“Ah--I see,” nodded the wizened one. “You’re going back after Bourke.” “What else can I do! I can’t even wire Sherman without sending a man two hundred miles through the desert. The most important thing to my employers is to maintain possession of the line.” “Of course--I see. I don’t know much about these things myself.” After supper the wizened one announced that he must ride on with his party. “You won’t stop with us to-night?” asked Carhart. “No, thanks. It’ll be light an hour or two yet. I’ve got to move fast. I’ll lose a good deal, you see, going around by way of Pierrepont.” “That’s so, of course. Well, good-by, sir.” “Good-by.” The riders swung into their saddles and cantered off eastward. Carhart turned to Young Van and slowly winked. “Come up to headquarters, Gus,” he said. “I’ve got some work for you.” “I rather guess you have, if we’re going after Bourke.” “After Bourke?” Carhart smiled. “You didn’t take that in, Gus?” “Well--of course, I suspected.” “You saw his badge?” “Yes.” “Bourke always has a lot of men about him from his own college.” “You really think it, then?” “It would be hard to say what I think. But I’ve been going on the assumption that he is one of Bourke’s engineers.” They were approaching the headquarters tent. Young Van looked up and saw that “Arizona,” Carhart’s new saddle-horse, was hitched before it. They entered the tent, and the first thing the chief did was to get out two long blue-nosed revolvers and slip them into his holsters. A moment later, and Dimond, fitted out for a long ride, appeared at the entrance, saying, “All ready, Mr. Carhart!” “Now, Gus,” said the chief, “I’m off for ‘mile 109.’ I want you to get about two hundred men together and send them after me to-night or to-morrow morning. I’ll tell Scribner, as I pass him, to have fifty more for you. Every man must have a rifle and plenty of ball cartridges. Send Byers”--this was the instrument man of the long nose--“and two or three others whom you think capable of commanding forty or fifty men each.” “And Bourke?” “We’ll leave him to Mr. Chambers. Give Charlie instructions to strengthen his night guard. Some men will be sent back to guard the second and third wells.” Young Van involuntarily passed his hand across his eyes. “I’m afraid I’m not much good,” he said slowly. “I didn’t grasp this situation very well. It’s rather a new phase of engineering for me. We seem to be plunging all of a sudden into tactics and strategy.” “That’s about the size of it, Gus,” the chief responded. He had exchanged his old straw hat for a sombrero. His spurs jingled as he moved. There was a sparkle in his eye and a new sort of military alertness about his figure. He paused at the tent entrance, and looked back. “That’s about the size of it, Gus,” he repeated with a half smile. “And I’m afraid I rather like it.” “Well, good-by. I’ll start the men right along after you.”