Harry was aroused by the tumult, for he had just gone to his room, intending to turn in.
Having roused the camp, Tim ran the car back to town at the head of the swarming little army and returned to the spot where he had seized the automobile.
“It's all over now, old fellow,” Tom declared to his chum cheerily, rising from his office chair as one of the whistles blew and the men knocked off for their noonday meal. “What happened last night won't happen again.”
“Just the same, Tom, I almost wish you'd carry a pistol after this,” Harry remarked, as the two engineers went to their horses, mounted and started toward town for their own meal.
“Bosh!” almost snapped Tom. “You know my opinion of pistols. They are for policemen, soldiers and others who have real need to go armed. Only a coward would pack a pistol day by day without needing it.”
So the matter was dropped for the time being.
At the hotel Tom and Harry went to their accustomed seats in the dining room. Their food was brought and the two young engineers fell to work cheerfully. Just then a well-dressed man of perhaps thirty years entered the dining, room, spoke to one of the waiters, and came over to the engineers' table.
“Messrs. Reade and Hazelton?” he inquired pleasantly.
“May I make myself known?” asked the stranger. “My name is Danes--Frank Danes.”
Harry in turn gave his own name and that of Tom.
“I wonder if you would think it intruding if I invited myself to join you at this table?” the stranger went on.
“By no means,” Tom responded cordially. “We'll be glad of your company. It will stop Hazelton and myself from talking too much shop.”
“Oh, by all means talk shop,” begged Danes, as he slipped into a chair at one side of the table. “I shall enjoy it, for I am interested in you both. In fact, I took the liberty of asking the waiter to point you gentlemen out to me.”
Danes had the appearance of being a well-to-do easterner, and announced himself as a resident of Baltimore.
For some minutes the three chatted pleasantly, Harry, however, doing most of the talking for the engineers. When Tom spoke it was generally to put some question.
“Do you ever permit visitors to go out to the Man-killer?” Danes inquired toward the end of the meal.