"It looks as if there was coal there, too,--coal or--or something," he finished, looking narrowly at the men, "and coal and water might be good things for a railroad, it seems to me." For a brief instant there came a dangerous look into Mr. Ranquist's eyes. His face grew pale, and he seemed to control himself with a great effort. Mr. Dudley also appeared very much surprised. Mr. Ranquist forced himself to burst into a laugh that had no mirth in it. "Ha! Ha! Ha!" he shouted. "Not bad, eh, Mr. Dudley? Water for the engine. Well! Well! Well!" He laughed again. "Coal upon this hill! Oh, dear! Oh, dear! Well, my boy," he went on, clapping Roger on the back good-naturedly, "it's very nice of you to think of these things for our railroad, but, bless you, we wouldn't want to stop in a place like this for coal or water. If the line goes through here," with a significant look at Mr. Dudley, "it will make only flying stops. I suppose this land, where the coal and water is, belongs to some friend of yours, eh?" and he looked at the boys narrowly. "It's my father's," broke in Adrian. "But I never knew there was coal on it. There's a spring, and a good one, but nobody ever thought of looking for coal. I wish there was some." "Why?" from Mr. Dudley, suddenly. "Because," answered Adrian, "my father might get a good enough price for it, so's he could sell some and pay off the mortgage on the rest." "Oh, then the farm is mortgaged?" "Yes." And then the boy seemed to realize that he was talking too freely to strangers, and he stopped. "Well," went on Mr. Dudley, "I'm sorry to say as far as I can see there's not the least chance of any coal ever being found in this section of the country. It is not the kind of land where coal is located." Adrian looked the disappointment he felt. He had really hoped there might be coal on his father's farm. "Do you want to go down by the spring?" persisted Roger, starting off in that direction. "Um, ah--yes. I think we might as well as not," said Mr. Ranquist, in spite of the obvious efforts Mr. Dudley made to have him say something different. All four started off, but at that instant there came a sudden sound to the left. It was a crashing of the under-brush and bushes, as if some heavy, lumbering body was being forced through them. Then a black shape burst into view, and the next second a big, ungainly animal, tall and covered with dark fur, thrust itself into the open, while the wide-stretched mouth showed the lolling red tongue and glistening white fangs of an immense black bear. For a moment neither men nor boys knew which way to turn. The beast, however, was not at all undecided in his movements. With a savage growl he came lurching clumsily forward, and the sight of his fierce anger filled the members of the little party with terror. Adrian was the first to appreciate the danger. "Every one to a tree!" he shouted, "and take the smallest and thinest that will hold you, or he'll climb up after!"