott Shepherd and butcher. Arthur Bristol Sailmaker and Sailor. The rest consisted of gelatine, and a small quantity of pork.
"I'm chainman with the Rutland party, out from North Bay on a topographical survey. We're taking a new mileage and mapping the right-of-way. Our van's on the second siding above here." This unexpected "vacation" had come about quite simply.
Young Spencer began his surveying work by carrying a flag, and soon he was advanced to "chainman." His skill in mathematics made his services valuable, and his willingness to sit up nights and work out the measurements of the day, so pleased his employer that the letter of the contract was waived and he was paid ten pounds for his first year's work, instead of five.
I was put under the civil engineer, and for two months I was sort of 'inspector' and 'force account' man in connection with the building of a supply railroad, but I gradually worked into the regular surveying crew, first as substitute rear chainman, and then as the regular one. Before long I was head chainman.
The father and three boys were in the fields at work beyond the hill. He raised his compass and followed the chainman to the Doyles' door. The mother and little girl trudged behind, delighted with the diversion of the party, so rare on the lonely prairies. Little could they dream the grim deed that was shaping in the soul of the Surveyor.
So Reade moved ahead, getting courses and distances to five more stakes. Then, as he reached the sixth, he gazed ahead and smiled. A mountain pond lay right in his straight path to the seventh stake. "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.
Immediately after supper Tom ordered one of the chainmen to saddle a pony and be ready to take a message back to the telegraph service that was rapidly overtaking them. "I want you to be sure to get a receipt for the message from the operator," Tom explained. "Direct the operator to get the message through to New York at once." "What's the use?" demanded the chainman.
About the end of September, Stephenson went carefully over the line of the proposed railway, for the purpose of suggesting such improvements and deviations as he might consider desirable. He was accompanied by an assistant and a chainman,—his son Robert entering the figures while his father took the sights.
"Now, let the bad man trot himself on, if he has to," added the cub engineer, waving a signal to the rodman, who had just halted at the next stake. "Well, of all the cool ones!" grunted Rutter, under his breath. "But, then, Reade's a tenderfoot. He doesn't understand just how dangerous a fellow like Pete can be." The chainman started away to measure the distance.
Buck was readily located in the country north of Arcata, and one of the operatives actually procured a job as chainman with his surveying gang, while the other kept Ogilvy and his secretary under surveillance. Their reports, however, yielded the Colonel nothing until the first day of Buck's return to Sequoia, when the following written report caused the Colonel to sit up and take notice.
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