“Yes, you win, Cole. You win five thousand at one rattle outa the box, and anything you want in the way of a job with Demarest, Spruce and Tillou.”
But Joshua shook his head. “Thanks,” he said in a low tone. “You’re mighty kind and appreciative, but I’ll take only the five thousand. I have no desire to become a railroad builder—I have other plans.”
“But, man, you’re made!” cried Demarest. “You’ll be known all over the country in no time as Cole, the man who stopped the famous Mundy slide, when two of the biggest engineers in the U. S. failed. Don’t throw away such a chance as that! Take your five thousand and study engineering—your job’ll be waiting for you when you’re through.”
“Thanks, no,” Joshua returned, embarrassed; “I have no brain for engineering. What I did was just the result of common sense, and I couldn’t probably do anything like it again in a thousand years. No, I have other plans.”
“Joshua,” cried Madge, “do you realize what you’re doing? You have nothing—this is the chance of a lifetime!”
“I realize that,” he told her, “but I can’t accept. Here it is September. You perhaps don’t know that on the eighteenth of next June the planet Mars will occupy the best position for observation since Nineteen-nine. And there will not be another chance so good until August, Nineteen twenty-four. So I must get well, build a cabin on my homestead and in general prepare for the hard winter that is predicted in these mountains. Then I must build a trail to the summit of Spyglass Mountain, put up my observatory, and install the eight-inch telescope that I have now decided to buy. The snows will hamper my work next winter, so that it will keep me rustling to have everything in readiness for the eighteenth of next June.”
“What’s all this? What in thunder ye talkin’ about?” barked Philip Demarest.
“Madge will tell you,” said Joshua. “I’m going down to camp now for a little rest, if you’ll excuse me. I find that I’m pretty much all in from the strain and excitement of the last few hours. And that big engineer, Branscomb, nearly pumped the arm off me, on the side where I got shot. You explain for me, Madge. Good-by and—thanks!”
CHAPTER XXIII
“WHEN THE MOMENT COMES!”
ELIZABETH MUNDY found it necessary to fold Joshua in her arms and kiss him when he and Madge reported the triumph of his idea. The three sat together in the Mundys’ comfortable little tent, Madge very thoughtful, with hands in pockets and legs stretched out before her and crossed; her handsome mother rocking gently in a little maple rocker; Joshua seated at the table reading the letter that notified Mrs. Mundy that her homestead claim had been allowed. They began to plan.