"Hum. Glad to hear it," responded Mr. Ranquist. "You're from New York, aren't you? Well, so are we, Mr. Dudley and I. Came here to sort of rest up and look around. Nice place, isn't it?" "I think so," from Roger. "Yes. Um. Well, Mr. Dudley and I had nothing to do so we sauntered out here." "Is the railroad going through this place?" asked Adrian. "We heard you were railroad surveyors," he went on. Mr. Ranquist glanced quickly at the two boys and seemed to be weighing something in his mind. Advancing toward Adrian, he said: "Now you two young men appear to be smart and bright. If I tell you something can you keep it secret?" "Yes, sir," chorused the two boys. "Well, then, we are getting ready to lay out a line through here. But we don't want people to know it yet, because if they did they'd ask a good deal more for their land, which we might need, than it would be worth to us. We're willing, or that is the men who are putting the line through, are ready to pay a good price for the property, but not too much. So we came out here, without letting any one know, to look the ground over and see how it lays. Then if we like it we'll make an offer. But we don't want it talked about until we're ready to have it, that a railroad is likely to come through the valley. Do you understand?" The boys nodded gravely. "Now," went on Mr. Ranquist, "I like your looks, and as we need two bright, smart boys who know this part of the country well, we might like to engage you. How would you consider such a proposition?" Adrian and Roger were silent a moment, thinking. They were wondering if they could properly accept the offer. "It won't interfere with anything else you have to do," continued Mr. Ranquist. "We shall want you only once in a while to guide us around these parts. What do you say?" "How much?" asked Adrian, always practical. "Five dollars each," said Mr. Ranquist, quickly. "For which we're to show you around when you want us and say nothing about a railroad line coming through," stipulated the boy. "Exactly. I don't mind you telling your folks, but no one else." "It's a go, if Roger agrees." "Oh, I'll agree fast enough," put in Roger. "Then here's your money," said Mr. Ranquist, as if he feared the boys might change their minds. He drew some bills from his pocket, stripped off two crisp bank notes, and passed five dollars each to Roger and Adrian. The boys took the cash as if they had been used to that sort of thing all their lives. "Now," said Mr. Ranquist, "I guess we won't need you to-day, for as a matter of fact we're going back to the hotel. But can you come with us the day after to-morrow? We want to travel along this ridge, back into the hills, and we don't want to run the chance of getting lost. So can you meet us at the Cardiff Inn right after dinner?" "I guess so," answered Adrian. "Yes, sir, we'll be there," and he slyly nudged Roger, warning him to make no answer.