For half an hour the two men talked, and Conniston lay back listening. In spite of Bat Truxton's sour acceptance of him, Conniston began to feel a decided liking for the old engineer. After all, he told himself, were he in Truxton's place he would have small liking for putting a green man on the job. He realized that there was nothing personal in Truxton's attitude toward him. Truxton was not looking for a man, but for an efficient, reliable machine, one that had already been tested and found to be strong, trustworthy, infallible. Again the question had been put to him, "What have you done?" And it was nobody's fault but his that he had done nothing. "I wish you had two legs, Tommy," Truxton said, when at last he got up and went to the door. "You an' me workin' together out there--well, we'd make things jump, that's all." Tommy laughed, but his sensitive mouth twitched as though with a sharp physical pain. "Oh, I'm doing all right inside," he answered, quietly. "Somebody's got to attend to this end of the game. And Conniston will be on to the ropes in a few days. He'll help you make things jump." Truxton made no answer. For a moment he stood frowning at the floor. Then he turned once more to Conniston for a short, intent scrutiny. "You have your blankets ready, Conniston," he said, shortly. "You'll sleep on a sand-pile to-morrow night." And he went out, slamming the door behind him. CHAPTER XIII At half-past three, Conniston, awakened with a start by the jangle and clamor of Tommy Garton's little alarm-clock, got up and dressed. At the lunch-counter the man who had been fidgety yesterday and was merely sleepy this morning set coffee and flapjacks and bacon before him. Before four he had saddled his horse, rolled into a neat bundle a blanket and a couple of quilts from the cot upon which he had slept last night, tied them behind his saddle, and was ready for the coming of Bat Truxton. Then Truxton on horseback joined him. Conniston mounted, acknowledged Truxton's short "Good mornin'," and rode with him away from the sleeping village and out toward the south. "Tommy's told you somethin' about what we got ahead of us?" Truxton asked, when they had ridden half a mile in silence. "Yes. We went over the whole thing together as well as we could in a day's time."